Judd Apatow Says It’s ‘Insulting’ To Put ‘Barbie’ In Oscar Race For Adapted Screenplay

Filmmaker Judd Apatow disagrees with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ decision to classify Greta Gerwig’s 'Barbie' starring Margot Robbie as an adapted screenplay rather than original.

“It’s insulting to the writers to say they were wo💝rking off of existing material,” the 'Knocked Up' and 'This Is 40' director wrote on X/Twitter, reports Variety.

“There was no existing material or story. T♉here was a clear box.”

It was reported that 'Barbie' will compete for a best adapted screenplay nomination in the Oscar race, despite campaigning🧜 for original screenplay.

Each awards body and voting group has its own subset of rules for movies in terms of which screenplay category they can submit or ultimately beဣ no♋minated. Many films about pre-existing characters — such as previous Oscar nominees 'Toy Story 3', 'Borat 2', 'Before Sunset' and 'Before Midnight' — were ultimately classified as adapted screenplays.

The Writers Branch executive committee of ✱AMPAS most likely moved the hot-pink comedy🍌 to adapted screenplay because Barbie and Ken were pre-existing dolls from Mattel.

Meanwhile, th✱e Writers Guild of America has designated 'Barbie' an ori🌱ginal work, and it will remain in that category for the upcoming WGA Awards.

Gerwig, who became the first woman to helm a billion-dollar movie, has be🎶eඣn nominated for three Oscars in her career: 'Lady Bird' (2016) for original screenplay and directing and 'Little Women' (2019) in adapted.

Eligible voting members of the branch will only be able to cast votes for the 'Barbie' script, whicꩵh Gerwig co-wrote with husband and fellow Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, in adapted screenplay. The official Oscar nomination voting will take place on January 11.