The 2024 Oscar nominations has stirred a fresh new controversy as Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the women who led the blockbuster film “Barbie,” were supposedly “snubbed” in the important categories on Wednesday . The film which became the highest grossing movie of 2023 by surpassing $1 billion worldwide explored the life and societal challenges faced by the iconic doll, Barbie when she arrives in the real world.
The most controversial omissions were Gerwig for Best Director and Robbie for Best Actress which sparked widespread discussions on social media. The film did otherwise receive recognition with eight nominations, including Best Picture. However, some fans and critics speak of the ‘irony’ that “Barbie” delves into themes of women being sidelined and rendered invisible within patriarchal structures.
Social Media Erupts with Frustration over Gerwig, Robbie snubbing
Social media platforms were flooding with reactions to the nominations. A viral post by writer Charlotte Clymer expressed disappointment at the Academy’s decision and pointed out the contradiction of nominating a film addressing gender discrimination while failing to acknowledge the woman who directed it. The internet’s strong opinions reflected a sense of disappointment and frustration amongst a large section of people
Despite the nominations for Best Picture and a joint nomination for Gerwig and Noah Baumbach in the adapted screenplay category, the focus had shifted to Ryan Gosling’s nomination for Supporting Actor and America Ferrera’s nomination for Supporting Actress. Gosling’s character Ken was a highlight in the film for his discovery of the concept of patriarchy and attempting to dominate Barbieland before Robbie’s character decides to challenge gender-based oppression.
Social media reactions were frustrations and surprise with some users pointing out that the Academy seemed to be unintentionally mirroring the movie’s plot. The statement from Gosling that expressed disappointment over the snubs added fuel to the fire. He also spoke about the supposed oversight which further fueled discussions on the nature of nominating a film that critiques patriarchy while sidelining its female director and lead actress.
The film’s role as a commentary on sexism and feminist discourse became the major point of fan outrage. Many fans used the platform to express their frustration and claiming very strongly that the very essence of “Barbie” was visible in the oversight of Robbie and Gerwig. The irony of a film challenging gender-based discrimination receiving nominations that was living its own plot became a central theme in online discussions.
Moreover even the novelist Brad Meltzer went on to Twitter and humorously pointed out that nominating Ken but not Barbie was just like the movie’s plot. A popular TikTok post also highlighted on this irony stating that the Oscar snubs could have been a storyline straight out of the “Barbie” movie. The difference in recognition between Gerwig’s Barbie and its male counterparts, particularly Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy for their work on “Oppenheimer” which added another reason for frustration for some critics.
Unjustified Outrage or Valid Criticism?
On the other hand, there is also a section of people that felt that the outrage over the supposed Oscar snub of “Barbie” is simply unjustified. They feel that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s omission attributed to the film’s own flaws rather than an attack on feminism. They described the film as a two-hour-long Mattel commercial and that the movie is seen as rightly more deserving of Best Picture than Best Director. They have also argued against labeling the Academy’s decision as sexist, highlighting the diversity in other nominations, including a favorite Native American actress.
There have been criticisms made upon the focus on the film’s plot holes, underdeveloped characters, and its commercial nature as it was produced by Mattel. Although people do acknowledge the movie’s cultural impact, some others have also said that “Barbie” excels as a commercial advertisement and an entertaining film but does not warrant recognition for Best Director or Best Actress.
