Actors, cops and a Clinton decry Barbie’s Oscar nomination snubs

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Barbie has friends in high places.

When the Oscar nominations were released this week, there were the usual cries of “snub!” from the entertainment world, though perhaps none so loud as about Barbie, where a former U.S. presidential candidate and at least one police force have weighed in.

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The cultural juggernaut (and the fun half of “Barbenheimer”) was a hit with critics and moviegoers, taking in more than $600 million in the U.S. and Canada and more than $1.4 billion worldwide to become the highest grossing movie of 2023.

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It received eight Oscar nominations, including best picture, best supporting actor (Ryan Gosling) and best supporting actress (America Ferrera), but was left off the list for best director (Greta Gerwig) and best actress (Margot Robbie in the title role).

Pundits, entertainment journalists and the stars themselves soon voiced their disappointment, with Gosling and Ferrera both talking up how disappointed they were for their costar and director.

But then Hillary Clinton decided to lend her voice, tweeting out: “While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You’re both so much more than Kenough.”

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While some of her followers chided her for not paying enough attention to major world events, it’s arguable that Clinton, who won the popular vote in the 2016 U.S. presidential election but lost to Donald Trump, was well placed to comment on being a box-office winner who didn’t take home the gold.

Meanwhile, in Robbie’s homeland of Australia, police are joking that they are “investigating” Robbie being robbed of her nomination.

“POLICE INVESTIGATE AS MARGOT ROBBIED,” screams the headline on the Facebook page of the Victoria Police, a channel usually dedicated to missing persons and traffic accidents.

“Police are investigating after a former resident of Ramsay Street was allegedly robbed of an Oscar nomination for best actress,” the post reads, adding helpfully: “We’d like to take this opportunity to remind all current residents of Ramsay Street and the rest of Victoria, to consider reporting any non-urgent crime, such as theft, via our online reporting tool. It’s a convenient and easy way to submit a report with us any time of day.”

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And closer to home, actor John Stamos and his wife, Caitlin McHugh, took to Instagram with a post in which they recreated a scene from Barbie by lip-synching over lines by Gosling and Robbie.

“This one goes out to Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie who crafted a film that was both a critical success and a cultural phenomenon, delving into feminist themes through the lens of Barbie and challenging patriarchal norms,” Stamos wrote in the accompanying caption.

“This movie not only resonated deeply but also grossed OVER a billion dollars. Yet, in a twist of irony, both women were snubbed by the Academy. Everyone go re-watch Barbie tonight.”

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