Canadian actor Ryan Gosling will officially perform “I’m Just Ken,” the theme song of the Barbie movie — for which he is also nominated for Best Supporting Actor — at the 2024 Oscars ceremony on the 10th, as reported by Variety magazine.
According to the publication, after speculation, Ryan Gosling has agreed to showcase his singing skills live during the 96th Academy Awards ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. When contacted by the outlet, the Academy declined to comment. However, in an article published in early February, he had insisted that the Academy had not reached out: “Maybe it’s too risky for me to do it.” “I don’t know how that would work. But I’m open to it,” said the star.
Meanwhile, one of the song’s authors, Mark Ronson, assured the magazine that his dream was for the actor to perform the theme at the Oscars ceremony. Similarly, he rejected the idea of any other actor singing the movie’s theme if the actor refused to participate in the ceremony: “No. I think if Ryan doesn’t do it, then we won’t do it.”
Barbie received two nominations for Best Original Song for the 2024 Oscars. “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?”, the latter written by Billie Eilish and Finneas, which won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media. Barbie, one of the cinematic hits of 2023, received eight nominations for the 2024 Oscars; among the major categories, only Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera were selected as supporting actors and actresses, respectively. The movie’s star, Margot Robbie, and the film’s director, Greta Gerwig, were not included among the nominees for the prestigious award, sparking much controversy.
This story was written in Spanish by Daniel Matute in Cultura Colectiva.
