From co-stars to politicians, everyone is joining in on the relentless backlash The Academy is receiving for its notable Barbie snubs.
It feels like the whole world was in shock after failing to hear Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's names read out in two very important categories for their work on Barbie when the Oscar nominations were revealed this week.
Robbie was shut out of the race for Best Actress for her leading role the film; while Gerwig failed to get a nod in the Best Director category, despite the film's critical acclaim and massive $1.4 billion box office success.
Ryan Gosling was one of the first to share their disappointment over their snubs. In a statement to the media, Gosling said that while he is "extremely honored to be nominated" in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role as Ken, he also wanted to give credit where it's due.
"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," he continued. "Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history."
Co-star America Ferrera was also nominated for Barbie in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Gloria. As she celebrated her first Oscar nomination, the 39-year-old also hurt for her colleagues' notable snubs.
"I was incredibly disappointed that they weren't nominated," she told Variety. "Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it. 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."
She also shared a video on Wednesday, re-enacting her initial reaction to both her nomination and the snubs.
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Meanwhile, Simu Liu, who played one of the Kens in Barbie took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Robbie and Gerwig amid the Oscars controversy.
"Being involved in a small way gave me a window into just how hard Greta and Margot had to fight to get Barbie made, and how flawlessly they executed," he wrote.
"Together they started a movement, touched the world and reinvigorated the cinema," his statement continued. "They deserve everything. They ARE everything."
Being involved in a small way gave me a window into just how hard Greta and Margot had to fight to get Barbie made, and how flawlessly they executed. Together they started a movement, touched the world and reinvigorated the cinema.
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) January 24, 2024 @SimuLiu
They deserve everything. They ARE everything.
Moving away from the actors actually in the film, John Stamos shared his opinion on TikTok by recreating an iconic scene between Robbie and Gosling with this wife Caitlin McHugh.
"This one goes out to Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie who crafted a film that was both a critical success and a cultural phenomenon, delving into feminist themes through the lens of Barbie and challenging patriarchal norms," he captioned the video.
"This movie not only resonated deeply, but also grossed OVER a billion dollars," he added. "Yet, in a twist of irony, both women were snubbed by the Academy. Everyone go re-watch Barbie tonight."
Michelle Yeoh - who took home the coveted prize for her work on Everything Everywhere All at Once and simultaneously became the first Southeast Asian woman to win Best Actress at the Oscar in 2023 also shared her dismay on Today with Hoda Kotb.
"You know, joy and disappointment, it seems to go hand in hand. It's just, for us, it's like, it's not enough nominations to go around. The only take is like, it's so competitive out there and there is no guarantee because you're not the only voter, you know? It's widespread," she said.
Yeoh said she was, however, thankful Barbie was still up for Best Picture.
"But you do think, 'How do you get nominated for Best Picture but not Best Director and not Best Actress?’" she added.
Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh speaks to @hodakotb about her moving Oscars speech last year, how her life was transformed in many ways in 2023, her latest project “The Brothers Sun,” her friendship with Jamie Lee Curtis, and reacts to the ‘Barbie’ #Oscars conversations. pic.twitter.com/462uu0bWYL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 24, 2024 @TODAYshow
Hillary Clinton, who also has experience in being snubbed when she lost the presidential election in 2016 to Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote, also joined in the conversation by referencing a notable moment in the film.
#HillaryBarbie started to trend after her post -- though many mocked her for making up a hashtag and finding the statement "cringe" overall.
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And of course, movie fans online didn't hold back with their disapproval of the snubs either, with many comparing The Academy voting for Ken over Barbie to the plot of the Barbie film itself.
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Greta Gerwig directed a billion dollar grossing film which saw Margot Robbie and a cast of women start global conversations about the man-made systems that oppress and silence women and the impossible expectations placed on us from girlhood.
— Hannah Ferguson (@hannahferg) January 23, 2024 @hannahferg
So, the Oscars nominated Ken.
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.
— Michael. (@yosoymichael) January 23, 2024 @yosoymichael
Ryan Gosling waking up this morning to find out he has to perform “I’m Just Ken” at the Oscars: pic.twitter.com/POGvZojdd5
— TylerCWhitmore (@TylerCWhitmore) January 23, 2024 @TylerCWhitmore
Barbie is still nominated for Best Picture -- meaning Robbie, who co-produced the film, is still in the running for an Academy Award. Gerwig is also up for Best Adapted Screenplay, along with her husband and co-writer, Noah Baumbach.
The big question now: Will Gosling actually perform 'I'm Just Ken,' after that song and Billie Eilish's 'What Was I Made For' were both nominated?
The 96th Oscars will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, airing live March 10 on ABC. It will be Kimmel's fourth time in the hosting role.