Tina Fey’s Kim Baker in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is an interesting character — and so is her real-life inspiration.
Originally published March 2016. Updated March 2017.
‘The Taliban Shuffle’
Barker’s book was named after a playlist she had on her iPod while in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Book review got Fey’s attention
The New York Times wrote that Barker was “sort of a Tina Fey character.” Tina read the book and loved it.
The Hollywood version
Barker knew they would change her story for the movie, even cutting out her time in Pakistan.
Barker’s biggest fear
Barker was afraid that the movie would be Anchorman set in Afghanistan and not take her story seriously.
Barker ‘terrified’ to read script
“I’m very much a believer in only getting involved with things you can control,” said Barker.
Barker’s reaction to the movie
She said she was “barely breathing” in the screening, but her brother loved it, and said she shouldn’t worry.
Water well story was fiction
Screenwriter Robert Carlock invented the story to show Kim Barker’s ability to communicate with the women.
Afghan women hugged Barker
They would take off their burkas and wanted to know if Barker was married and what her husband was like.
Barker on Afghan women
“You’ve not met a strong woman until you’ve met an Afghan woman.”
The iPhone incident
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif bought Barker an iPhone and asked to be her “special friend” in real life.
Shooting in a local village
Abdul Sabet, attorney general of Afghanistan, did take Barker shooting in his village in real life.
The real-life toga party
Barker asked a rep from Human Rights Watch to accompany her to a toga party. He wisely declined.
Barker didn’t save her boyfriend
It was Barker’s platonic friend Sean who was kidnapped. He was rescued by Great Britain’s Channel 4.
The thing she missed most?
Bacon. “You find yourself in a country where you can’t get pork and you crave the bacon,” she said.
The 4-10-4 rule
Is real! If you’re a 4 in New York, you’re a 10 in Afghanistan. Sadly, you become a 4 again at home.
Barker is much taller than Fey
Barker is 5 feet 10 inches tall, whereas Fey is 5 feet 4 inches tall.
On being American
Barker said, “It reminds you how lucky you are to be born here, because it’s all sort of an accident of birth.”
She remains close to her Afghan fixer
Her fixer, Farouq Samim, called Fahim in the movie, is played by Christopher Abbot.
Barker is fearless
Barker has also covered natural disasters like the tsunami in Asia and the earthquake in Kashmir.
Barker is a feminist
“My mother raised me a feminist, and a feminist I remain,” said Barker.
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