Hillary Clinton is offering her support to “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie following their Oscars snub.
On Tuesday, the blockbuster film scored a total of eight Academy Award nominations, including for best picture, but Robbie did not get nominated for best actress, and Greta Gerwig did not make the cut in the best director category.
The decision to leave out the director and star of last year’s most popular film has been widely criticized online, with the former secretary of state and presidential candidate chiming in as well.
“Greta & Margot, While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you,” Clinton posted on X Wednesday morning. “You’re both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie“
“Barbie” brought in more than $1.4 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie of 2023.
Robbie’s co-star Ryan Gosling nabbed a best supporting actor nomination for his performance as Ken, and America Ferrera also received a nod for best supporting actress.
The two actors shared Clinton’s sentiments in statements celebrating their nominations.
“I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films,” Gosling said in a statement. “And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken. 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.”
Ferrera said she was “stunned” and “moved” by her Oscar nomination. She echoed Gosling’s statement, telling Variety that she “was incredibly disappointed” Robbie and Gerwig did not receive Oscar nominations.
On Wednesday, Gosling’s long-time partner, actress Eva Mendes, took to Instagram to celebrate his nomination despite initial criticisms of his casting before the film was released.
“So proud of my man,” Mendes captioned screengrabs of several negative articles. “So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to Oscars.”
“So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie,” she added.