Did you tune in to the 96th Academy Awards? Like every other year, the top film actors, directors, writers, editors, and more dressed their best for a night of glamour and celebration of cinema. What set this year apart has to be the incredibly entertaining performance by Barbie star Ryan Gosling.
Dressed in an all-pink suit bedazzled with sparkly crystals, the multitalented actor took to the stage to perform his Oscar-nominated song “I’m Just Ken” from the movie Barbie. In true Ken fashion, Gosling embodied the character throughout the number. He began in the audience, right behind Barbie herself (Margot Robbie) and made his way to the main stage, where he was met with a group of other “Kens” that were fully suited up with cowboy hats on. The following choreography really took the performance to another level.
Harkening back to the set design, costuming, and routine of Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Gosling was the beautiful blonde at the center of it all. After bearing his soul through song with his fellow Kens—including co-stars Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Ncuti Gatwa—Gosling was lifted by his patriarchy pals and then joined by iconic guitarist Slash. Finally, he hopped off the stage to join his Barbie team—Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and America Ferrera—in the audience for a sing-along. As he made his way through the audience, he stopped by his La La Land co-star (and now two-time Oscar winner) Emma Stone, before heading back on stage for an explosive end to the performance.
Though “I’m Just Ken” didn’t wind up winning the Academy Award for Best Music (Original Song), Gosling definitely won the night with this performance. And his wife, Eva Mendes, who did not attend the ceremony, took to Instagram right after, saying: “You took Ken all the way to the Oscar’s, RG. Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed.”
Ryan Gosling performed his Oscar-nominated song “I’m Just Ken” at the 96th Academy Awards.
The super-pink performance was arguably the most entertaining of the night.
Mark Ronson and some of Gosling’s Barbie co-stars popped up on stage.
Including Simu Liu.
went dancing with some friends over the weekend pic.twitter.com/N2XHdaRMbu
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) March 11, 2024
And even famed rocker Slash made an appearance.
The set, costuming, and choreography clearly took inspiration from Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes:
But once the song and dance was done, Gosling’s wife Eva Mendes made sure to post on Instagram: “You took Ken all the way to the Oscar’s, RG. Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed.”
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