Jimmy Kimmel has called out the Oscars for snubbing Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s work on Barbie during his opening monologue.
For the fourth year, the presenter is hosting the annual awards ceremony in Los Angeles tonight (March 10).
As Kimmel opened the show at the Dolby Theatre, he referenced some of the biggest movies of the year. “Barbie was a monster hit,” he said. “What an achievement to take a plastic doll nobody even liked anymore – I mean, my wife, before this movie, you would have had a better chance getting my wife to buy my daughter a pack of Marlboro Reds than a Barbie doll.
“Now, Barbie is a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to be nominated for Best Director tonight.” As the audience responded positively, Kimmel added: “Hold on a minute – I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her, by the way. Don’t act like you had nothing to do with this.”
Jimmy Kimmel le da un tirón de orejas en su monólogo de apertura a la Academia por no haber nominado a Greta Gerwig y Margot Robbie por #Barbie en los #Oscars
pic.twitter.com/N4Pdv9l6Fu— Sarah Yáñez-Richards (@SarahYanezR) March 10, 2024
He continued to shout out Robbie as well, saying: “And I don’t want to leave out Margot Robbie. Margot put this giant hit together. She did.”
Despite missing out on Best Director and Best Actress nods, Barbie is nominated for eight awards tonight. It could take home Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken, Best Adapted Screenplay and more.
Following the nominations for the Oscars 2024 being revealed, many fans took to social media to express their anger at Gerwig and Robbie’s exclusion. Gosling also made a statement, noting: “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.”
The first award has been given out at the Oscars 2024, with America Ferrera losing out on Best Supporting Actress to The Holdovers’ Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Keep up with all the winners as they happen on NME.com here.