The Academy’s decision not to nominate the director and lead actress of “Barbie,” the highest-grossing film of 2023, sparked widespread indignation on social media, with posts from users, Hollywood stars, and other public figures.
Hillary Clinton expressed her support, saying, “Although winning at the box office but not taking home the gold may hurt, their millions of fans adore them.” She added, “Both are more than Kenough,” referencing a line from the film that uses the iconic doll to highlight real-world sexism women face.
While “Barbie” secured eight nominations, including Best Picture, Greta Gerwig and lead Margot Robbie were notably absent from the directing and acting categories.
Ryan Gosling, playing Ken, secured a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, a move that did not go unnoticed on social media. One user remarked, “Nominating Ken and not Barbie is so fitting for a movie where a man discovers the power of patriarchy in the real world.”
Greta Gerwig, the American director who co-wrote and directed “Barbie,” the highest-grossing film of all time, found herself excluded from the nominations.
Criticism came not only from fans but also from Gosling himself, who expressed his disappointment in a statement. Simu Liu, a rival Ken in “Barbie,” supported the outcry, stating, “Today, they started a movement, reached the world, and reinvigorated cinema. They deserve everything. They are everything.”
The surprise nomination of America Ferrera for Best Supporting Actress, portraying Gloria, a mother trying to mend her strained relationship with her teenage daughter, was overshadowed by the overall snub. Ferrera celebrated her first Oscar nomination but lamented the absence of her colleagues.
Greta Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach, responsible for “Barbie’s” screenplay, were nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Margot Robbie, one of the film’s producers, competes for Best Picture.
The only woman nominated for Best Director is the French filmmaker Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”), competing with Christopher Nolan, Yorgos Lanthimos, Martin Scorsese, and Jonathan Glazer.
The 96th Oscar ceremony will take place on March 10 in Hollywood.