Robert Downey Jr., the Oppenheimer and Iron Man star, discussed Barbie star Margot Robbie’s performance in a recent video conversation with his fellow SAG award nominees, Sterling K. Brown and Willem Dafoe. In the video, Downey discussed how important listening is to crafting a compelling performance. “I never tire of watching someone just listen on camera. It never fails to impress and remind me how little you need to do to be effective. Just the simplest version of expression, that’s what the camera wants. The closer the camera gets, the more it wants it. Time and time again, it’s demonstrated that it’s super effective.”

Downey highlights Robbie’s performance as the titular character in Barbie as an example of the power of listening on screen. Robbie, who was infamously not nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her performance, spends much of the film listening and reacting to the rapidly changing world around her. 

Robbie’s listening is showcased in one of the film’s most talked about scenes—when America Ferrera, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actress, gives an extended monologue about the complicated contradictions of living life as a woman. Downey highlights this exchange as a highlight of the film and of both actresses’ performances. “Margot Robbie is not getting enough credit, in my opinion. America [Ferrera] has this amazing speech. And by the way she nails it! I’m watching it and go, ‘Wow, that was a really tough one…The whole movie hinges on it.’ But it’s the cuts away to Robbie so actively listening that I realize Greta [Gerwig, director] is really on to something here.”

Robbie’s lack of nomination for the Best Actress category for this year’s Academy Awards has been a controversial subject online. Although Robbie, who was a major creative force behind Barbie, is nominated for her role as a producer through the film’s Best Picture nomination, many people online have been upset over her snub for Best Actress. After the Academy announced the nominations, the Internet erupted with anger over the snubs of Robbie and director Greta Gerwig, who was nominated for her writing in the Best Adapted Screenplay category but not for Best Director. Both Ferrera and Ken performer Ryan Gosling expressed disappointment over the two women’s snubs. 

Still, Barbie is nominated for eight Academy Awards, and has racked up a number of wins throughout awards season. See what Barbie wins when the Academy Awards air on March 10, 2024.