"Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" were undoubtedly two of the most successful and talked about films of 2023, gifting theatergoers with one of the most joyous cinematic occasions of the last decade: "Barbenheimer." But which film reigns supreme? "Barbie" star Ryan Gosling and "Oppenheimer" star Emily Blunt attempted to answer that question and reignited one of the hottest theatrical rivalries of all time onstage at the 96th Academy Awards.
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It was Kitty (Oppenheimer) vs. Ken in a battle of trash talk.
"You guys are doing very well, you know? Congratulations," Gosling said of the "Oppenhomies." "But I think I kind of figured out why it's called 'Barbenheimer' and not 'Oppenbarbie.' You're on the tail end because you rode 'Barbie's' coattails all summer."
But Blunt didn't let a little box office shaming get to her.
"Thanks for Kensplaining that to me...Mr. I need to paint my abs on to get nominated." Blunt quipped. "You don't see Robert Downey doing that."
"Barbie" grossed $1.3 billion at the box office worldwide, while "Oppenheimer" racked up over $960 million worldwide.
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Gosling and Blunt were onstage to pay tribute to stunt performers. The actors will star in "The Fall Guy," inspired by the '80s action TV series of the same name. In the film, Gosling plays a struggling stuntman working to get back on his feet after suffering an accident that almost ended his career.
Gosling was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at this year's ceremony. (In the end, it was another point for the "Oppenhomies"; the trophy went to Robert Downey Jr. for "Oppenheimer.") Blunt was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Oppenheimer." (The award went to Da'Vine Joy Randolph for "The Holdovers.")
"Barbie" earned nine Oscar nominations, while "Oppenheimer" earned 13. Both films are nominated for Best Picture.
