The cast of Barbie reunited for an extra-special performance of 'I'm Just Ken' at the Oscars 2024.
Actor Ryan Gosling reprised his role as the iconic male Mattel doll during Sunday's Academy Awards to celebrate the now-iconic song on the night, which was nominated for Best Original Song.
Joining him on stage were 65 all-singing, all-dancing Kens, including original Ken cast members Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa and Scott Evans.
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Gosling also enlisted the help of film director Greta Gerwig and Barbie herself – actress Margot Robbie – to help sing the vocals, seeking them out in the crowd during the performance.
Actress America Ferrera, who plays Mattel employee Gloria in the film, also sang along, with Gosling's former co-star and second-time Oscar winner Emma Stone additionally getting in on the fun.
Gosling looked the part on stage, decked out in a fuchsia pink, bedazzled suit styled with Ken's signature black sunglasses. The live performance was aided by song producer Mark Ronson and Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash.
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On the red carpet before the ceremony started, producers suggested this would be the first and only time Gosling would perform the track live — in what was promoted as "one of the biggest production numbers in Oscars history".
The song was one of two to be nominated in the Best Original Song category at this year's Oscars, alongside the Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell-penned track 'What Was I Made For?'. It was the latter that scooped the award, the second Oscar for the brother-and-sister pairing, having previously won the same accolade for 'No Time To Die' in 2022.
'I'm Just Ken' has taken on a life of its own as a viral meme since Barbie's release, even being parodied by Pete Davidson on Saturday Night Live last year.
There had been some confusion over whether Gosling would actually sing during the Oscars, as he said back in January that he hadn't been approached.
"Well, I haven't been invited," he said at the time. "And I wasn't thinking about it until now, and now it's all I'm going to think about. Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?"
It was only a few weeks later that Oscars producers confirmed Gosling would indeed perform, alongside his fellow Best Original Song nominees.
The 96th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, aired from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with live coverage airing across ITV's channels in the UK and ABC in the US.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
Emily is an experienced freelance entertainment writer and editor, reporting on all things TV, film, soaps and showbiz. An NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from the University of Sussex, Emily is a former Deputy News Editor and Evening News Editor at Digital Spy. She has previously worked at Hello magazine, BBC South News and GoodtoKnow.
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