Barbie sexism row after Ryan Gosling gets Oscar nomination - but women snubbed

23 January 2024 , 22:24

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Ryan Gosling, who plays Barbie's sidekick Ken in the Barbie movie, has been nominated for an Oscar while Margot Robbie has not (Image: Universal Pictures)

A sexism row erupted over this year’s Oscars yesterday, with ­ Barbie ’s Ryan Gosling earning a ­nomination, but not star Margot Robbie or director Greta Gerwig.

Fans said the snub proved the Academy was “the pinnacle of sexism and misogyny in the industry”. Others pointed out the irony of a movie described by Gerwig as “most certainly a feminist film” ending up with a nomination for its male lead but not its female star or director.

Author Toni Hargis urged Gosling, 43, to make a point by rejecting his Best Actor nomination. She said: “Should Gosling turn down the Oscar nom? You know, given that the film was about sexism and that’s what’s happening now?”

One movie fan wrote on X: “The organisation and the broadcasters alike represent the pinnacle of sexism and misogyny in the industry.”

While Australian Robbie, 33, and American Gerwig, 40, missed out, Barbie did earn a nomination for Best Picture. And America Ferrara, 39, is up for the Best Supporting Actress.

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Director Greta Gerwig has been snubbed (Getty Images)

British and Irish talent was widely represented in the nominations. Brit Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer picked up 13, including Best Actor for Ireland’s Cillian Murphy, 47, and Best Supporting Actress for Londoner Emily Blunt, 40.

Nolan, 53, earned his second nomination for Best Director, putting him head-to-head with another British director, Jonathan Glazer, 58, for The Zone Of Interest. Another Londoner, Carey Mulligan, 38, is up for Best Actress for her role in Maestro. DJ and musician Mark Ronson, 48, is nominated for the Best Original Song for I’m Just Ken from Barbie.

The Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 10 at the Dolby Theatre in LA.

Londoner Emily Blunt has received an Oscar nomination (@broadimage / SplashNews.com)

Emma Stone and Carey Mulligan have received nominations (Getty Images for AFI)

Oscar nominations 2024

Best Picture American Fiction; Anatomy Of A Fall; Barbie; The Holdovers; Killers Of The Flower Moon; Maestro; Oppenheimer; Past Lives; Poor Things; The Zone Of Interest

Cillian Murphy, right, in Oppenheimer (Melinda Sue Gordon)

Best Actor Bradley Cooper for Maestro; Colman Domingo for Rustin; Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers; Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer; Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction

Best Actress Annette Bening for Nyad; Lily Gladstone for Killers Of The Flower Moon; Sandra Huller for Anatomy Of A Fall; Carey Mulligan for Maestro; Emma Stone for Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K Brown for American Fiction; Robert De Niro for Killers Of The Flower Moon; Robert Downey Jr for Oppenheimer; Ryan Gosling for Barbie; Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple; America Ferrera for Barbie; Jodie Foster for Nyad; Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers; Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan (Getty Images For Universal Pictu)

And the winners are... male as usual

By Jessica Boulton

Trinny and Susannah's painful 'divorce' after humiliating fail sparked rift

I knew my Best Picture winners before my capital cities, my Best Directors before my Prime Ministers.

I watched in 1992, shocked as Marisa Tomei won. I cheered in 1998 when Titanic became “king of the world”. And I cried in 2011 when an ageing Christopher Plummer asked his gong: “Where have you been all my life?”.
In short, I love the Oscars. But I don’t love this ongoing fight for gender equality.

Yesterday’s nominations were heralded as a victory. “More Best Picture nominees with female directors than EVER,” raved critics.

But that victory is hollow when the number is just THREE... out of 10. One was Barbie, whose star Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were snubbed in their own categories.

British director Emerald Fennell was also ignored for her hit Saltburn. And there was just one female director nominee out of five.

Hollywood makes us believe the impossible is possible. If only that included equality.

Christopher Bucktin