More than Kenough: Hilary Clinton, Ryan Gosling, others react to 'Barbie' Oscars snub

After the much-anticipated announcement of the 95th Oscar nominations, one popular contender in the race has divided fans and critics. Becoming one of the most nominated films this year, Barbie has ignited hot debate after director Greta Gerwig and leading star Margot Robbie were ‘snubbed’ from other categories.

While Barbie clinched eight nominations in prestigious categories, including Best Picture, the absence of Robbie in the Best Actress category and Gerwig in the Best Director category sparked widespread criticism. In response, many are coming out with statements of solidarity with the two women.

Notably, joining the supporters is the former US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. Taking to the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday morning, Clinton addressed the snub, offering words of encouragement to Robbie and Gerwig. “Greta and Margot, While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You're both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie," Clinton posted.

Raking in over $1.4 billion, Barbie secured its status as the highest-grossing film of 2023. Despite the commercial success, the omission of key figures behind the film in certain categories has prompted a wave of disappointment online, with Clinton joining the chorus of discontent.

Ryan Gosling, who secured a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and took a moment to acknowledge Gerwig and Robbie's contributions to the film.

"I am extremely honoured to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films," Gosling maintained in a statement. "And I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm also incredibly honored and proud that it's for portraying a plastic doll named Ken. But 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."

America Ferrera, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, echoed these sentiments, expressing her surprise at her nomination. “It’s an overwhelming amount of love and support and congratulations to me,” she said in an interview with Variety. “I feel it so deeply and am so grateful for their love and support and in this moment.”

Emphasising the integral role played by Robbie and Gerwig in the success of Barbie, Ferrera expressed that she was “incredibly disappointed” that the two were not nominated. “It’s been a long Barbie journey — I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, it’s been years and years and years.”

Barbie actor Simu Liu also took to X with a short note criticising the nominations. “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,” Liu insisted. “They deserve everything. They are everything.”

While Barbie's cast and fans are coming out with their takes on the matter, some social media users are questioning whether Robbie and Gerwig's absence from some categories warrants this attention, considering the film has already bagged 8 nods. Pakistani writer Fatima Bhutto has joined this camp of critics, slamming how an awards race has become a concern for "white feminists" amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

   Criticising the importance being afforded to Barbie 'snubs', Fatima penned, "If only white feminists cared that Israel is killing 2 Gazan mothers every hour the way they care about the Oscars snubbing Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig."

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