The entertainment industry is abuzz with Barbie’s Oscars snubs one day after the nominations were announced.
The exclusion of Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie from the Best Director and Best Actress categories, respectively, sparked controversy on social media as a “way to justify the literal plot of the movie” and has since generated backlash upon backlash. Gerwig and Robbie have received nominations in additional categories (including Best Picture), Barbie has received eight nominations, and both America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling have been honored for their performances that merited awards. Some are highlighting the fact that indignation overshadows their nominations.
The current situation, Gosling and Ferrera’s statements, and the potential ramifications for the Oscars campaign are detailed below.
Barbie leads in Oscar nominations, but three anticipated categories are not honored.
Barbie ranks behind Oppenheimer (13), Poor Things (11) and Killers of the Flower Moon (10), with eight nominations. If Barbie wins Best Picture, Robbie, a producer of the billion-dollar film, will be awarded an Academy Award. Gerwig is a nominee in the category for Best Adapted Screenplay. (Barbie’s initial placement in this category generated controversy and may have foreshadowed future developments.) Barbie became the highest-grossing film of the year and the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman, garnering over $1.4 billion internationally. Their exclusion is therefore conspicuous.
The omission of Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night Away” from the nominations for Best Music (Original Score) was also unexpected. The film, “What Was I Made For?” and “I’m Just Ken” were two additional nominees in the same category.
How exactly are nominees selected?
At the nomination stage, members vote exclusively on the categories of their respective branches; thus, directors nominate directors, actors nominate actors, and so forth. All eligible voters may select the nominees for Best Picture. (With regard to final voting, all categories are available for member selection.)
The Hollywood Reporter reports that the directors branch comprises a fraction of under 6% of the entire Academy. At 75% male, it is also among the oldest and most male-dominated groups in the organization; this may have contributed to Gerwig’s exclusion for Barbie. Nevertheless, one woman was nominated in the category; her work, Anatomy of a Fall, by Justine Triet, was honored. Since the Academy expanded the Best Picture category to ten finalists, the acting and directing categories, which recognize only five nominees, have annually generated at least one controversy.
Sandra Hüller, star of Anatomy of a Fall, was nominated for the award for Best Actress this year, vying for the position that was widely perceived to be Robbie’s. The actors branch of the Academy comprises slightly more than 13 percent of its members. Gosling concurs that Gergwig and Robbie’s absence is extremely surprising in light of Barbie’s box office success and critical acclaim.
‘Disappointed’ Gosling Gerwig and Robbie were not identified.
Tuesday, social media was abuzz with commentary regarding the irony that Ken (Gosling) received a nomination while Barbie (Robbie) did not.
In a press release, Gosling acknowledged that “there’s 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.”
Gosling, who expressed gratitude to the Academy for his nomination, said in a statement, “It would be an understatement to say that I am disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories.” “By virtue of being thankfully grotchless, lacking in soul, and sporting scant clothing, they defied all expectations by eliciting laughter, breaking our hearts, pushing the boundaries of culture, and creating history.” Their efforts, in addition to those of the other exceptionally meritorious nominees, ought to be acknowledged.
Ken co-star Simu Liu responded, “My small role gave me insight into the arduous struggle Greta and Margot endured to create Barbie, as well as the flawless execution they achieved.” They initiated a collective movement that had a global impact and revitalized the film industry.
Ferrera receives her very first Oscar nomination, but the honor is overshadowed by snub news.
Having delivered a stellar monologue in Barbie that was among the most discussed moments in cinema the previous year, Ferrera was appropriately honored in the category for Best Supporting Actress. While expressing enthusiasm regarding her nomination on the Today program, she acknowledged experiencing “disappointment” regarding Gerwig and Robbie.
“It’s just so undeniable what they created, how unprecedented, how unexpected,” Ferrera commented. “You know, Greta and her collaborator penned this brilliant screenplay, and Greta, in her capacity as a director, constructed an entire world; in my opinion, she is an unparalleled, master filmmaker.”
Online users are expressing concern that the backlash against Barbie is detracting from Ferrera’s moment, particularly since the Academy has been criticized for failing to showcase sufficient performances by individuals of color. (Recall the #OscarsSoWhite contentious debate?) Furthermore, Triet’s nomination for direction represents development.
