The host kicks off his monologue by calling out Oscar voters for not nominating 'Barbie' director Greta Gerwig while calling the flick 'the biggest movie of the year.'
- Mar 11, 2024
AceShowbiz - Jimmy Kimmel returned as the host at the 2024 Academy Awards, which took place on Sunday, March 10. The late-night TV show host kicked off his monologue by calling out Oscar voters for not nominating "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig.
During his opening, a clip from the critically-acclaimed movie was played, featuring Margot Robbie sitting at a bus stop. "I know, I was just thinking that! I haven't eaten in three weeks. I'm so hungry, I have to go host the Oscars," Kimmel joked.
"I know that winning an Oscar is something you've dreamed about since you were a kid, and now here we are, all dressed up celebrating the best of the best beginning with the biggest movie of the year: 'Barbie'," he further noted. "Now 'Barbie' is a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to be nominated for Best Director."
When the audience gave him applause, Kimmel then jokingly slammed the Academy voters for snubbing her. "You're the ones who didn't vote for her, by the way! Don't act like you had nothing to do with this. You did this!" he said.
"And I don't want to leave out Margot Robbie. Margot put this giant hit together. Again, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are here tonight. Look kids, it's Barbie and Ken sitting just near each other," the host added. "Ryan and Margot, I want you to know that even if neither one of you wins an Oscar tonight, you both already won the something much more important: the genetic lottery."
In this year's Oscars, "Barbie" received eight nominations. However, Robbie and Gerwig were not recognized in the Best Actress and Best Director categories respectively, sparking criticism. Of the snubs, Gerwig said in an interview with TIME for its Women of the Year issue, "Of course I wanted it for Margot. But I'm just happy we all get to be there together."
"A friend's mom said to me, 'I can't believe you didn't get nominated.' I said, 'But I did. I got an Oscar nomination,' " she added, referring to the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination she got alongside her husband Noah Baumbach. "She was like, 'Oh, that's wonderful for you!' I was like, 'I know!' "
Back to the Oscars, Kimmel also poked fun at "Madame Web" bad performance at the box office. "It was also a great year for movies, despite the fact that everything stopped. The people in this room somehow managed to come up with so many excellent films and memorable performances," he said. "This night is full of enormous talent, and untold potential, but so was 'Madame Web'."
The 96th Academy Awards is currently underway from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles with Da'Vine Joy Randolph being among the early winners.
