Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ earned eight Oscar nominations, yet the key female figures — Gerwig and Barbie herself — were notably overlooked. This oversight begs the question: Did the Academy miss the film’s essence altogether?
This past Tuesday morning, the highly anticipated Oscar nominations were announced, gaining the attention of fans eagerly awaiting the outcome of their predictions. However, shock ensued for many as both Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were notably absent from the list of nominees for Best Actress and Best Director, respectively.
The nominations blind-sided so many fans all around the world, especially after all the recognition Gerwig and Robbie have received during this awards season. They had been widely regarded as frontrunners for Oscar nominations in their respective categories after receiving acclaim from prestigious precursors the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and Directors Guild of America Awards, which are traditionally seen as significant indicators for Oscar recognition.
Despite Gerwig and Robbie missing out on certain nominations, Barbie secured a spot in the Best Picture category, presenting Robbie with an opportunity to win as a producer of the film. Additionally, Gerwig, along with co-writer Noah Baumbach, is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. However, their absence from the ‘major’ categories has sparked uproar: How is it that Barbie is deemed Oscar-worthy while the women behind it remain unrecognized?
Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera, who each garnered a spot in the Supporting Actor and Actress category for their roles in the movie as Ken and Gloria, made their disappointment public.
“…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. No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius,” Gosling shared in a statement. After reading his full statement, I think everyone can say with confidence that he is more than Kenough.
“Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it,” Ferrera said. “Creating this world, and taking something that didn’t have inherent value to most people and making it a global phenomenon. It feels disappointing to not see her on that list.”
Barbie has proved to be a meaningful film for audiences all over the world. Gerwig’s film isn’t some ‘anti-man’ agenda-pusher, but rather offers a different perspective on women’s issues by holding a mirror to society. The plot of the movie is about how the Barbies treat the Kens exactly how men have treated women throughout history. In Barbieland, the Barbies hold positions of power while the Kens are just, well, they’re just there. Ken is only happy when he is with Barbie, as he is nothing without Barbie. Does this sound familiar yet?
Roll the tape of Billy Crystal singing “Did this movie direct itself?” as a reminder of the historical oversight of female directors, the song referencing the exclusion of Barbra Streisand in the Best Director category for The Prince of Tides in 1992. As we anticipate this year’s ceremony, let’s hope that Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel delivers not only what the audience desires but also the recognition that Gerwig and Robbie rightly deserve.
Ryan Gosling said it best, “Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they [Gerwig and Robbie] 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.”
Some Letterboxd reviews of Barbie that so blatantly miss the point:
@ Eli holmie! – “Soulless and completely evil,”
@ Liam – “Probably the most socially regressive piece of media I’ve seen in years”
@ Michael Tommens – “Imagine making a Barbie movie where every scene reinforced the notion that all men are bad and identical, while depicting women as constantly facing hardships”