Which Oscar nominees would Ryan Gosling give the boot in favour of his pals Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig?

24 January 2024, 23:27 | Updated: 24 January 2024, 23:38

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

When Ryan Gosling received an Oscar nomination for playing Ken in Barbie, he didn’t react like most actors would: ‘I want to thank my mom, my dad and my dog…'

No, instead of graciously accepting an Oscar nomination for appearing in one of the most successful films of all time, Gosling decided to make it about his colleagues, Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Greta Gerwig (director), who were apparently 'snubbed' by the Academy in this year’s nominations.

Gosling argued that Barbie's success would not have happened without Robbie and Gerwig, which is true, but does that really make them deserving of Oscar nods over the other nominees?

While it may not have been his intention, the implication is that another actress’s or director’s nomination should be taken away to make room for his esteemed colleagues.

Should the Academy take it from Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), one of only two Native Americans to be nominated in the Best Actress category at the Oscars?

How about Annette Bening, 65, who gave a fantastic performance in Nyad, which centres around a 64-year-old marathon swimmer who swims from Cuba to Florida?

The reality is that the Best Actress and Director nominees were more deserving of their nominations that Robbie and Gerwig.

So, had the Academy given them Oscar nods, wouldn't that have just been an act of tokenism, driven in part by Barbie's overt feminist message, at the expense of more deserving actors.

Is that not the opposite of what we want?

Read More: 'There is no Ken without Barbie': Ryan Gosling breaks silence after Margot Robbie Oscars snub

Read More: Oppenheimer picks up 13 Oscar nominations, as Margot Robbie snubbed for Barbie - see the list of nominees

Just a few years ago, the Oscars was plagued with criticism over the lack of diversity among Academy members, who decide the Oscar nominations.

This sparked the ‘Oscars so white’ campaign, after it was revealed that just eight percent of Oscar nominees before 2016 were people of colour.

While there is still a long way to go, the Academy has since made an effort to diversify its pool of around 10,000 members, which has led to more diverse nomination lists in recent years.

For there to be such an outcry about Robbie - a white woman who has experienced extraordinary levels of success - not being nominated in place of another deserving actress is ludicrous.

If we’re on the subject of snubs, why don’t we talk about Greta Lee, an incredible Korean-American actress, who gave an outstanding performance in Past Lives?

While diversity should not be the sole factor in determining Oscar nominations, it should be an important consideration.

Gosling, one of the most famous actors on the planet, has every right to be upset that his colleagues were not nominated, but surely manage your disappointment privately? Were the eight Oscar nominations not enough?

What his statement has done now is overshadow the achievement of other actors and filmmakers.

Even Hillary Clinton has jumped on the bandwagon, taking to X to ‘console’ Robbie and Gerwig, reassuring them that they are ‘Kenough’.

That can't be nice to hear for the actual nominees.

Hollywood will pretend Robbie and Gerwig's ‘snubs’ prove a lack of equality still exists in the film industry, and shout about it because it makes them feel better, but the reality is, the nominated actresses and directors were simply more deserving.

So over to you, Mr Gosling - who should Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig replace at the Oscars?

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