The 2024 Oscar nominations sparked outrage among some fans who felt that Barbie was unfairly overlooked in major categories. While the film nabbed 8 nominations, including Best Picture, stars Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were notably absent from the Best Actress and Best Director categories.

Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, who had a supporting role in Barbie, expressed disappointment over the snubs. Liu praised Robbie and Gerwig’s “grit and genius,” saying, “They deserve everything. They ARE everything.” However, some fans argued the nominations were fair and that Robbie and Gerwig’s achievements were recognized in other categories.

Did Margot Robbie Deserve a Best Actress Nomination for Barbie?

Simu Liu - Barbie
Simu Liu – Barbie

Simu Liu, who played a supporting role as Ken, has been outspoken in his criticism of the Academy. Liu skyrocketed to fame in 2021 for his breakthrough performance in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He has also starred in shows like Kim’s Convenience and films like Blood and Water.

Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2022, Liu has established himself as an influential voice in the entertainment industry. Simu Liu took to X to show his disappointment and wrote that Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and Best Director. 

While Liu argued Robbie was snubbed, some fans pointed out she earned a Best Picture nomination as a producer. Here are some fan reactions: 

Also Read: “There is no Ken without Barbie”: Ryan Gosling Is Upset After Oscars Ignores Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s Historic Work in Barbie

Margot Robbie in Barbie
Margot Robbie in Barbie

According to The Los Angeles Times, America Ferrera, who nabbed a Supporting Actress nod for Barbie, also acknowledged Robbie’s brilliance. 

“One of the things about Margot as an actress is how easy she makes everything look. Perhaps people got fooled into thinking that the work seems easy, but Margot is a magician as an actress,” said America Ferrera.

Robbie’s turn as the titular Barbie doll dazzled fans and critics. However, she faced steep competition in the Best Actress category from films like The Zone of Interest and Poor Things.

Also Read: “You’ve got to be careful with that confidence”: Margot Robbie Knows She’s Still Far from Being a Hit Machine Despite $1.4B Barbie Success

Was Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Direction Oscar-Worthy?

Simu Liu, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling
Simu Liu, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling

Gerwig’s direction transformed Barbie into a global box office smash, earning $1.43 billion worldwide according to The Numbers. This made it the highest-grossing film of 2023.

Yet Gerwig was passed over for Best Director as the Academy-nominated filmmaker behind The Zone of Interest, Poor Things, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Anatomy of a Fall.

“Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve [a nomination],” Ferrera argued. “Creating this world, and taking something that didn’t have inherent value to most people and making it a global phenomenon.”

Ryan Gosling, nominated for Supporting Actor, agreed.

“There is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally celebrated film,” he said. 

Also Read: “I’d like to avoid that”: Margot Robbie Revealed Why She Never Wanted to Date Actors After Working With Will Smith and Brad Pitt

While Liu and others decried the snubs, Barbie’s 8 nominations still made it the second most nominated film after Oppenheimer. And Gerwig is up for Best Original Screenplay with Noah Baumbach. So while Robbie and Gerwig missed out on key nods, fans remain divided on whether Barbie got the appreciation it deserved.

Barbie is streaming now on HBO Max.

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