‘Barbie’ Dream Noms: Ryan Gosling for Best Supporting Actor
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There’s a moment in “Barbie” where Ryan Gosling, who plays the wickedly funny and insecure manchild, Ken, steps off the screen and yells, “Sublime!” It might be the most extraordinary Oscar-worthy clip of a person not to be seen on screen.
“Barbie,” the new meta-comedy from Warner Bros, which also acts as an infomercial for Mattel, finally lands for audiences and could be one of the leading comedy films seeking Oscar recognition by year’s end if Academy members can take it seriously. Gosling’s iconic turn, at least, is worthy of best supporting actor recognition.
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Commercial comedies, particularly those without the added “dramedy” sub-qualifier, have faced difficulty landing Academy recognition for decades (i.e., Vince Vaughn in “Wedding Crashers”). However, a promising trend has been seen in the last few years with acting nominees like Robert Downey Jr in “Tropic Thunder” (2008), Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” (2011) and Maria Bakalova in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (2020) landing comfortably in their respective fields. Gosling could join the ranks.
Gosling, 42, is a respected actor in the industry with two nominations under his belt — one as the drug-addicted teacher in “Half Nelson” (2006) and the other as the passionate jazz player in “La La Land” (2016). He may not be the first name you think of when discussing brilliant comedic actors, but he’s displayed his funny chops in films such as Shane Black’s “The Nice Guys” (2016) opposite Russell Crowe. With abs and a fur coat, Gosling is the film’s MVP.
When it comes to the film’s overall chances, it will all rest on sustainability through the season. While the reviews are strong (sitting at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes), it’ll need to show strength through significant guild recognition through the season, such as WGA and PGA, to have any chance of being one of the few populist movies that land in the best picture lineup.
As the titular character, Margot Robbie is undoubtedly tailor-made for the role she was born to play. With a career that has already landed the Australian performer two Oscar noms herself — “I, Tonya” (2017) and “Bombshell” (2019) — she’ll be a fan favorite throughout the remaining calendar year. However, outside of being a solid contender for a Golden Globe in lead comedy actress, an Oscar slot in best actress might be challenging to attain (she’s also a listed producer, which could help in the best picture). The same goes for America Ferrera, who is wonderful as Gloria, delivering an inspirational speech about women’s roles worldwide that will be used in acting classroom monologues for years. Ferrera also has Sony’s “Dumb Money,” which could put her on Oscar’s radar.
Gerwig’s skillful commentary on feminism and biting humor could create an opportunity for her to land recognition in adapted screenplay. With three previous noms for “Lady Bird” (2017) in directing and original screenplay and “Little Women” (2019) in adapted, she’s a well-regarded scribe and could land, along with her real-life partner Noah Baumbach, in the race.
What’s most needed in the “Barbie” best picture quest is the recognition of its artisans. Production design (Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer) and costumes (Jacqueline Durran) seem like no-brainers no matter the outcome of the rest of the year. But can it add editing by Nick Huoy, an original score mention by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, or an original song for Billie Eilish and Finneas (“What Was I Made For”)? Those answers will be vital to its chances.
The “Barbenheimer” frenzy has linked the two titles in audiences’ minds. Interestingly, with “Oppenheimer” feeling assured of a run for best picture run, that could weirdly help “Barbie” get on those same ballots (as long as the campaigns remain as friendly as they’ve been the past few weeks).
Check out the latest Oscar predictions on Variety Awards Circuit.
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