Box office hit Barbie has earned eight Oscar nominations; however, its lead, Margot Robbie, and director, Greta Gerwig, faced notable snubs in key categories.
Gerwig missed out on a best director nod, but the inclusion of Anatomy of a Fall’s Justine Triet in the nominations balanced the gender representation.
This marks the first year with three best picture nominees directed by women. Oppenheimer received the most nominations, trailed by Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon.
While Robbie and Gerwig missed out on key categories, they secured recognition in other areas – Robbie as a producer in the best picture lineup and Gerwig for best adapted screenplay.
Barbie’s best picture nomination also establishes Gerwig as the first woman to direct three films nominated for the top prize.
Despite being the highest-grossing film of 2023, earning $1.44 billion worldwide, expectations for Gerwig and Robbie to secure best director and actress nominations went unmet.
Robbie didn’t receive a best actress nod, but her co-star America Ferrera secured a surprise supporting actress nomination. Ryan Gosling, another Barbie star, received a best supporting actor nod, and the film’s original song, “I’m Just Ken,” competed with another song, “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish.
Oppenheimer led the nominations with 13, followed by Poor Things with 11 and Killers of the Flower Moon with 10.
Barbie’s nominations also included production design and costume design, showcasing its overall impact.
The Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will take place on March 10.
The top nominees:
- 13 nominations – Oppenheimer
- 11 – Poor Things
- 10 – Killers of the Flower Moon
- 8 – Barbie
- 7 – Maestro
- 5 – American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, The Zone of Interest
Notably, three Best Picture nominees were directed by women for the first time in Oscar history: Past Lives (Celine Song), Barbie (Gerwig), and Anatomy of a Fall (Triet).
Triet expressed her gratitude and excitement upon learning about her nominations in a social media post.
Killers of the Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone became the first Native American actress recognized, while Jodie Foster received her first nomination in nearly three decades for Nyad.
The Zone of Interest’s best international feature nomination marks the UK’s return to the category after 24 years.
Half of this year’s acting nominees are first-time nominees, and Martin Scorsese secured his 10th nod, a record for a living director.
Composer John Williams achieved his 54th nomination for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, making him the second most-nominated person in Oscar history after Walt Disney. Williams, aged 91, stated that this film would be his last major work.
