The nominations for this year’s Oscars have been announced, with two of the stars from last year’s biggest movie, Barbie, snubbed for major awards.
Director Greta Gerwig was not nominated for Best Director and the movie’s heroine, Margot Robbie, also missed out on a Best Actress in Leading Role nomination. Meanwhile, the movie’s male lead, Ryan Gosling was nominated for Best Actor in Supporting Role.
This is the second time Gerwig has been snubbed for Best Director while her movie is nominated for Best Picture — in 2020, she missed out on a Best Directing nomination for Little Women.
In the last few hours, Ryan Gosling issued a statement expressing his disappointment over his co-star and his director missing out on a nomination for their work on Barbie.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Several posts on social media commented on these latest snubs with comedic flair.
American activist Shannon Watts shared her dismay on X, writing, “Greta Gerwig: Made a critically acclaimed, culturally profound, feminist movie about Barbie and the patriarchy that made a billion dollars at the box office. Oscar nomination goes to … Ken.”
Author Laura Tisdall wrote, “So Greta Gerwig created one of the most original films of the decade, one that completely blew apart people’s expectations of what a #Barbie movie could be & resonated with millions … yet apparently that’s not *quite* worth a nomination for best director???”
One post from a parody account read: “No Oscar nomination for Greta Gerwig. No Oscar nomination for Margot Robbie. Ryan Gosling gets an Oscar nomination. The is actually the whole plot of “Barbie.”
The statements made in this last post are not entirely true. Gerwig has received an Oscar nomination – just not for her directing. She shares a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination alongside her husband, Noah Baumbach. And technically, if Barbie wins Best Picture, Robbie will be up on stage accepting the award along with the other producers of the film.
Other key nominations for women
The good news is that for the first time in Oscars’ 96 years, three movies directed by women scored nominations for Best Picture: Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Celine Song’s Past Lives.
Nevertheless, Hollywood’s surprising snubs are nothing new. Each year, we lament the lack of female artists nominated in technical categories. Men continue to dominate the awards for Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound. This year, just one female director has been nominated in the Best Directing category. French filmmaker and writer Justine Triet is nominated for her film, Anatomy of a Fall, which has secured five nominations in total.
Triet, 45, becomes only the eighth woman in Oscars history to be nominated for Best Director.
Speaking to Hollywood Reporter after she received news of her nomination, Triet said, “I was surprised because there are no more women beside me. So of course, I’m so, so lucky and very proud of all these things.”
“Most of these [other nominees] since I was a child I’ve admired so much, and of course to be involved in this history, it means a lot for me. It was not a dream because I could not imagine.”
Lily Gladstone, the female lead in Killers of the Flower Moon, becomes the first Native American acting nominee in Oscars history, nabbing a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Reflecting on her nod from the Academy, the 37-year old said, “It’s long overdue. I feel like it’s circumstantial that it’s me because there have been so many immense, incredible performances. I stand on the shoulders of some unbelievable talent.”
Gladstone will compete with Annette Bening (Nyad), Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Carey Mulligan (Maestro) and Emma Stone (Poor Things) for the award. If Stone wins – as she is predicted to by some critics, it will be her second Oscars. In 2017, she won Best Actress for her role in La La Land.
In a statement provided to CNN, Stone said she is “beyond grateful to the Academy for including me as both an actress and producer among this group of exceptional nominees and for recognising our film in so many categories.”
“The team of artists who contributed to ‘Poor Things’ gave it everything and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to play Bella and see the world through her eyes. She has shown me that life is so much more than just sugar and violence.”
Earlier this month, Stone won Best Female Actor for her role at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. Poor Things picked up a total of 11 nominations for this year’s Oscars.
Gerwig’s Barbie secured a total of eight nominations, including Best Costume Design, Best Original Song and Best Production Design. America Ferrera is nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, going up against fellow first-time nominees Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer), Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers).
Jodie Foster (Nyad) is also nominated in the category, marking her third Oscars nod. She has previously won two Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role — in 1989 for The Accused, and in 1992 for The Silence of the Lambs.
Ferrera, 39, told Variety she is still shocked by the nomination.
“I still haven’t really been able to get in my feelings because I’m still on like the top layer of ‘I can’t even believe that this is real,’” she explained. “[My husband] was screaming and emotional. And I just heard my kids in the back, like so confused. ‘What are you screaming about?’”
Ferrera then jumped on to a Group FaceTime with her The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel.
“It was hilarious and funny and emotional and it’s wonderful to be celebrated and held up by my sisters. These women who I’ve had the honour of growing up with in this industry and being loved and cheered on and supported by them. Which we all do for each other. They’re amazing, and such a gift in my life.”
“It’s an overwhelming amount of love and support and congratulations to me,” she continued. “I feel it so deeply and am so grateful for their love and support and in this moment. It’s been a long ‘Barbie’ journey — I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, it’s been years and years and years — everyone’s really excited that we get to celebrate and to end this journey at the biggest party of the year.”
Ferrera also commented on Gerwig and Robbie’s snubs, saying “I was incredibly disappointed that they weren’t nominated.”
In a separate statement, she expressed her joy at the increasing diversity of representation in movies.
“I’m so proud to get to bring Latiné representation to this year’s Academy Awards, along with my fellow Latiné nominees,” she said.
“May the diversity of voices acknowledged by the Academy continue to grow! I’m thrilled to celebrate my phenomenal Barbie family and all their achievements. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie made history and raised the bar with Barbie. The cultural and industry impact they’ve achieved will be felt for generations and I’m so thankful to them for asking me to be a part of it.”
Meanwhile, in other major blows, Sofia Coppola’s eighth feature, Pricilla received no nominations at all. Emerald Fennell’s second film, Saltburn, also received no nominations. Both films have been critically acclaimed.
Although her film, Past Lives is nominated for Best Picture, director Celine Song missed out on a Best Director nomination. She has been nominated for Best Original Screenplay, a nod which she has described as a “tremendous recognition” and “unbelievable honour.”
“I am overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude, and for my first film… crazy,” she said in a statement.
“Some of the experience working on a debut film is secretly questioning if you belong, if people will support your vision. It has been equal parts scary and rewarding to make this film and release it into the world. It is with immense gratitude to those who championed my vision that I now get to be among these giants of screenwriting.”
The indie-darling has been universally adored since it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival almost year ago, picking up countless glowing reviews from both critics and the public. Song’s directorial feature won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best First Film, and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature.
The 2024 Academy Awards will be held on the evening of March 10. Australians will be able to watch the live stream starting at 10am on March 11th.