Though Ryan Gosling didn’t bring home any Oscars at the 96th Academy Awards, he certainly brought down the house with his live performance to “I’m Just Ken“.
Gosling performed the song in a showstopping manner, dressed in a glimmering pink suit and wearing jet-black shades and a cowboy hat to showcase the signature Ken look. As the song progressed, the actor-singer brought out a whole ensemble of dancers, engaged in a playful mock fight-dance, with Gosling skillfully executing karate chops on pieces of rosy-hued wood. His Barbie co-stars (or fellow Kens) also took the stage, including Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Ncuti Gatwa –– all of whom were bathed in a vibrant pink glow on the Academy stage.
As a major surprise, renowned guitarist and rock legend Slash then came on stage, electrifying the audience with a guitar shredding that encouraged the entire audience to get up from their seats and sing along. By the time the song was about to end, Gosling descended into the crowd, involving the rest of the Barbie crew (such as Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig) and Best Actress winner Emma Stone to sing along with spectacle.
Aside from his nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Ken in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, Gosling was also nominated for Best Original Song alongside songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for the catchy power-ballad that’s taken the world by storm. Though they lost to award to Billie Eilish and Finneas for “What Was I Made For?”, there’s no doubt about Gosling’s ability to bring his signature Kenergy to the Oscars.
Watch a clip of Ryan Gosling’s live performance of “I’m Just Ken” below: