America Ferrera has been nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her emotionally resonant and scene-stealing performance in Barbie. The honor was surreal and unanticipated, considering the film’s worldwide acclaim.
“I momentarily wondered if it were all in my head,” Ferrera states to The Hollywood Reporter. The inundation of surges of congratulations commenced almost immediately, aiding in the assimilation of the honor.
Ferrera portrayed Barbie, a woman portrayed by Margot Robbie, as the human protagonist who struggles with her own insecurities and attempts to reconnect with her adolescent daughter. Iconic has become her monologue concerning the hypocrisy of the expectations society places on women. “Being a woman is literally impossible,” she consoles Barbie as she says this. “You are stunningly intelligent and beautiful, and it terrifies me that you do not believe you are adequate.” Her words motivate the Barbies to reclaim Barbieland by rousing them from the haze induced by Kendom.
Ferrera has been artistically influenced not only by her fellow nominees but also by her co-stars and creatives on Barbie, which received eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture and best adapted screenplay for Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.
Ferrera states, “The work of every woman in the extraordinary category that I have the privilege of being a part of—Da’Vine [Joy Randolph], Danielle [Brooks], Emily [Blunt], and Jodi [Foster]—is simply breathtaking.” “I find it truly incredible that I am able to participate in this discourse while witnessing the extraordinary efforts being exerted everywhere.”
Tuesday morning, following the nominations’ announcement, Ferrera engaged in a conversation with THR, during which she expressed her astonishment and delight, reflected on her role, and lauded the film’s creative accomplishments.
What was your initial impression upon learning of your nomination? Are you a live viewer?
I watched it live in bed by myself, in disbelief, as my spouse was transporting my children to school. I briefly questioned whether or not it was a hallucination, but my phone then began to explode. Consequently, I concluded, “Oh, I see; that did indeed occur.” It was thrilling and completely startling. When my husband called me from the car yelling, my children were extremely perplexed and begged him to stop.
What attracted you to the Gloria role?
I adored the fact that she was a real woman, compelled to be flawed, imperfect, and human in Barbieland’s otherwise plastic and perfect world; furthermore, I cherished how her admission of her flaws, inner conflicts, and insecurities served as an empowering moment for the other women in the land. Additionally, she was the focal point of a delightful adventure. Delighting in Barbie and this child’s play was her journey forward; she did not simply watch from the sidelines and cheer for her adolescent daughter; rather, she had the opportunity to realize a personal wish. The unexpected opportunity for mature human women to have a say in this story felt like a gift from Greta to all of us.
Did the mother-daughter dynamic strike a chord with you as a mother?
Undoubtedly so. As a mother and a daughter, I am constantly grappling with the conflicting desires for closeness and connection while also being tugged in opposite directions and experiencing various life stages. Working with Ariana Greenblatt, who portrayed my daughter Sasha, was a delight. We had an immense amount of chemistry and affection for one another almost immediately. Because she is so intelligent and accomplished, I believed we could truly forge that connection. Despite the fact that she was behaving somewhat aloofly as a teenager and breaking her mother’s heart, an underlying attraction toward them genuinely seeing each other persisted.
One of my favorite moments in Gloria’s voyage is when she is on the verge of abandoning Barbie and Barbieland, and her own daughter Sasha consoles her by telling her, “You must believe in this; you cannot give up; and your drawings aren’t stupid.” I admire your drawings and recognize you for who you truly are: the eccentric, the dark, and the insane, which I adore. That appeared to be the exact moment when she received the affection and nurturing that she had been bestowing upon her own daughter.
