How Ryan Gosling Planned Out Every 'I'm Just Ken' Performance Detail
How Ryan Gosling Planned Out Every 'I'm Just Ken' Performance Detail, From Marilyn Monroe’s Inspiration to the Cameraman Kiss https://t.co/QI3gZWq6zx
- Variety (@Variety) March 11, 2024
• Despite Gosling's public denials, the performance was planned for months beforehand.
• It was Gosling’s idea to make the number a tribute to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
• In an interview the morning after the Oscars with choreographer Mandy Moore, she elaborated: “That’s where the pink suit, and everybody else in black came from - and the stairs in the back. And we had an homage to the candelabra girls: We had Ken-delabra men.”
• Gosling mapped out every movement and action, including starting in the audience, getting Greta Gerwig, America Ferrera and Margot Robbie involved, and kissing the cameraman's hand. He even picked the line he'd have pal Emma Stone sing (nope, it wasn't spontaneous).
• “It was really important for Gosling to jump down and include Margot, Greta and America. He said, ‘I really need those ladies in the front, because I’m gonna go over to them. I want them to sing.'”
• Rehearsals began about four weeks before, with Slash flying in Sunday for final rehearsal and the movie Kens joining in Thursday.
• Gerwig said her biggest wish for the performance was to simply get the entire audience on their feet and singing along. So the producers blasted the lyrics on the screen and unleashed Gosling in full-Ken mode into the aisles.
• Gosling asked for consent before kissing the cameraman's hand. Moore said, “[Gosling] was very sweet he goes, ‘Can we just make sure that Sean the steady is OK if I kiss his hand?'”
• “I’m still processing it, to be honest,”Simu Liu said a few hours after. “I think I’m in shock still. I kind of blacked out up there. I didn’t know if I did any of the choreography right? I just knew vaguely where I had to be. Greta was screaming, she was so happy.”
• “Past Lives” star Greta Lee called witnessing “I’m Just Ken” as one of the standout moments of the evening, “I felt like I was in Vegas. In the best way. I missed Celine when I went to Vegas, but I got to see Ryan.”
• Gosling was nervous after it was all said and done. “He just gave me a huge hug,” Moore said. “And then he got all serious, and asked, ‘Were shots right? Did I do a good job?"
Watch the performance:
Ryan Gosling and the cast of "Barbie" perform "I'm Just Ken" at the #Oscars. https://t.co/UNgGySGz3r pic.twitter.com/00hd0Jw8cy
- Variety (@Variety) March 11, 2024
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