Barbie's Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie might have failed to receive nominations for Best Director and Best Actress, respectively, but the love for the film could be felt in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood at the 2024 Oscars.
On Sunday, March 10, the best of the film industry gathered to celebrate the 96th Academy Awards, and from the get-go Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel began proceedings by referencing the many snubs and, let's face it, snobbery the Barbie film has endured in recent months.
While Gerwig and her husband, writer and director Noah Baumbach, received nods for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Robbie received a nomination for Best Picture as a producer under her company LuckyChap Productions, which she co-founded with her husband Tom Ackerley, there was a lot of talk leading up to the Oscars about the lack of recognition for both female powerhouses behind the film.
'Thank you for having me back and congratulations to each and every one of you for making it to the Academy Awards,' the host began his speech. 'And for making it on time. The show, as you know, is starting an hour early this year, but don’t worry, it will still end very, very late. In fact, we’re already five minutes over and I am not joking.
'Now Barbie is a feminist icon, thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to nominated for best director tonight,' Kimmel added to cheers from the audience.
'Hold on a second. I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her, by the way. Don’t act like you had nothing to do with this.'
The host concluded the Barbie tribute by adding: 'Ryan and Margot, I want you to know that even if neither one of you wins an Oscar tonight, you both already won something much more important - the genetic lottery.'
Following Billie Eilish's performance of her Oscar-winning Barbie song 'What Was I Made For' the singer seemed genuinely taken aback when the audience gave her and her brother Finneas a standing ovation for the powerful rendition.
A tearful Margot, Greta and Barbie stars Ferrera and Kate McKinnon applauded the musicians, as the likes of Carey Mulligan, Ariana Grande and more stood to their feet.
Bringing the 'Barbenheimer' debate to the stage on the night were Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt during their presenting segment. 'I’m just happy we can put this "Barbenheimer" rivalry behind us,' Gosling told Blunt, to which she responded that 'by the way this awards season has turned out there wasn’t much of a rivalry'.
'I figured out why they called it "Barbenheimer" and they didn’t call it "Oppenbarbie"… you guys were at the tail end of it, because you were riding Barbie's coat tails all summer,' said Gosling. Blunt then responded: 'Thanks for Ken-splaining that for me.'
On winning 'Best Original Song' for her ballad 'What Was I Made For' from the Barbie soundtrack, Eilish payed tribute to Gerwig, to the film and to 'playing Barbies'.
As she made her speech and accepted the award, Eilish said: 'I had a nightmare about this last night. Thank you so much to the academy, I didn’t think this would happen. I feel so lucky and honoured. I love you Greta, and thank you for this.'
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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
