Home » News » Ryan Gosling's 'I'm Just Ken' performance - Here's the behind-the-scenes story of his unforgettable Barbie tribute on Oscar stage
Ryan Gosling's 'I'm Just Ken' performance - Here's the behind-the-scenes story of his unforgettable Barbie tribute on Oscar stage
Ryan Gosling's show-stopping Oscar performance of I'm Just Ken left the audience in awe.
Mar 12, 2024
Ryan Gosling performs at the 96th Annual Academy Awards
Ryan Gosling's much-anticipated performance of Barbie single I'm Just Ken became one of the most amazing moments in award show history with the help of a 40-piece orchestra, 62 dancing Kens, more than 24 huge Barbie heads, four "cameo Kens," and an unexpected appearance by Guns N' Roses.
The spectacular performance
Late in February, after much anticipation, news surfaced that Gosling would be performing a song and dance extravaganza at the Oscars, putting an end to the long-running discussion over whether or not he would. However, the actor has actually been in talks with the Oscar producers for months.
The show's producers, Molly McNearney, Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan, and Rob Paine, gushed that Ryan Gosling is a true professional, that man. Months ago, they had a Zoom meeting to discuss his performance. Also contributing creatively was Greta Gerwig. Her dedication was palpable. Mandy Moore, his outstanding choreographer, was present on every call, as was Mark Ronson.
Behind-the-scenes preparation
The idea to make the number a tribute to Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes allegedly came from Gosling, according to McNearney. In an interview the morning after the Oscars, choreographer Moore explained that the pink suit, the black suit, and the steps in the rear originated here. Also, they had Ken-delabra men, an ode to the candelabra females.
Gosling greatly aided the production of I'm Just Ken. Moore remarked that he was pretty clear about his overall structure, illuminating the actor's meticulous motion planning.
She described that he wanted to begin in the audience, make his way up to see Mark and Andrew Wyatt, the co-producers, light the Ken-delabras, and then join the ten sad Kens on the stairs. From there, he wanted the remaining members of the group to progress as though Kens were appearing out of nowhere, so he called it Calling All Kens. Finally, it culminated in a massive party, at which Slash was unveiled.
Ryan Gosling's creative influence
Gerwig has stated in prior Zoom sessions that her one and only goal for the show is to have the whole crowd singing and dancing. The producers then projected the words onto the screen and sent Gosling's magnetic personality into overdrive, allowing him to captivate the audience.
It was incredibly vital for Gosling to jump down and involve Margot Robbie, Greta, and America Ferrera, as per Moore's account of her idea. He declared that he was going to go over to those ladies in the front, indicating his need for their assistance, as he wants them to sing.
At the peak of the song, he even picked out the exact lyric he wanted to share with Emma Stone, a longtime colleague and friend who subsequently admitted that she could have ripped the back of her dress in the Ken-off when winning the Oscar.
Detailed planning and rehearsals
Even down to Gosling planting a kiss on the cameraman's hand, everything had been meticulously prepared. For Moore, it was all about practice. Gosling had a lovely disposition. He asked if it would be alright if he kissed Sean's hand.
Another symbolic act of love amongst Kens, the consensual kiss, invited all Kens to the spotlight. Everyone is a Ken here: they have construction Kens, they have grip Kens, they have camera Kens—they have all of them, Moore asserted.
About four weeks prior to the event, Gillian Myers, Moore's associate choreographer, and Gosling's vocal crew began rehearsals. Because the actor wasn't merely sitting and singing; he was also dancing and ascending stairs while singing live, they began searching for his "movement language" together.
As Slash's arrival on Sunday approached, the team intensified their practices to full steam ahead. The producers dedicated months of hard work to ensure that the talent could easily learn and pull off the performance they showcased on Sunday night, according to Rob Mills, executive vice president of Disney's unscripted and specials.
Rickey Minor, the music director, was also under pressure to meet the deadline. He explained that the two six-hour days allotted for recording and rehearsal were somewhat short. Once that happens, the window of opportunity to record with talent will close. We fine-tune it, blend it, and prepare it for the performance.
Involvement of guest performers
It was at this point that the "cameo Kens" showed up. The original Barbie movie performers, including Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Simu Liu, would join the cast a few days before the final performance.
"Just two days, darling!" During the Vanity Fair Oscar party, Gatwa informed Variety. On Thursday, he landed in London and struck that stage. They drew inspiration from Mandy Moore.
Shortly after his performance, Liu stated that he was still processing it, to be honest. He admitted that he is still reeling from what happened. Up there, he nearly passed out. The actor had no idea if he was involved in the choreography or not. He simply knew, in a foggy way, where he had to be. Because she was so overjoyed, Greta let out a scream. His thought process was as follows: It is a significant moment. Maybe it's a musical, but he has no idea what kind of film he was trying out for up here.
I'm Just Ken became a smash hit after all. Ferrera urged Gosling to perform live with his show. Greta Lee, who stars in Past Lives said that she felt like she was in Vegas after seeing I'm Just Ken—one of the night's highlights. Going to Vegas meant missing Celine Dion, but at least she got to see Ryan as much as possible.
Post-performance reflection
The question is, what was Gosling's reaction once the credits rolled? After the event, Moore backstage described his mood. She remarked that he just embraced her tightly. Things took a serious turn when he asked if the shots were correct and if his work was satisfactory. Moore was like, 'Yes!' She told him he had no idea how shocked she was or how the audience reacted. They were absolutely mortified!
ALSO READ: Oscars 2024 - Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling roast each other as they address Barbenheimer trend
Share