By Sonia Horon For Dailymail.Com and Sameer Suri For Dailymail.com
23:21 23 Jan 2024, updated 00:30 24 Jan 2024
- ‘There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie,’ the actor declared
- ‘Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees’
- Gosling, 43, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken in the film
Ryan Gosling released a statement on Tuesday expressing his disappointment after his Barbie co-star Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were snubbed by the Oscars.
Gosling, 43, who himself was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken in the film, shared that the movie would not exist without Margot, 33, and Greta, 40.
‘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.’
‘Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees,’ he declared.
A source told DailyMail.com Ryan ‘believes that his role was so well received thanks to the work that [Margot and Greta] did, making his performance Oscar-worthy in the first place.’
‘He is ecstatic that he was honored but it is bittersweet that his enjoyment can’t be shared with Greta and Margot in the next few months because they were snubbed.’
The source added the father-of-two will perform I’m Just Ken during the ceremony and ‘may incorporate his feelings on Margot and Greta not getting nominated.’
Gosling began his statement by expressing gratitude for his nomination. ‘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 being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken,’ he shared.
The actor then went on to share his disappointment at Margot and Greta not being nominated, before praising them for their work on the film.
‘Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history.’
Lastly, he congratulated his other co-star America Ferrera, who received the Best Supporting Actress nod. ‘Having said that, I am so happy for America Ferrera and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.’
However, some fans were left unimpressed with Gosling’s statement, with one fan even calling for him to withdraw his nomination in protest, writing, ‘It would be a powerful statement if he withdrew his name from consideration.’
The Academy Award nominations were announced to fanfare in Hollywood on Tuesday morning.
The box office smash hit received a total of eight Oscar nominations, though Greta failed to secure a nomination for best director this year, and Margot, who played the title character, was also passed over for best lead actress.
Barbie was released in July and raked in a record-breaking $1.45 billion at the global box office, and $636 million domestically.
The omissions attracted extra attention on account of the fact that Gosling, did get nominated for best supporting actor.
Some social media commentators leapt to point the finger at sexism – despite the fact Ferrera was also nominated.
Ryan’s big musical number in the film, I’m Just Ken, is also up for an award. with the nomination honoring songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt.
Further, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell landed a nod for What Was I Made For?, another song written for Barbie.
‘Ryan Gosling, while deserving, got an Oscar nomination for Barbie while Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie didn’t?’ wrote one outraged fan on X.
‘Completely proving the point of the movie in 20 f***ing 24 you cannot make this up,’ the social media user added, referring to the movie’s feminist themes.
‘Wait Ryan Gosling got nominated for his role as Ken, but Margot Robbie didn’t get nominated for Barbie?! And Greta got snubbed for Best Director?!?! Way to justify the literal plot of the movie,’ wrote another X user, echoing the theme.
A third groused: ‘If Ryan deserved a nom, then Margot certainly did, the fact she wouldn’t have won isn’t the point. It almost feels like the Academy deliberately played into the theme of the movie to get people talking. #Oscars haven’t been about who actually deserves it for a long time.’
Although Margot is not in the running for best lead actress, the movie itself is up for best picture, meaning she has in fact been nominated as a producer.
Greta and her husband Noah Baumbach are also nominated jointly this year for having written the adapted screenplay of Barbie.
Margot has previously been nominated for two Oscars – best lead actress for her 2017 film I, Tonya, a biopic of Tonya Harding, and best supporting actress for the 2020 film Bombshell, which dramatized the story of the Fox News sex scandals.
Meanwhile Greta was previously nominated for the best director Oscar for her 2017 film Lady Bird, which marked her first time solo at the helm of a feature film.
She was also nominated for that film’s screenplay, as well as the script of her follow-up feature, the 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
