Barbie day falls on March 9th, marking the date when the beloved doll debuted over sixty years ago in 1959. In light of this occasion, let’s revisit the controversy surrounding the Oscar nominations for the film, Barbie, 2023.
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and released in late July of this past year, instantly became a success upon hitting theaters. Making $1.4 Billion at the U.S. box office, Barbie became the highest grossing film in 2023. Among other records, it was also the highest earning live-action movie directed by a woman and the highest earning globally for Warner Bros. With its strong stance against the patriarchy and themes of gender equality and support for women, the film received some controversy due to its ties to the feminist movement. Despite this, one would expect the director, Gerwig, and main actress, Margot Robbie, of such a successful film to be nominated at the Academy Awards. But shockingly, only Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, and supporting actress, America Ferrera, received a nomination. In a statement made to CBS News, Gosling states, “To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement,” referring to Robbie and Gerwig. Reactions to this “snub” vary.
Due to the film’s purpose of empowering women and validating their struggles, many cannot help but find it ironic that the man who plays Ken was nominated instead of the woman who plays Barbie. Some fans are outraged and are accusing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of supporting the patriarchy and disregarding Gerwig’s talent because she’s a woman. However, Barbie did receive 8 nominations in total, making it unlikely that the film’s worthiness was overlooked. In fact, it was one of the most nominated movies at the awards ceremony. Not to mention, this year had the most female directors with movies nominated for best picture than any year prior.
The reason behind Gerwig and Robbie being snubbed has less to do with misogyny and more to do with the fact that Barbie is a comedy about one of the most famous toys in history and is not exactly an original concept. Mattel, the toy company behind Barbie, played a big role in the production of the film to make sure it was a success while also protecting their brand. The movie is filled with references to different toys made by Mattel, and brings humor to the criticism of Barbie being “too perfect”. While the film does explore important topics such as self-identity, growing up, and equality, overall it is a movie made for a brand to promote their toys in a new and exciting way.
