Jimmy Kimmel speaking at the Oscars 2024.Photo:PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Jimmy Kimmelis givingBarbiedirectorGreta Gerwigthe praise she deserves!
On Sunday, the late-night comedian, 56, returned to host the 2024Oscars, his fourth time in the role.
Kimmel opened the show with a clip fromBarbie, in which starMargot Robbiesat at the bus stop. After she pointed out how good looking he was, Kimmel responded, “I know, I was just thinking that! I haven’t eaten in three weeks. I’m so hungry, I have to go host the Oscars.”
Once he took the stage, Kimmel joked about the “partial standing ovation” he received and thanked everyone for making it on time since the show started an hour early. Then, he gave a shout out to each of the films nominated this year and their stars.
“I know that winning an Oscar is something you’ve dreamed about since you were a kid, and now here we are, all dressed up celebrating the best of the best beginning with the biggest movie of the year:Barbie,” he said. “NowBarbieis a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig, who many believed deserved to be nominated for Best Director.”
“And I don’t want to leave out Margot Robbie. Margot put this giant hit together,” he continued. “Again, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are here tonight. Look kids, it’s Barbie and Ken sitting just near each other.”
“Ryan and Margot, I want you to know that even if neither one of you wins an Oscar tonight, you both already won the something much more important: the genetic lottery,” he joked.
Greta Gerwig at the 2024 Oscars.Marleen Moise/Getty

Marleen Moise/Getty
On Jan. 23,Barbiereceived eight nominations for the Oscars but Gerwig, 40, and Robbie, 33, were notably left out of the Best Director and Best Actress categories, respectively.
While speaking withTimefor its Women of the Year issue, Gerwig addressedthis year’s nominations, saying, “Of course I wanted it for Margot." She added, “But I’m just happy we all get to be there together.”
Gerwig also pointed out that she was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay along with her husbandNoah Baumbach, whom she cowrote the movie with, and Robbie was nominated for Best Picture as a co-producer ofBarbiealongside her husbandTom Ackerleyand their co-producers David Heyman and Robbie Brenner.
“A friend’s mom said to me, ‘I can’t believe you didn’t get nominated,’” Gerwig toldTime. “I said, ‘But I did. I got an Oscar nomination.’ She was like, ‘Oh, that’s wonderful for you!’ I was like, ‘I know!’ ”
Robbie also previously spoke out about the Oscar nominations at a Screen Actors Guild screening ofBarbieon Jan. 31, saying, “There’s no way to feel sadwhen you know you’re this blessed,” according toDeadline.
Robbie also noted that she felt “beyond ecstatic” the movie received eight nominations. “Obviously I think Greta should be nominated as a director because what she did is a once-in-a-career, once-in-a-lifetime thing, what she pulled off, it really is. But it’s been an incredible year for all the films,” she said, per the outlet.
From left: Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie.Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Jon Kopaloff/Getty
Ahead of his Oscars gig, theJimmy Kimmel Live!star — who’s also hosted theEmmysthree times — told PEOPLE why he feels “like the Kansas City Chiefs” at the Super Bowl.
“Like you’ve been there before, but it doesn’t make a difference. It’s still exciting and you still have to do well,” he said.
The Academyannouncedthat Kimmel would reprise his hosting role in November 2023, but he recently confessed to theLos Angeles Timesthat hedidn’t think he’d ever come back. That was until he sawBarbie.
“I am sitting in a movie theater watchingBarbieand thinking, ‘Well, maybe I’ll do this again, because at least I have a point of reference with everyone,’” Kimmel said of Gerwig’s film that became a global phenomenon.
Jimmy Kimmel during an episode of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!'.Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty

Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty
He also told PEOPLE, “We work very hard to make the show as good as it possibly can be,” and creditedhis wife, Molly McNearney, who is returning as the show’s co-executive producer as well as the rest of their creative team.
“The big challenge always is trying to keep the show moving, so it’s a matter of picking your spots and popping in when you’re needed and staying out of the picture when you’re not,” said Kimmel. “We’ve got some really great movies and great actors and performers. It’s tricky, but I think we have it figured out as much as you can.”
Oppenheimeris the most-nominated film of the year, and other top honorees includeBarbie, Poor ThingsandKillers of the Flower Moon, among others.
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source: people.com