Award Shows March 10, 2024
Ryan Gosling’s ‘I’m Just Ken’ Oscar Performance Steals the Show
On Sunday, “Barbie” star Ryan Gosling had everyone feeling the “kenergy” at the 2024 Academy Awards!
Gosling brought the house down with a performance of “I’m Just Ken,” which was nominated for Best Original Song.
Gosling started his performance from a seat behind his “Barbie” co-star Margot Robbie.
Before his face was seen, Ryan sang into a mic with a black hat on.
Ryan then took the stage in a shimmering hot-pink suit and gloves!
At one point, Ryan was joined on the stage by the song’s co-writer and producer Mark Ronson and iconic guitarist Slash.
Ryan’s co-stars Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa and Scott Evans also took part in Ryan’s performance, which winked at Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” production number from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
Ultimately, “What Was I Made For,” performed by Billie Eilish and her brother and collaborator Finneas — also from “Barbie” — won the Oscar.
After the performance, Ryan's wife Eva Mendes wrote on Instagram, "You took Ken all the way to the Oscar’s, RG. Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed. 💋."
For weeks, Ryan had played coy about possibly performing at the Oscars.
He told W magazine in February, “Well, I haven’t been invited. And I wasn’t thinking about it until now, and now it’s all I’m going to think about. Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?”
A few weeks ago, "Extra's" Megan Ryte spoke with Mark, who wanted Ryan to perform at the Oscars. He said, “If it is not Ryan, I will not be on that stage. I’m hoping, because I think it would be really special and great to have him perform the song just once on the best stage for that ever.”
In December, Ryan and Mark appeared in a music video for the Christmas version of “I’m Just Ken.”
Last year, Ryan credited his family for inspiring his performance of Ken.
He told "Extra" at the L.A. premiere, "[Eva] has basically become my acting coach. All of this is inspired by her and my kids. They were just really with me all the time on this. We moved to London together, there were certain scenes I needed their help with. Specifically, my kids came to set one day in particular and were cheering me on.”
As for his daughters' reaction to seeing him as Ken, Gosling said, "I think they were very confused why I wanted to play Ken. They don’t want to play with Ken, why would I want to play with Ken? But I said, ‘That’s why.’ They were like, ‘Okay…’ So they're being supportive, but a little Ken-fused.”
We wonder if Ryan's show-stopping performance at the Oscars left them "Ken-fused"?