Monica Barbaro Makes Waves With Oscar Nomination and High-Profile Romance
Monica Barbaro, best known for her role as Lieutenant Phoenix in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), has become Hollywood’s newest breakout star following her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (2024). The 34-year-old actress earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of folk legend Joan Baez, with critics praising her vocal performances and on-screen chemistry with co-star Timothée Chalamet.
From Fighter Pilot to Folk Icon
Barbaro’s career trajectory skyrocketed after Top Gun: Maverick, which grossed $1.5 billion worldwide. She followed this success with Netflix’s action-comedy series FUBAR (2023), starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, her transformative role as Joan Baez cemented her status as a serious dramatic actor. To prepare, Barbaro spent months learning guitar and studying Baez’s activism during the 1960s folk revival.
Awards Buzz and Industry Recognition
The San Francisco native has already won the Astra Award’s Breakthrough Prize for A Complete Unknown, alongside nominations from critics’ groups in St. Louis, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Vancouver. With the Oscars ceremony approaching on March 10, 2025, bookmakers currently rank Barbaro as a top contender in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Rumors of a Hollywood Power Couple
Off-screen, Barbaro has recently been linked to Andrew Garfield after multiple paparazzi sightings in London and Los Angeles. While neither party has confirmed the relationship, insiders claim they bonded over their shared experiences navigating franchise fame—Garfield as Spider-Man and Barbaro in the Top Gun universe. The pair were photographed leaving a West End theater together last month, fueling speculation.
What’s Next for Barbaro?
The actress is currently filming Crime 101, an Amazon Studios thriller co-starring Chris Hemsworth. Industry analysts predict Barbaro will leverage her Oscar momentum to pursue more prestige projects while continuing her role in Netflix’s renewed FUBAR series.
