Margot Robbie Breaks Silence on ‘Barbie’ Snub: Movie Is ‘Bigger Than Our Industry’

Margot Robbie has broken her silence after she and Greta Gerwig were snubbed at the Oscars for Barbie. While she acknowledged that Gerwig should have been nominated, she pointed out that Barbie is ultimately bigger than the industry or any awards ceremony.

When the nominations were revealed for the 96th Academy Awards, outrage arose when neither Robbie nor Gerwig received a nomination. Robbie was considered one of the frontrunners for Best Actress for her role as the titular character in Barbie, while Gerwig was a shoo-in for Best Director, considering she helmed the highest-grossing acclaimed film of the year, which was nominated for Best Picture.

However, the Oscars did acknowledge America Ferrera’s powerful role in the film with a Best Supporting Actress nomination, while Ryan Gosling also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Some of the outrage was justified, as one simply can’t explain how the director of 2023’s biggest film didn’t earn a Best Director nod.

At the same time, many seemed to have somehow forgotten that Barbie did still garner a stunning eight nominations at this year’s Oscars. Others somehow grossly turned this situation into an opportunity to make racist jabs at Lily Gladstone’s historic nomination for Killers of the Flower Moon. The snubs were disappointing, but it shouldn’t overshadow that Ferrera received a nomination or that Gerwig’s film is up for the biggest award of the night. Though Gosling and Ferrera have already addressed the snubs, Robbie had remained silent throughout most of the frenzy. However, she has now broken her silence and largely summed up how we should all be looking at Barbie.

Margot Robbie addresses Barbie’s Oscar nominations

While appearing at a special Screen Actors Guild screening on January 30, Robbie briefly addressed the Oscar situation. She confirmed that she was focusing on Barbie’s incredible achievements rather than the two nominations it didn’t get. She stated, “There’s no way to feel sad when you know you’re this blessed … we’ve got eight Academy Award nominations — it’s so wild.” However, she did acknowledge that Gerwig “obviously” should have been nominated for Best Director because “what she did is a once-in-a-career, once-in-a-lifetime thing, what she pulled off. It really is.”

Ultimately, Robbie reminded everyone that the awards aren’t that significant, as she described Barbie as “bigger than our industry.” She explained that Barbie did “way more than we ever dreamed it would, and that is truly the biggest reward that could come out of all of this.” Her rational take on the Oscar situation is filled with truth. Barbie’s impact on the industry is expected to be felt for years to come. Additionally, it inspired an entire generation of girls and women who saw their experience reflected on the screen in such a beautiful and powerful way for the first time.

Yes, Gerwig and Robbie probably should’ve been nominated at the Oscars. However, when one thinks about the huge scope of Barbie and its influence, an Oscar feels like a relatively insignificant thing, and there were other achievements (and snubs) that should not be overlooked. Barbie has already been recognized tremendously at award shows this season, and it’s important to remember to celebrate that, as well as all the achievements it boasted that can’t be measured with a mere statue.

(featured image: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty)