A lot of people saw Greta Gerwig’s Barbie in theatres this summer — its record-breaking numbers at the box office are cognizant of that. Released in July 2023, Gerwig’s blockbuster grossed more than $1.4 billion at the box office, making her the only woman in the billion-dollar club with sole credit for directing a film.
When the 2024 Oscar nominations were announced on January 23rd, Barbie received eight, including Best Picture. However, Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were noticeably overlooked for Best Actress and Best Director, respectively. The snubs sparked online backlash, with fans and celebrities chiming in support of Robbie and Gerwig or outrage. Debates have been raging about the nature of the snubs, from claims that they reflect the Academy’s deep-rooted history of sexism and misogyny to the outrage overshadowing supporting actress America Ferrera’s nomination.
A frequent outcry is that Ken, or Ryan Gosling, getting an Oscar nomination and Margot Robbie getting none somehow proves the movie’s point. To the movie’s fans, nominating Ken but not Barbie is, in Jimmy Kimmel’s words, “literally the plot of the movie.” Ken himself commented on Gerwig and Robbie’s omissions in a released statement: “No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit, and genius. To say that I’m disappointed they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.” Hillary Clinton even joined the conversation, offering her support and condolences to Greta and Margot. Alluding to her loss in the 2020 election and comparing her win of the popular vote to Barbie’s box office success, she tweeted: “While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You’re both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie”
To others, the online discourse and outrage imply that Greta and Margot’s missed nominations are the only ones that count. Junior Max Davis said, “I think it’s weird that people are acting like Barbie missing out at nominations was a loss for feminism. I think it’s pretty telling that none of these other nominations are being that celebrated or considered a win for women, more so than if Margot Robbie had been nominated. The category is full of women who play compelling characters.” The online backlash undermines the nominees who were recognized, like director and writer Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall and actress Lily Gladstone from Killers of the Flower Moon, who could make Oscar history by becoming the first Native American actor to win an Oscar in an acting category.
It is important to note that Gerwig and Robbie were nominated, just not for best director or actress. Gerwig for best-adapted screenplay for film, which she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach, and Robbie for her work as executive producer is up for Best Picture. Neither Gerwig nor Robbie have publically commented on the nominations.
