Ryan Gosling released a statement in response to what may be the most controversial snubbing of the 2024 Oscar nominations. For their roles in the popular film Barbie, actors Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were not nominated. Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie is nominated for Best Picture, but she was passed over for Best Director by the Academy.
America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling, who costarred with Margot Robbie in Barbie, received nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, while Robbie was passed over for Best Actress.
The internet has mixed feelings about this
Barbie scored eight Oscar nominations, but lead actor Margot Robbie and filmmaker Greta Gerwig were left out in the major categories of Best Actress and Best Director, respectively. Fans of the film reacted to the snub and took to X to point out how this reflects ‘patriarchy in the Real World’. A fan on X wrote, “Ken (Ryan Gosling) getting nominated and not Barbie (Margot Robbie) is honestly so fitting for a film about a man discovering the power of patriarchy in the Real World.” One user wrote, “No Oscar nomination for Greta Gerwig.No Oscar nomination for Margo Robbie.Ryan Gosling gets an Oscar nomination. This is actually the whole plot of “Barbie.”
While many fans were pointing out the hypocrisy of this whole situation, some also said that maybe they didn’t do well in the film and hence didn’t get the nomination. One user wrote on an Instagram post ,”Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie weren’t competing against one another. And this post conveniently doesn’t mention that America Ferrera, who is a Latina, WAS nominated. The idea that all the ladies from this film were overlooked somehow in favor of a man is just false. But please, keep finding new ways to be perpetually aggrieved.”
Another pointed out how one of the posts expressing disappointment over the lack of nomination is misleading. He said,”This post is a bit misleading, America delivered an amazing monologue and was nominated…and she’s the non-stereotypical real human in the film. I hate that posts like this are selectively outraged while overshadowing the achievement of a powerhouse Latina actress.”
Ryan Gosling expresses his disappointment
Ryan Gosling said in a statement, “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.”
Ryan acknowledged the two women for their hardwork and talent in the film. Gosling said, “No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius.” He added, “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.”
Barbie Nominations
Barbie was nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and two nods for Best Original Song, among other categories. It’s interesting to note that Greta Gerwig, who directed Lady Bird, Little Women, and now Barbie, became the first female director of three consecutive Best Picture nominees.
About the film ‘Barbie’
Unquestionably one of 2023’s biggest hits, Barbie starred Margot Robbie as the main character, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and supporting performances from America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. In the movie, Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, learns the “truth about the universe” after leaving the idyllic realm of Barbieland and entering the real world, which is full of emotions, hardships, and patriarchy.
By: Gursharan Kaur