Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s were absent from some major categories at this year’s Oscars. But given the voters’ tastes, was it really such a shock?
Although Barbie received eight nominations on Tuesday, making it the fourth most-recognised film overall, Gerwig missed out on a best director nod, while Robbie was shut out of best actress.
The film picked up nominations for its soundtrack, costumes, screenplay and production design, while there were acting nods for America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling.
As a result, many film fans were quick to make the obvious point on social media – the Academy recognising Gosling but not Robbie was ironic for a film about feminism and the patriarchy.
But experts who follow the awards race closely were less surprised.
The case for nominating Gerwig and Robbie was strong. Barbie was the biggest cinematic hit of 2023, taking more than $1.44bn (£1.14bn) at box offices worldwide.
The Academy would have been keen to reward a film that helped keep cinemas afloat, and although the Oscars often steer clear of popcorn blockbusters, Barbie also had enough artistic merit to see it through.
In the event, Gerwig was nominated for her screenplay, and Robbie as a producer, but their best director and actress snubs left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.
“Ken getting nominated and not Barbie is honestly so fitting for a film about a man discovering the power of patriarchy in the Real World,” wrote one fan on social media.
Even Gosling expressed disappointment. While he said he was “honoured” to be nominated, he added: “There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie.”
Many thought Robbie would snare the nomination out of pure goodwill towards the film – being the face (and producer) of a box office smash would have been a factor considered by Academy voters.
But her nomination had been far from certain. In the best actress category, four of the five slots seemed dead certs – Sandra Huller (Anatomy of a Fall), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Carey Mulligan (Maestro) and Emma Stone (Poor Things). Those four were indeed nominated on the day.
But the fifth slot was seen as a three-way race between Robbie, Greta Lee of Past Lives and Annette Bening of Nyad – and Bening emerged with the nomination.
History offers some clues about why the Oscars plumped for her. The Academy tends to go for serious performances over comedic, something that has often been noted by leading comedy figures and arguably put Robbie at a disadvantage.
It also helps explain why her co-star Ferrera was recognised in the supporting actress category. The former Ugly Betty actress delivers one of the film’s few serious moments – a rousing monologue about what it means to be a woman and the daily struggles they face.
Deadline’s Pete Hammond noted that Ferrera “was very visible on the campaign circuit where her knockout monologue – the film’s most serious moment – was prominently played”.
It’s also slightly easier to get a supporting nomination than it is a leading one – and arguably, in a year where there was no shortage of meaty roles for women, the five correct actresses were ultimately nominated.
(bbc.com)
