Hillary Clinton Faces Media Outrage for Linking Barbie-Oscars Controversy to Her 2016 Election Defeat

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finds herself at the heart of a social media storm after voicing her sympathy for what some call the "Oscar snubs" of the Barbie film. The blockbuster, which got eight Academy Award nominations, made history as the only billion-dollar film directed entirely by a woman. However, excluding director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie from several categories prompted outrage.

Clinton, famed for her political initiatives and her historic but ultimately lost 2016 presidential campaign, used social media to express her concern for the overlooked talents, per Mediaite. She wrote on X, making parallels between the Barbie "snub" and her political defeat: "Greta & Margot, While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you.  You’re both so much more than Kenough. #HillaryBarbie."

The phrase "Kenough," a play on Ken's awakening in the film, seems to refer to Clinton's own experience of winning the popular vote by 2.9 million but losing the electoral college to Donald Trump. Clinton's attempt to link her political trajectory to the Barbie movie's success, however, sparked intense criticism on social media platforms.

On X, one user shared an image of Fonzie from Happy Days, which represents "jumping the shark" or being past one's prime. Clinton's connection of her electoral defeat to the Barbie movie discredit appeared to backfire "spectacularly," according to digital publication Indy500. Another account named Propaganda and Co. responded to Clinton, "There is an ongoing genocide taking place."

Notably, actor Ryan Gosling, who was nominated for Best Actor, expressed his gratitude for being honored with such talented individuals. Gosling recognized the importance of playing a plastic doll named Ken and praised Gerwig and Robbie's critical roles in the film's success.

Barbie received nods in several categories, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress by Academy Award nominations. However, the nominations were criticized for the exclusion of Robbie from the Best Actress category. The competition for the Best Actress Oscars includes Annette Bening (Nyad), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Carey Mulligan (Maestro), and Emma Stone (Poor Things).

According to Entertainment Weekly, despite not being nominated for Best Actress, Robbie remains a three-time Oscar nominee for her position as a producer of the summer hit. Robbie's prior nominations include Best Actress for I, Tonya, and Best Supporting Actress for Bombshell.

Gerwig, the writer-director of Barbie, was equally disappointed when she was left out of the Best Director category. She did, however, enjoy her fourth Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, which she shared with her husband and co-writer Noah Baumbach.

Barbie, 2023's highest-grossing picture, garnered eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Song. Despite the honors, the lack of significant figures in the top categories sparked debate on social media.