‘He’s just Ken’: Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig’s Oscar snub proves Barbie is real
The Academy appears to have gotten together at the ‘mojo dojo casa house’ to decide that record-breaking, critically acclaimed, cultural phenomenon Barbie wasn’t that worthy.
The real crime of the 2024 Oscars is that Barbie missed out on a nomination for best documentary.
The Academy appears to have gotten together at the “mojo dojo casa house” to decide that record-breaking, critically acclaimed, cultural phenomenon Barbie did not deserve to be selected for the two Oscars it deserves to be.
Instead life imitates art imitates life with director Greta Gerwig not being recognised in the best director category.
Barbie made more than $2bn (just in ticket sales alone), it was the highest grossing film of 2023, yet its director wasn’t nominated. Only eight women have been nominated for this category in the Oscars’ nearly 100 year history. The Academy also dissed Gerwig’s screenplay for being modelled off existing material. Her original work is instead nominated for best adapted screenplay, despite Barbie winning best original screenplay at the recent Critics Choice Awards.
Barbie is in the running for best picture. A nod which also means Gerwig is the first woman to direct three films which have been nominated for the top prize following her films Lady Bird and Little Women.
Generational talent Margot Robbie also missed out in the best actress category for her role in front of the camera bringing the plastic doll to life with a depth of comedic and emotional range that even surprised the project’s biggest sceptics.
Not bad for a kid from Dalby who got her start on Neighbours who has since gone on, like Gerwig, to push Hollywood into green lighting more productions that tell women’s stories made by women.
Barbie was culture defining, it hijacked the Zeitgeist. It spawned fashion trends and its soundtrack stormed the music charts. The Vietnam government banned it and politicians were compelled to comment with Boris Johnson reviewing the Mattel-funded screenplay.
“I can tell you the meaning of the Barbie movie that’s eluded so many critics. It’s a rallying cry for humans to have more babies!” Johnson wrote for the Daily Mail. “It is a parable about the destiny of humanity.”
Ken, however, is nominated for an Oscar.
Ryan Gosling – who gave a blistering performance as Barbie’s beautiful side kick – has been rightly recognised in the best supporting actor category.
He was quick to lament the exclusion of the movie’s creators.
“There is no Ken without Barbie,” Gosling said via a statement that, either intentionally or just ironically, included a few typos.
“I never thought I’d being (sic) saying this, but I’m also incredibly honoured and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken.
“There is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film. 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.
“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.”
Gerwig and Robbie – who produced the film – should sue the Academy’s cast of hundreds of film executives, actors and casting directors who make up the 18 branches for plagiarism. These awards have hijacked the Barbie plot. Even down to nominating America Ferrera in the best supporting actress category for her monologue which details how hard it is to be a woman.
“You have to never get old. Never be rude, never show off, never be selfish … And it turns out, in fact, that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault!” Ferrera’s Gloria said.
The speech was a cliche and low-point of the otherwise thought-provoking and hilarious comedy.
If there’s one thing that confuses the Academy more than women, it’s humour. Satire is never given the Oscars kudos it deserves. Joy and comedy are never deemed worthy of a category despite it being the life raft of the film industry, not to mention humanity right now.
