‘Barbie’ Gets Played With by the Academy

We really shouldn’t have been surprised when the nominations for the 2024 Academy Awards were announced by actors Jack Quaid and Zazie Beetz yesterday. But we were. The categories for Best Director and Best Actress in a Leading Role were missing two very prominent figures. Passed over — director Greta Gerwig and actress Margot Robbie, both of whom were part of the billion-dollar blockbuster film “Barbie,” which Zipporah reviewed here. 

This film helped many people find their voices and gave women all over the world a feeling that someone out there understood them. It was a cultural phenomenon that was one of the biggest post-COVID box office grosses which was also helped by the “Barbenheimer” meme that the internet obsessed about. 

Strangely, even though the male supporting lead, Ryan Gosling, was nominated for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song for his power ballad, “I’m Just Ken.” 

Due to this,  Gosling has used his voice to speak out against the Academy stating that he is disappointed in these two omissions. 

There is also a sense of life imitating art in how the male is being praised more rather than the woman, even though the film is directed, co-written, and stars a woman. This double standard was seen very quickly on social media as many people decried the Academy of Motion Pictures for the snub. To other people, it was also confusing how America Ferrera was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, due to her impassioned speech about womanhood. This was enough to gain the support of people online which justified her nomination. 

While some believed that the speech was basically “baby’s first feminism lesson,” it really did help other women feel seen and even gave some the push they needed to break things off with their toxic significant others. It also helped young women understand how they can find their self-worth and fight against a society that constantly feels like it's dragging them down and pitting them against each other. 

We believe that “Barbie” deserves to be nominated for Best Director and Best Actress in a Leading Role. Greta Gerwig brought the story of a plastic doll to life and showed the world what it is really like to be a woman in a man’s world, even though men aren’t that obsessed with horses. Margot Robbie was a powerhouse performer who dominated the screen and showed clear emotion as a doll whose permanent feelings were pink perfection. While she doesn’t control the flow of commerce and the railways, she took control of our hearts. 

Guillermo Guzman (he/him/they) is a Texas-based nerd who loves talking about video games, autism, and entertainment. Follow him on Instagram: @boofy_booferson and X: @Dimpy_Tenders.

Zipporah Pruitt, (she/her) is an L.A. homegrown journalist, who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on X and Instagram: @zippzapps.

Edited by Nykeya Woods