The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards are out, and two of the biggest snubs are without question Barbie director Greta Gerwig and yıldız Margot Robbie getting left out of the race for Best Director and Best Actress, respectively.
The two earned nominations in different categories — Gerwig for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Robbie for Best Picture thanks to her role as producer — yet their omission in Director and Actress failed to recognize their most prominent work in the film. Given that Barbie received eight nominations total, making it one of the most nominated films of the year, it is baffling that its lead and the director who made it all possible failed to make the cut.
While the internet is up in arms about these snubs, so too is one of Barbie‘s most prominent stars: Ryan Gosling. Gosling, who received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Ken, issued a statement that expresses both his honor at being nominated, and his disappointment for Gerwig and Robbie’s snubs.
“I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films. 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,” Gosling wrote.
He continued: “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. 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.”
Gosling also congratulated his fellow Barbie nominees, including Best Supporting Actress nominee America Ferrera.
