Jimmy Kimmel showers Barbie director Greta Gerwig with well-deserved praise as he returns to host the 2024 Oscars marking his fourth time in this prestigious role.
Kimmel kicks off the show with a clip from Barbie, featuring star Margot Robbie at a bus stop. After a playful exchange about Kimmel’s looks, he jokes about his hunger, stating, “I haven’t eaten in three weeks. I’m so hungry, I have to go host the Oscars.”
Upon taking the stage, Kimmel humorously acknowledges the “partial standing ovation” and thanks everyone for their punctuality, considering the show started an hour early. He then gives a shout-out to each nominated film and their stars.
#JimmyKimmel roasts #BradleyCooper, #Barbie snub & more In 2024 #Oscars monologue pic.twitter.com/uHU0XuaVR9
— Access Hollywood (@accesshollywood) March 11, 2024
Highlighting Barbie as the “biggest movie of the year,” Kimmel praises Greta Gerwig for turning Barbie into a feminist icon. He playfully chides the Academy voters for overlooking her in the Best Director category, stating, “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!”
Acknowledging Margot Robbie’s role in the success of Barbie, Kimmel continues the banter, joking about Barbie and Ken (Ryan Gosling) sitting near each other. He teases Robbie and Gosling, saying, “Look kids, it’s Barbie and Ken sitting just near each other. Ryan and Margot, I want you to know that even if neither one of you wins an Oscar tonight, you both already won something much more important: the genetic lottery.”
Barbie received eight Oscar nominations, but Gerwig, 40, and Robbie, 33, were notably absent from the Best Director and Best Actress categories. In an interview with Time for its Women of the Year issue, Gerwig addressed the nominations, saying, “Of course I wanted it for Margot. But I’m just happy we all get to be there together.”
