America Ferrera is feeling mixed emotions about her first Oscar nomination.
The Barbie actress, 39, said she’s experiencing “waves of emotion and disbelief and overwhelm” after finding out on Tuesday, January 23, that she scored a Best Supporting Actress nod for her role in the Greta Gerwig–directed 2023 film.
“It’s so surreal and a dream come true for me,” Ferrera told Entertainment Weekly after the nominations dropped earlier on Tuesday. “It’s a lot to process. It’s exciting to say the least. I think words kind of fail.”
Despite her joy, however, Ferrera shares in Barbie fans’ disappointment that the film was left out of a few major categories. While the movie scored a Best Picture nomination, Gerwig, 40, was shut out of the directing category, and lead actress Margot Robbie didn’t receive a nod for her performance.
Ferrera told EW that she was “sad and disappointed” that Robbie, 33, and Gerwig didn’t hear their names called on Tuesday. “Their work in both of those categories was phenomenal, and in my book, [they] deserve to be acknowledged for the history they made, for the ground they broke, for the beautiful artistry,” Ferrera said. “They’re my girls, and I want to see them celebrated for their amazingness, so that part of it is definitely bittersweet.”
Barbie earned a total of eight Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling and two Best Original Song nods for “I’m Just Ken” and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” Gerwig and husband Noah Baumbach earned a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, but that, too, was controversial, as many fans felt Barbie’s script belonged in the “original” category instead.
Ferrera won’t find out whether she can add Oscar winner to her résumé until March 10, but in the meantime, she’s already celebrating her nomination with her former costars from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. After the nominations were announced, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel were quick to congratulate their sister.
“They FaceTimed me as a group right away,” Ferrera told Variety on Tuesday. “It’s wonderful to be celebrated and held up by these women who I’ve had the honor of growing up with in the industry.”
Last month, the foursome reunited to support Ferrera at an event for Barbie. “💕The Sisterhood came through all in pink to celebrate my performance in Barbie last night,” Ferrera wrote via Instagram at the time alongside a video from the reunion. “I love these women with all my heart.💕 #SisterhoodForever.”
