Ryan Gosling brought his A-game to the 2024 Oscars stage with a lively performance of ‘I’m Just Ken.’
Dressed in a striking hot pink suit and accompanied by a black cowboy hat, the actor kicked off his performance of the Oscar-nominated song from the audience area. His ‘Barbie’ co-star Margot Robbie couldn’t contain her laughter as he sang directly to her.
Taking the stage, Gosling was joined by Mark Ronson and a group of men donning suits and cowboy hats, including his fellow Kens Scott Evans, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa. The ensemble created a vibrant atmosphere on stage, surrounded by large cartoon Barbie heads.
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As the performance progressed, Gosling was carried by the Kens, adding a playful touch to the act. The highlight came when Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen joined him to conclude the epic performance. Returning to the audience, Gosling was greeted with enthusiasm, with his ‘Barbie’ co-star America Ferrera and director Greta Gerwig joining in to sing along to the iconic number.
‘I’m Just Ken,’ written by Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, received a nomination in the ‘Best Original Song’ category, alongside Billie Eilish and Finneas’ ‘What Was I Made For?’ The track faced competition from ‘The Fire Inside’ from Flamin’ Hot, ‘It Never Went Away’ from American Symphony and ‘Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)’ from Killers of the Flower Moon.
While Gosling doesn’t receive credit if the song wins — that honour goes to Ronson and Wyatt — he was recognised in the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ category for his portrayal of Ken in ‘Barbie’ (the award ultimately went to ‘Oppenheimer”s Robert Downey Jr.). This marks Gosling’s third nod at the Academy Awards, with his last nomination coming in 2016 for the musical ‘La La Land.’
‘I’m Just Ken’ secured the award for ‘Best Original Song’ at this year’s Critics Choice Awards, sparking a viral reaction on social media due to Gosling’s bewildered expression. During Ronson and Wyatt’s acceptance speech, the duo acknowledged Gosling’s contribution, stating, “This is as much your award as ours. You made the audience fall in love with this song.”