BAFTAs: ‘Oppenheimer’ Wins Big, ‘Barbie’ Snubbed Before Oscars

“Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things” were the standout winners at the BAFTA Film Awards, overshadowing “Barbie,” “Maestro,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which were all left empty-handed just weeks before the Oscars. “Oppenheimer” led the nominations with 13 nods and clinched an impressive seven wins, including Best Film, Best Director for the British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan, and Best Actor for the talented Cillian Murphy. Meanwhile, Emma Stone shone brightly with her victory for Best Actress in “Poor Things,” which also triumphed in categories such as Best Costume Design, Makeup and Hair, Production Design, and Special Visual Effects.

Despite its significant buzz and anticipation, “Barbie” walked away without any wins, along with “Maestro,” a biographical drama based on the life of Leonard Bernstein, which had garnered seven nominations, and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which had nine nominations.

In addition to its major wins, “Oppenheimer” also secured accolades for Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Cinematography, Editing, and Original Score. The success of “Oppenheimer” was further highlighted by Cillian Murphy’s heartfelt acceptance speech, where he expressed gratitude to his fellow nominees and affectionately referred to them as his “Oppenhomies,” emphasizing his deep respect for their talents.

On the other hand, “The Holdovers,” a comedy/drama, secured two wins out of its seven nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Best Casting. “The Zone of Interest,” tied with “Killers of the Flower Moon” in nominations, managed to scoop up three awards for Foreign Language Film, Outstanding British Film, and Sound. “Anatomy of a Fall,” with seven nominations, emerged victorious in the Best Original Screenplay category.

The divergence between the BAFTAs and the Oscars was notable in 2023. While historically the two events have aligned closely in their predictions, last year they differed significantly in their choices. The simultaneous release of “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” in July had created a cultural phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer,” drawing audiences to theaters worldwide. Despite “Barbie” becoming the highest-grossing film of the year, earning an impressive $1.44 billion globally, fans expressed disappointment at the omission of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig from the Best Actress and Best Director categories, respectively. Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are now contenders for Best Picture at the upcoming Oscars, alongside other notable films such as “Maestro,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Poor Things,” “The Holdovers,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest,” “American Fiction,” and “Past Lives.”

“Barbenheimer” is poised for a strong showing at the Oscars, with a total of 21 nominations between “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” with “Barbie” receiving eight nominations and “Oppenheimer” leading with 13.