Australian actor Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig’s glaring omissions for Barbie in key categories at this year’s Academy Awards nominations has left some “enraged”.

The movie received eight nominations, but Robbie was surprisingly snubbed for best actress, despite earning nominations from the recently held Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Similarly Gerwig, who was nominated for best director at the Golden Globes, has many in Hollywood confused as to why the film that had the biggest box-office receipts last year, totalling $US1.4 billion ($2.1 billion), was unceremoniously omitted.

“Though I’m delighted to see Barbie acknowledged in many categories (including for its screenplay and its supporting performances), it’s enraging that the two people principally responsible for its essence – in substance and in style – have been left out of the running,” wrote Richard Brody in The New Yorker overnight.

“This is partly because, as usual, comedy gets no respect … And it pains me to note that the directors’ branch of the Academy, which (like all other branches) picks the nominees in its category, has no sense of style.”

Brody’s comments were echoed across social media for the duo’s critical Hollywood snub, while Barbie co-stars Ryan Gosling (who plays Ken) and America Ferrera (Mattel executive Gloria) – who both received best supporting actor nominations – voiced their outrage and disappointment.

“There is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film,” Gosling said in a statement.

“To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.”

Ferrera agreed.

“It feels disappointing to not see [Gerwig] on that list,” she told Variety, adding that Robbie “is a magician as an actress in front of the screen … [and] perhaps people got fooled into thinking that the work seems easy.’’

Rolling Stone lamented Gerwig’s Oscar snub was ‘‘classic Academy BS’’: “Only eight women have been nominated for Best Director in the Oscars’ nearly 100-year history and just three have won.”

And this from Hollywood heavyweight Bette Midler: “… [the] movie not only resonated deeply but also grossed a billion dollars. Yet, in a twist of irony, it was Ken who received the Oscar nomination. Everyone go re-watch Barbie tonight”.

Margot Robbie, as producer on the film, which is up for best picture, may well have the last laugh. Photo: Warner Bros.

Barbie having the last laugh

Barbie has already made history.

In just three weeks after it premiered, the gross box office had exceeded $1 billion in the biggest markets of the US, UK, Mexico and Australia.

Headlines around the world announced how Barbie had saved cinema.

As a co-producer on the film after it was greenlit by Warner Bros (alongside David Heyman, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner), Robbie automatically falls into the best picture category.

So she and Gerwig are not out of the spotlight, but right in it.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars in a gala ceremony at the Dolby Theatre complex in Los Angeles on March 10, received ballots from a record 93 countries – up from 79 last year.

All 9787 members can cast ballots in the most prestigious category of the night – best picture – and Barbie is right in the mix alongside Oppenheimer (13 nominations), Poor Things (11 nominations) and Killers of the Flower Moon with 10.

Barbie comes in at No.4 with eight nominations.

Hollywood predictor, GoldDerby, gives the film a 15 to 1 chance of winning.

Voting for the other categories comes via membership in that category, so there’s plenty of gold statuettes to take home.

For example, Gerwig is up for best writing (adapted screenplay) and there are 522 members in the writing branch, GoldDerby explains.

Two Barbie songs, I’m Just Ken and What Was I Made For? in the music (original song) category has just 394 branch members.

So the movie’s cast and crew still have much to celebrate over the next three weeks, and many more Hollywood-hosted parties to attend including the all-important Oscar nominees luncheon on February 12.

Final voting opens on February 22 and closes on February 27.

The 96th Academy Awards will be broadcast live on the Seven Network and 7plus on March 11 (10.30am AEDT), with an encore screening that night