“Barbie” supporters are outraged after nominations were announced for the upcoming Oscars which will air on March 10. Greta Gerwig, the film’s director, was nominated for Writing (Adapted Screenplay). She was not nominated for Writing (Original Screenplay) and Margot Robbie, “Stereotypical Barbie,” was not nominated for Actress in a Leading Role. “Barbie” is not even nominated for an award in the Directing category.
“Barbie” was the highest grossing film of 2023, collecting over $600 million. The film brought audiences laughter and tears as it showed the constant struggles that feminine presenting or identifying people experience constantly. It jokingly addresses problems with the patriarchy in a humorous way, but it also shows the frustration women deal with being looked at as less strong, less capable and less than men.
The film opens with Robbie, Barbie, waking up to a perfect day with all of the other Barbies in their perfect houses, with their hair looking perfect too. Robbie’s character greets the other Barbies, Kens and Alan. As the day goes on and Barbie wakes up the next morning, she finds herself having incredibly negative thoughts and worrying about everything under the sun, which is completely unusual in the perfect Barbie Land. Robbie’s character must go to the real world, find the girl who owns her and fix what’s happening.
Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, is a funny character who just wants Barbie’s attention, although she is not interested in being in a relationship with him or anyone. Alan, played by Michael Cera, is the seemingly random, awkward character who is essential for giving viewers an in-between personality, neither a Barbie nor a Ken.
“Barbie” was emotional, funny, relatable, sarcastic and an important movie for everyone. The inclusive film features people of various backgrounds, ethnicities and gender identities. The entire point of the movie was missed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with the lack of nominations for Robbie and Gerwig. Robbie carried this film as Barbie, making audiences cry tears of joy and reflect deeply on the experience of womanhood. Gerwig crafted the film from her heart by writing an entire world about an adored doll that has been there for millions of childhoods.
America Ferrera, a mom in the “real world” outside of Barbie Land, was nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role. Her nomination is absolutely well deserved. She delivered the most vulnerable monologue about womanhood’s difficulties and the exhaustion that can come along with being a feminine-presenting person.
“Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it (success),” Ferrera told NBC News. “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.”
Gosling said he is very grateful to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor and is proud of Ferrera’s nomination, but he knows there is no need for a nomination without the genius of Gerwig and Robbie.
Saying it best, Gosling told Time, “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. To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.”
The lack of “Barbie” nominations for Gerwig and Robbie are a disgrace to women, feminine-presenting and identifying people and young girls everywhere. From sexist jokes at the Golden Globes to misogyny across the world, the discrepancy between how feminine-presenting people and men are treated is clear both in “Barbie” and real life. The lack of nominations for Gerwig and Robbie, powerful and creative women, are just another unfortunate truth that comes along with the power of the patriarchy.
