US broadcaster ABC certainly didn’t shy away from the backlash around Barbie’s award nominations in a new promo for the Oscars.
The network borrowed heavily from the feminist-tinted blockbuster in an ad for the upcoming Academy Awards, which showed host Jimmy Kimmel navigate his way to Oscarsland with Kate McKinnon as “Weird Barbie”.
The nearly five-minute homage takes Jimmy through a montage of 2024’s best movies before he arrives in Hollywood and gets a pep talk from none other than America Ferrera.
The Barbie references continue as Best Supporting Actor nominee Ryan Gosling appears while clad in sunglasses and his tie-dye “I Am Kenough” hoodie while sipping from an In-N-Out soda cup and carrying a bag of fast food.
Jimmy tells Ryan it’s a bit early for his burger, reminding him how In-N-Out is supposed to be for “after you’ve won” an award, à la Paul Giamatti’s viral moment post-Golden Globes.
“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Ryan says, commenting: “Good thing Greta has got director in the bag!”
Upon being informed that Barbie director Greta Gerwig was, in fact, not in the running, Ryan lets out a piercing scream, with his colleagues soon following suit.
Many made a ruckus after Greta failed to make the Best Director shortlist when Oscar nominations were announced in late January. Barbie fans were also upset that star Margot Robbie was missing in the Best Actress category.
Talking about the snubs in a statement following his Oscar nomination, Ryan said: “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.”
The 96th Academy Awards will take place on 10 March.