Smash hit Barbie came away with a glittering trove of Oscar nominations on Tuesday morning but fans claimed one thing – or maybe a pair of things – were missing.
Star Margot Robbie together with director Greta Gerwig were both snubbed by the Academy in two areas.
Gerwig was left out of the Best Director category, while star Robbie was absent from the Best Actress category.
Critics took to social media to voice their displeasure and accuse organizers of a host of wrongs despite the film claiming eight Oscar nominations overall.
“Greta Gerwig made a film that was critically acclaimed, culturally impactful, hilarious, unique, visually exceptional, perfectly cast and acted, left people laughing, crying and thinking AND made a billion dollars at the box office,” one person wrote. “But no Best Director nom?!”
Greta Gerwig made a film that was critically acclaimed, culturally impactful, hilarious, unique, visually exceptional, perfectly cast and acted, left people laughing, crying and thinking AND made a billion dollars at the box office. But no Best Director nom?! #Barbie #Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/ePfuiDbEfm
— Leigh Lewallen (@leighlew3) January 23, 2024
Others were quick to follow:
greta gerwig being snubbed at the #Oscars despite barbie being the ONLY $1 billion movie solely directed by a woman feels VERY sus to me… pic.twitter.com/cjzqkmOzYU
— Zac⚡️ (@zacidk) January 23, 2024
After an insane year of saving movies, Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie have been snubbed by the Academy for Best Director and Actress. #Oscars #Oscars2024 #OscarNoms #Barbie pic.twitter.com/W15cMH0aL8
— Priyant (@Priyant1987) January 23, 2024
The Wrap points out others took issue with the fact the Best Directing category only named one woman as a nominee — despite the fact three of this year’s Best Picture nominees were directed by women — a trend that seems to happen nearly every year if a woman is chosen at all.
“Greta Gerwig made feminist ideals completely digestible for the MASSES so of course she wouldn’t be nominated by the Academy—which has given the award to three women in its entire 96 years—for best director,” one user wrote.
Me at the Academy for snubbing Greta Lee, Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig of Oscar nominations pic.twitter.com/syhiO0viHM
— Nick (@nm234) January 23, 2024
The Wrap report notes many were particularly angry at the fact Ryan Gosling, who starred as Ken in the film, did get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Though fans conceded that the performance itself is worthy of the accolade, they pointed to Gosling as a perfect illustration of Barbie’s theme, claiming to portray how hard it is to succeed in the public domain as a woman.
Overall Oppenheimer earned a leading 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr. and Best Supporting Actress for Emily Blunt.
