Ryan Gosling shared a cute story about his daughters being obsessed with Barbie and disinterested in Ken, which led to him performing the “I’m Just Ken” choreography at the Oscars. His daughters, Esmeralda and Amada, cheered him on during his performance with 65 backup dancers, including Scott Evans, Simu Liu, and Kingsley Ben-Adir. Gosling’s costar Margot Robbie found the performance hilarious as he made his way to the stage in a pink bedazzled suit with black shades and a black cowboy hat. Guns N’ Roses icon Slash and producer Mark Ronson also made cameos during the performance.
Gosling’s daughters had the choreography and song memorized better than he did, and they gave him tips and notes during the dress rehearsal the day before the Oscars. Despite not winning the award, Gosling’s performance was a hit and his daughters were a big part of the process. Gosling had playfully hinted about whether he would perform the Barbie hit at the Oscars before the event. He wondered about the logistics of being paid to sing and whether he would have to drive himself to the event.
Gosling shared that a lot of what was happening had no context for his daughters, and there were fake tan stains around the house as a result of preparing for the role of Ken. He wanted his daughters to come to the Oscars dress rehearsal to give them some understanding of what was going on. Gosling received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie movie, and the anthem “I’m Just Ken” also earned a nod for Best Original Song. Gosling’s daughters were the motivating force behind his performance and the reason he felt so connected to the role.
The actor performed at the 2024 Oscars with enthusiasm, starting the performance from the audience alongside Margot Robbie before making his way to the stage. The Barbie hit ultimately lost to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” in its category, but Gosling’s performance was still memorable. He had been thinking about the performance leading up to the event, wondering about the logistics and details of singing at the Oscars. Gosling’s playful approach to the performance and his dedication to embodying Ken for his daughters ended up being a heartwarming story that added an extra layer of meaning to the event.
