There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie — Ryan Gosling.
Ryan Gosling got a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his supporting performance as Beach Ken in Barbie, but is really disappointed that the “two people most responsible for this history-making globally-celebrated film” were snubbed.
Ryan Gosling statement:
I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films. And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken. Bur 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.
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. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.-
America Ferrera on the phone to The Today Show:
Greta wrote this brilliant script with her partner, and then, as a director, created a whole world, and she is, to me, just an incredible, masterful filmmaker. I think that’s what people are bummed about. It was such a brilliant, beautiful, world-building, unexpected achievement that happened to also be a global, cultural and box office phenomenon, and I think most people feel like that’s deserving.
What Margot achieved as an actress is truly unbelievable. One of the things about Margot as an actress is how easy she makes everything look. And perhaps people got fooled into thinking that the work seems easy, but Margot is a magician as an actress in front of the screen, and it was one of the honors of my career to get to witness her pull off the amazing performance she did. She brings so much heart and humor and depth and joy and fun to the character. In my book, she’s a master.
Simu Liu post:
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
They deserve everything. They ARE everything.
Many others weighed in on the snubs, including Hilary Clinton and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:
hypothetically,
— Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (@OKWildlifeDept) January 23, 2024
if I was going to nominate a film about a badger,
starring a badger,
called "Badger,"
for best picture…
I would also nominate the badger, right?
Barbie landed eight Oscar nominations: Best Picture — Margot Robbie is one of the producers; Best Supporting Actor — Ryan Gosling; Best Supporting Actress — America Ferrera; Best Adapted Screenplay — Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Best Production Design; Best Costume Design; Best Song — What Was I Made For?; Best Song — I’m Just Ken.