Nominations for the 96th Oscars were announced early Tuesday morning, with moviegoers everywhere sharing their excitement and frustration for the standout films selected by the Academy.
2023 was a year of extraordinary movies that brought people out of their homes and into theaters to experience them; with major box office hits like “Barbie” becoming Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing film ever, earning 1.44 billion dollars, according to Variety. With help from the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” became the third-highest-grossing film of the year, earning $951 million.
While excitement for first-time nominees and remarkable films took the internet by storm, confusion and uproar for missing nominees quickly overshadowed the praise. Most notably, the absence of Margot Robbie’s nomination for best actress and Greta Gerwig for best director.
Social media users were confused why Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera would be nominated in their respective categories, but not Robbie, who plays Barbie herself in the movie “Barbie.” Many find it ironic how the plot of Barbie is presenting itself in reality.
Ryan Gosling, who played Ken in the film, released a statement stating his disappointment in the lack of nominations for Robbie and Gerwig.
“But 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,” Gosling stated.
Gerwig is also not the only female director being snubbed for a nomination for best director, with South Korean-Canadian filmmaker Celine Song also getting snubbed in the directing category for her directorial debut for “Past Lives,” despite her film being nominated for best picture.
Another notable name missing from the nominations for best director is Greta Lee, who put on an incredible performance in “Past Lives.” Rolling Stone also commented on the disbelief of her missing nomination.
“But the fact that its lead, the extraordinary Greta Lee, somehow didn’t get her name called when the Best Actress noms were announced is, frankly, a crime. Her performance is the movie.”
Despite the upset of the missed nomination, many shouldn’t overlook the accomplishments and achievements of the other nominations. Avril Prado, a first-year Film, Television and Media Arts major at Moorpark College student, talks about her understanding of the uproar of the snubs for the big blockbusters like “Barbie,” but not to forget the other achievements.
“I think Robbie was excellent in the film, but I also feel like her lack of nomination for best actress is overshadowing the women who were nominated for their films, especially the women of color. We should be celebrating Justine Triet for her nomination for best director for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Thelma Schoonmaker (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Jennifer Lane (“Oppenheimer”) for their nominations for best editing and Davine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”), Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), and America Ferrera (“Barbie”) for best supporting actress, and other nominated women.“
Another surprising snub of the season was the star-studded cast of the Netflix comedy “May December;” with breakout actor Charles Melton failing to secure a nomination for his portrayal of the character Joe Yoo.
Melton, recognized for his work on the CW teen drama “Riverdale,” moved audiences with his depiction of Yoo, a man who was only 13 years old when he started a relationship with his 36-year-old teacher and current wife, Grace Atherton-Yoo.
Monique Natividad, a third-year student at Moorpark College, commented on Melton’s performance and why she believes he should have been applauded by the Academy.
“After watching interviews of the real man who inspired his character, I was even more shocked that he didn’t receive any praise from the Oscars,” Natividad said. “It was almost scary how well he played the part.”
Despite these cutting-edge performances being neglected by the Academy, cinephiles everywhere took to social media to express their excitement for their favorite actors securing a nomination. Pardo shared her excitement for Lily Gladstone securing a nomination as the first indigenous actress in the category.
“I’m extremely happy for Lily Gladstone’s nomination! Not only is she one of the few people of color to be nominated, but she is also the first Native American to be nominated for best actress, which is a huge accomplishment,” Pardo said. “It’s also a sobering reminder about the state of the Oscars. Why did it take so long for this to happen?”
Every year, the Oscar nominations surprise audiences with the Academy’s selection and serve as a reminder of how far the ceremony has come and how much more it needs still to improve. Many more surprises and conversations are in store for the Oscars on March 10, 2024.
