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Ryan Gosling Releases Statement About Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig Nomination Snubs: ‘Disappointed’
Ryan Gosling is proving that his Kenergy is alive and well, releasing a sharp statement about his Oscar nomination for Barbie and the snubs that both Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were handed by the Academy.
After noting that he was “extremely honored” to be nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, Ryan, 43, turned his attention to the lack of recognition that director Greta, 40, and leading lady Margot, 33, endured.
“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 movie,” he wrote.
Ryan continued, “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.”
The Barbie star concluded by congratulating costar America Ferrera for her Oscar nomination, before noting that “incredible artists” contributed to the success of the “groundbreaking film.”
Ryan’s estimations of Barbie‘s success were not misplaced. The hit film was the highest-grossing movie of 2023 in the United States and worldwide, collecting almost $1.4 billion. On the heels of its box office success, Warner Bros. Pictures’ president of domestic distribution, Jeff Goldstein, praised the record-smashing director – additionally responsible for critically acclaimed films such as Little Women and Ladybird – and noted that only she “could have brought this cross-generational icon and her world to life in such a funny, emotional and entertaining story.”
“Long lines and repeat viewings prove that movies are back in a big, big way, and we look forward to seeing just how far ‘Barbie’ can go in the real world,” Jeff continued in his statement.
However, it was Barbie‘s commentary on gender roles, patriarchal patterns and the plight of the female experience that truly captivated viewers, turning the once-stereotypical doll into a feminist icon. America’s speech in the latter half of the film, in particular, struck a chord with female viewers everywhere, with many watchers taking to social media to express the many ways in which they could relate to the powerful monologue.
“You have to never get old. Never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard. It’s too contradictory … And it turns out, in fact, that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault!” America’s character, Gloria, attests in the film. “I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us.”
Amid Greta and Margot’s snubs, many took to the internet with their takes, arguing that the Academy’s exclusion of both women in major categories proved the point of the film.
“Apparently no one in the Academy was actually listening when Ferrera’s Gloria delivered her now-famous monologue about why it feels impossible to be a woman,” Los Angeles Times columnist Mary McNamara wrote in a scathing rebuttal of the snubs. “Did too many people (particularly women) enjoy Barbie for it to be considered ‘important’ enough for Academy voters? Did Robbie’s Barbie not suffer enough? Did Gerwig simply make it look too effortless? Was it just too pink?”
