Barbie's Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie did not receive nods for Best Director and Best Actress in the Oscars 2024 nominations.
Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid unveiled the 2024 Oscar nominations for the 96th Academy Awards during a live presentation on January 23. Barbie scored eight nods, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling, and Best Supporting Actress for America Ferrera, but it was notably absent from two major categories.
Filmmaker Greta Gerwig was shut out of the Best Director category, while Margot Robbie's name didn't appear in the Best Leading Actress line-up. The announcement left Barbie fans reeling as many felt a movie that amassed $1.4 billion at the global box office and broke countless other records (including the biggest opening of Gerwig's career) would have secured the powerhouse pair the big nominations.
People took to X/Twitter to share their reaction in the aftermath of the Oscars nominations announcement. Several commentators pointed out the irony of Ryan Gosling getting a nod for his performance as Ken but Margot Robbie missing out on any recognition for playing the titular Barbie. Others couldn't believe that "one of the most original films of the decade" didn't merit a nomination for Gerwig.
Greta Gerwig made a film that was critically acclaimed, culturally impactful, hilarious, unique, visually exceptional, perfectly cast and acted, left people laughing, crying and thinking AND made a billion dollars at the box office. But no Best Director nom?! #Barbie #Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/ePfuiDbEfm
— Leigh Lewallen (@leighlew3) January 23, 2024
greta gerwig is not nominated for best director????? #Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/tVNjsTi99w
— ale (@greeneclarks) January 23, 2024
greta gerwig might join denis villeneuve in the “making one of the best movies of the year but getting snubbed in director bc it’s a blockbuster “ club pic.twitter.com/vlXSzPOX9P
— row (@spaceageranger) January 18, 2024
So Greta Gerwig created one of the most original films of the decade, one that completely blew apart people’s expectations of what a #Barbie movie could be & resonated with millions … yet apparently that’s not *quite* worth a nomination for best director??? #Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/UXbm4zrdIy
— Laura Tisdall (@LauraTisdall) January 23, 2024
barbie being the box office and just cultural phenomenon it was and margot robbie doesn’t get a best actress nomination and greta gerwig doesn’t get a best director nom…. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/af6BLqmSzr
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) January 23, 2024
no because wdym they nominated ryan for barbie and NOT margot...#Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/zzdOxOsqcO
— feds (@h1ghrct) January 23, 2024
The irony of Ken (Ryan Gosling) being nominated for an Oscar (supporting actor) but Barbie (Margot Robbie) not getting one. Appreciate America Ferrera is nominated for supporting actress but still. Seems a tad awkward given the message of the film pic.twitter.com/C2zRlVA1oU
— RJTD ?️? (@naeblis85) January 23, 2024
Margot Robbie really didn’t get nominated for best actress??? Sorry I just need to triple check and make sure #Oscars pic.twitter.com/569nXOfkaB
— Lara Hopwood (@larahopwood) January 23, 2024
aaaand that’s so true cause there’s no reason to not nominate margot robbie for best actress you have to rewatch this movie once again ! and it’s “Barbie” not “Ken” ?? #Oscar pic.twitter.com/QIAFOvCdYs
— turquoise? (@yeturikuzi) January 23, 2024
Ryan Gosling gets nominated for #Barbie (I'm glad! He certainly deserves the accolade, too!), but Margot Robbie — BARBIE HERSELF — and Greta Gerwig — the DIRECTOR of the record-breaking movie — get snubbed.
— shelby elpers (@shelbbs247) January 23, 2024
Did we not watch the same movie ABOUT Barbie?pic.twitter.com/4nmIHU3kMA
Gerwig received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, having penned the Barbie script with her husband and creative collaborator Noah Baumbach, while Robbie is up for an Academy Award via Barbie's Best Picture nomination as she co-produced the film alongside David Heyman, Tom Ackerley, and Robbie Brenner.
There were plenty of other surprises along the way. Greta Lee lost out on a Leading Actress nomination for Past Lives, Barry Keoghan didn't make it on the list of Best Actor nominees for his role in Saltburn, Daniel Pemberton's groundbreaking score in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse got overlooked, and Killers of the Flower Moon received a few snubs, including for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Charles Melton missed out on a Best Supporting Actor nod despite his widely-praised performance in Todd Haynes' darkly comedic drama May December, which premiered at Cannes last year, but he isn't the only one that got snubbed. Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore were also not nominated for their roles in the film.
Check out the full list of Oscars 2024 nominations here. The 96th Academy Awards will kick off on March 10 at the Dolby Theater in LA. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC in the US, ITV in the UK, and over 200 other territories worldwide.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X @AdeleAnkers.
