“Barbie” star Margot Robbie spoke publicly for the first time this week after she and the film’s director, Greta Gerwig, were passed over for Oscar nominations.

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Robbie and Gerwig had been expected to be nominated in the lead actress and directing categories, respectively. When nominations were announced last month, their names were absent from individual categories, sparking criticism.

But at a SAG screening in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, Robbie said, “There’s no way to feel sad when you know you’re this blessed,” according to Deadline and USA Today.

“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,” she added. “But it’s been an incredible year for all the films.”

The actress said she is “beyond ecstatic” for the films eight Oscar nominations in categories including costume design, production design and original song, according to Variety. Ryan Gosling, who played Barbie’s sidekick Ken, and America Ferrera, who played Mattel employee Gloria, were nominated in the best supporting actor and actress categories.

Gerwig and Robbie also got nods in a pair of group categories, with Gerwig earning a nomination alongside her husband, Noah Baumbach, for adapted screenplay and Robbie getting recognition as a producer of the film for best picture.

“Everyone getting the nods that they’ve had is just incredible, and the best picture nod,” Robbie said, according to Variety.

She added, “We set out to do something that would shift culture, affect culture, just make some sort of impact. And it’s already done that and some, way more than we ever dreamed it would. And that is truly the biggest reward that could come out of all of this.”

She called the reaction to the movie “the biggest reward of this entire experience.”

“Whether it’s seeing what people are writing online, or even just seeing how much pink I can see in this room right now…I’ve never been a part of something like this. Not like this,” she said. “I’ve done comic book stuff and that gets a big reaction, but this felt very different. It still feels very different. And I can’t think of a time when a movie’s had this effect on culture. And it’s amazing to be in the eye of the storm.”

Gerwig made history with “Barbie” last year when she began the first woman to get sole credit for directing a film that earned at least $1 billion at the box office, NPR reported. The film has since grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide, according to Statista.

Winners for the 96th Academy Awards will be announced March 10 in a ceremony at Ovation Hollywood in California. Jimmy Kimmel will serve as host.

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Photos: Margot Robbie through the years Here are some memorable photos of actress Margot Robbie through the years. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

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