The 2023 film, Greta Gerwig's Barbie, has gained attention for various reasons, including Margot Robbie's iconic portrayal of the Mattel doll and the powerful message conveyed through its storyline. Not only did the film become the highest-grossing movie of that year, but it also received critical acclaim, with eight nominations at the 96th Academy Awards. However, both Robbie and Gerwig were overlooked for nominations in the Best Actress and Best Director categories, respectively. This has sparked discussions, with some suggesting that a particular scene from the film may have played a part in Gerwig missing out on her second Oscar nomination.

The scrutiny surrounding Barbie revolves around its product placement, particularly the appearance of General Motors vehicles throughout the movie. The inclusion of a pink Chevrolet C1 Corvette, closely associated with the Mattel doll, has been deemed significant. However, it is not the only instance of General Motors vehicles appearing in the film. 

The sequence featuring Gloria (played by America Ferrera) and her daughter assisting Barbie's escape from Mattel has faced criticism for its blatant advertisement placement.

Ferrera and Robbie can be seen driving a Chevy Blazer SS EV while being pursued by Mattel executives in Chevy Suburban SUVs. This brief scene has garnered substantial backlash, with some suggesting it may have influenced Gerwig's exclusion from the Best Director nomination list at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Many fans argue that this particular scene led to Gerwig's Oscar snub. As the nominations for the 2024 Oscars were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, people expressed surprise at Gerwig's absence from the Best Director category, despite the film's exceptional reception.

Twitter users joined in the conversation, with one person claiming that the scene in question alone justified Gerwig's exclusion from the nomination list.