“There Are No Snubs,” Whoopi Goldberg Calls Out ‘Barbie’ Outrage
While fans of Barbie (2023) are outraged at the Academy Award snubs, Disney legend Whoopi Goldberg doesn’t think there’s anything to be angry about.
It’s hard to argue that Barbie isn’t the most culturally relevant movie of 2023. Much of this is because of Greta Gerwig’s direction and Margot Robbie’s performance, alongside excellent performances from Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, and Kate McKinnon. Despite this, Gerwig and Robbie did not receive nominations for Best Director or Best Actress at the Academy Awards.
While they did receive nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture, respectively (Robbie is a producer), not being recognized for their primary roles shocked fans and fellow cast members, who have voiced their displeasure on social media. One person who disagrees with them is Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg, who claimed neither of them were snubbed.
Whoopi Goldberg Doesn’t Think ‘Barbie’ Was Snubbed
Credit: ABC
When the topic of Barbie’s snubs came up on The View (1997-present), many of the hosts were upset that the film didn’t receive nominations for Greta Gerwig or Margot Robbie in their main categories. Then, an important question came up: when does it become a snub? According to Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg, it doesn’t.
“Everybody doesn’t win… They’re not snubs, and that’s sort of what I want to point out. And it’s not the elites, it’s the entire family of the Academy Awards who vote for Best Picture nominations. We all vote for Best Picture. Everybody. So there are seven to ten nominations that happen. And you don’t get everything that you wanna get, you know?”
After incorrectly saying that Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) won Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh and not Best Picture (it won both), the Ghost (1990) actress continued, “There are no snubs… not everybody gets a prize. And it is subjective. Movies are subjective. The movies you love may not be loved by the people who are voting.”
While Goldberg brings up great points that not everybody can win and movie taste is subjective, it’s hard to think that deserving films don’t get snubbed for things out of their control. Comedy, horror, and animated movies are often treated as second-rate to historical dramas or biopics.
Credit: Warner Bros.
Also, the issue isn’t that Barbie was snubbed for Best Picture. It’s that Greta Gerwig didn’t receive a nomination for Best Director and Margot Robbie for Best Actress. While this can refer back to Goldberg’s point of personal taste, it still seems that the Oscars definitely prefer specific genres and styles to others.
