Barbie, the critically acclaimed film, has sparked controversy following its recent Oscar nominations, with significant snubs for director Greta Gerwig and lead star Margot Robbie. The film’s co-stars, Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera, along with a chorus of fans, have expressed disappointment over these exclusions.
Ryan Gosling, despite being nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken, shared his thoughts in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Gosling expressed his deep disappointment, acknowledging the central contributions of both Gerwig and Robbie.
The full statement is as follows:
“I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films. And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken.
But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film.
No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius.
To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.
Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.
Having said that, I am so happy for America Ferrera and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.”
Despite the snub, Barbie garnered eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Production Design, and Costume Design. This recognition extends to America Ferrera, the only other cast member of Barbie who was nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role. She echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the crucial roles played by Robbie and Gerwig in shaping the film’s success while acknowledging her own nomination.
Her statement to Variety is as follows:
“It’s an overwhelming amount of love and support and congratulations to me. I feel it so deeply and am so grateful for their love and support and in this moment. It’s been a long Barbie journey — I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, it’s been years and years and years — everyone’s really excited that we get to celebrate and to end this journey at the biggest party of the year.
I was incredibly disappointed that they weren’t nominated. Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it. Creating this world, and taking something that didn’t have inherent value to most people and making it a global phenomenon. It feels disappointing to not see her on that list.
What Margot achieved as an actress is truly unbelievable. One of the things about Margot as an actress is how easy she makes everything look. And perhaps people got fooled into thinking that the work seems easy, but Margot is a magician as an actress in front of the screen, and it was one of the honors of my career to get to witness her pull off the amazing performance she did. She brings so much heart and humor and depth and joy and fun to the character. In my book, she’s a master.”
The film, which became a global phenomenon last summer, amassed over US$1.44 billion worldwide. Its cultural impact was significant, yet Gerwig and Robbie’s absence in the Best Director and Best Actress categories has been a point of contention. Although they received nods in other categories — Gerwig for Best Adapted Screenplay and Robbie for Best Picture as a producer — their central roles in Barbie were overlooked.
Fans have voiced their frustrations on social media, pointing out the irony of Gosling’s Ken receiving a nomination while Robbie’s Barbie did not, drawing parallels to the film’s exploration of patriarchy. This sentiment resonates with many, as dozens of posts reflect the disappointment in Gerwig and Robbie’s Oscar snubs.
The 96th Academy Awards’ decision has sparked discussions about gender dynamics in the industry, mirroring the themes presented in Barbie itself.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
Edwin Teo
