With awards season just around the corner, one of the most entertaining aspects of the self-aggrandizing spectacle that is award shows like The Academy Awards and The Golden Globes, among others, is the pomp and circumstance known as the red carpet.
For those unfamiliar, the red carpet is a meet and greet for stars and entertainment professionals to wave to adoring fans while a press pool shouts out questions at each person.
These press pool questions range from how the performer feels about being selected for an award to what outfit they wear and who the designer is.
There is a cottage industry about celebrity gossip and fashion, and nothing highlights this like the famous red carpet.
Hosts of shows and reporters alike are asking stars about “who they’re wearing,” from gowns, jewelry, clutches, and bags to the designer shoes they have paired with their outfits.
To be seen on the red carpet is something that stars look forward to, partly to grow their recognition and fan base and showcase their fashion sense.
While some viewers and fans focus more on the red carpet hoopla, many others tune in for the actual award show’s award ceremony rather than the pageantry.
And the award season can catapult an actor and actress’s career to the stratosphere, while even being recognized for their efforts is a massive boost to their reputation as a performer.
The Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, is the pinnacle of awards, and nominations are compelling for the status, recognition, and legacy of the writers, directors, sound people, producers, actors, and actresses who get a nod.
But there’s more to the awards circuit than just the Oscars, and every year; there are apparent entries to the awards show circuits, like in 1994 when Forrest Gump was up for the running against movies like Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption.
While the list from the Academy of actors from Tom Hanks to John Travolta and Morgan Freeman may have seemed competitive, at the time, Tom Hanks was atop the world, and if anyone was shocked that he won for best actor, that’s on them.
Because, for anyone paying attention to the zeitgeist of the time, Forrest Gump was hands down the favorite.
While some years are easier than others to predict, there have been shocking omissions throughout the years.
Some of the most significant Oscar omissions over the years include:
- Citizen Kane
- ET–The Extra-Terrestrial
- Goodfellas
- Brokeback Mountain
- Saving Private Ryan
And while these shocking omissions stand out throughout the history of award shows, this year’s omission goes to Margot Robbie for her role in Barbie.
The Triumph Of “Barbie” At The Box Office
The movie Barbie, by Greta Gerwig and played by Robbie, is about upending the social norms so prevalent in Western Societies. It’s also an entertaining movie about the protagonist’s growth, in this case, Barbie, as she struggles with self-identity.
Early on, the movie was a cultural phenomenon that it was considered a sure-fire, can’t-miss come award season.
On top of being the largest-grossing movie of all time for a female-written, directed, and acted film, there was even conversation that there would be a Barbie 2 while the first movie was still in theaters.
The Journey Of Margot Robbie’s Rising Star
For those who have been under a rock for the past few years, Margot Robbie is an Australian-born versatile actress who has drawn praise for her work in numerous roles. From “The Wolf of Wall Street” to a captivating portrayal of Harley Quinn in the comic-adapted movie “Suicide Squad,” she has drawn considerable audiences to the big screen.
She has earned critical recognition and built a considerable fan base from her diverse roles ranging from “I, Tonya,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and “Bombshell.”
While her chops to seamlessly portray complex characters have earned her the reputation of being both talented and a draw within the industry, it appeared that her most recent performance in “Barbie” was enough to catapult her into the elite circle of actresses that have won an Oscar.
However, despite her undeniable draw and talent, Robbie has shockingly been snubbed regarding nominations to the award circuit.
Although she has received wide acclaim and garnered numerous accolades for her work, she has been ignored for one of the highest-grossing films of her career.
This year, there could be various reasons for the snub, including that before the release of “Barbie,” Robbie starred in the movie, “Birds of Prey,” a spin-off from Suicide Squad.
Another reason could stem from the fact that this season, there is an incredible number of worthy actresses for recognition, including Emma Stone for her performance in “Poor Things” and Lily Gladstone for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
And even though “Barbie” was a box-office and cultural phenomenon, it doesn’t guarantee award recognition.
The trend lately has been to eschew movies that are more entertaining and focus on more narrative types of films, which may be another factor in Robbie’s snub.
The Times They Are A’Changing: Inclusive Dynamics Of Modern Hollywood
Once, nominations were dominated by actors and actresses who were cutouts of each other.
They had a particular look and spoke the same.
As the culture around them shifted, including the demographics of the people they were portraying, the awards organizations and voters shifted along with them.
A move to be more diverse and inclusive became some of the criteria for voters, and the Academy began to focus on more roles that mirrored the audience.
Also, as audiences became broader and more diverse, roles and performers became broader, and it became necessary to recognize their efforts, which may have been a factor in why “Barbie” and Margot Robbie were snubbed.
For fans of “Barbie” and Margot Robbie, the awards snub stings some, but the pageantry of the awards shows will still draw an incredible amount of viewers who will look for the styles and fashions of the performers as they head to the ceremony.
And for the stylists, dropping their name and brand as the “it” clothing on the red carpet will boost their credibility.
From shoes to dresses, while some of the outfits are over-the-top, those that are more contemporary will draw a huge following that viewers may try to emulate, further moving fashion into the mainstream.
