Barbie is the biggest surprise of 2023. Going into that year, the expectations for the Greta Gerwig film didn’t particularly look good as many dismissed the film as something that would barely make a dent at the box office. However, as July inched closer, so did the hype and craze for an epic movie weekend with Barbie and Oppenheimer. When Barbie was finally released in theaters, it took the world by storm, even if some controversy geared up once most audiences realized the political nature of said film.
The Margot Robbie vehicle went on to collect an astounding $1.446 billion worldwide. Leading up to the Oscars, the film was garnering nominations from prestigious awards shows such as The Critics Choice and Golden Globes, with Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie leading the way with nominations. Then the Oscars nominations took place. Surprisingly, America Ferrera received a nod for her supporting role in the film. Ryan Gosling got his expected Supporting Actor nomination as well. However, Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were left out of the loop for Best Director and Best Actress.
The internet is in a rage over these two not being selected for their respective fields, with even Hilary Clinton showcasing her support for Gerwig and Robbie after the alleged snub. However, when you look through the Oscar list, can you really say that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were snubbed?
The Snubs Are Being Viewed Through The Wrong Lenses
The Oscars and snubs are synonymous with one another. Thousands of movies are released each year, so there’s always a strong possibility that a few snubs will take place. The argument being made for Barbie is that women aren’t getting a fair shake at events that are typically dominated by men. Mind you, Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall) was nominated for Best Director, though to be fair, the category is dominated by other male directors.
However, when you take a deep dive into the work any of these men put in to receive such a nomination, what makes them undeserving of such an accolade? Movies are subjective, so there are people who don’t like any of the films on that list as well. On the flip side, each of the films that were nominated was highly praised. The same thing for the Best Actress category as their performances were especially noted by plenty of fans and critics. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie are past Oscar nominees, so it’s not like the voters pulled a Selma and ignored a history-making moment.
Plus, Gerwig still has a chance to win an Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay category with her writing partner, Noah Baumbach. Margot Robbie also has a chance to take home the big trophy since she’s one of the producers of the film and Barbie is nominated for Best Picture. Exactly where is the snub when these two can still leave the Oscars with trophies in hand? Nominations should be chosen based on talent, not gender. It was a tight race this year, so not everyone was going to be happy once the nominations were all said and done.
Snubs Are Nothing New At The Oscars
I won’t kid myself to think that there hasn’t been favoritism towards men throughout the history of the Oscars. This is the 96th Academy Awards show and only eight women have been nominated for Best Director. When you look at the stats then it does seem absurd, especially when there are some years when the category had head-scratching nominations.
This is a new period in Hollywood where women are on the rise in the industry. Part of the reason that men have dominated the Best Director category is due to it being a male-dominated profession. Modern times have seen an influx of exciting new female directors, but unfortunately, there are only five slots in the Best Director field. Same thing with the Best Actress category, there are so many incredible performances that weren’t recognized by the Academy. Greta Lee and Fantasia Barrino not being nominated for their respective films is quite the shocker as well.
Emerald Fennell (Saltburn), David Fincher (The Killer), Wes Anderson (Asteroid City), and Ben Affleck (Air) were also shunned from awards contention. As previously stated, this is not about gender, as talent should shine through the brightest; however, not every talented name that puts out a great film is going to get the love and praise that it deserves.
Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie Were Not Snubbed From The Oscars
I pretty much made this statement clear early on, but it should be emphasized that the competition was completely stacked in 2023. Had Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie gotten their nominations then it would’ve been well deserved, but it’s not fair to simply dismiss this year’s nominees, especially if they’re a man. Barbie is already a winner as it’s captured the hearts of millions, and there’s simply a strong chance that they can take home the Best Picture trophy. The uproar surrounding this is unnecessary, especially since some other great films didn’t even get one nomination.