How Ryan Gosling's Kenergy brought the Oscars main stage back to life

Taking to the stage with 65 other Kens, Barbie’s leading man inspired shock, awe and led Emma Stone to break out of her custom Louis Vuitton gown. It was enough to revive the ceremony after a string of awkward jokes from host Jimmy Kimmel...
Joe Bromley11 March 2024

He might not have won the Oscar, but Ryan Gosling won the night.

The Barbie himbo performed his Oscar-nominated, Critics’ Choice Awards-winning song ‘I’m Just Ken’ to one of the industry’s most intimidating crowds. All while wearing a pink, diamante-encrusted suit alongside Guns ‘n’ Roses guitar-shredding Slash and 65 back-up dancer Kens, including co-stars Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa. All giving their best jazz hands. 

AFP via Getty Images

The performance started with a sulking Gosling serenading a giggling Margot Robbie, while an equally giggly Billie Eilish watched on from the row behind. From there the campiness escalated, with the singer stifling laughter at the OTT theatrics of it all.

As the Los Angeles Dolby Theatre was flooded in bright pink light, its front row of A-listers, including Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie and America Ferrera were called upon for a starry sing-along. And it was enough to make the traditionally lacklustre ceremony fun. Even Hollywood heavyweights were charmed, with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan joining in on the room-wide standing ovation. 

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AFP via Getty Images

In fact, so high was his “Kenergy” that it broke former co-star Emma Stone’s Louis Vuitton dress after the two also shared a passionate karaoke-esque moment mid-way through the rendition. 

“They sewed me back in, right when I came back, it was wonderful,” said Stone in a post-show press room. “I genuinely do think I busted it during ‘I’m Just Ken.’ I was so amazed by Ryan and what he was doing and that number just blew my mind and I was right there and I was going for it and things happened.” 

Getty Images

It was a welcome break from host Jimmy Kimmel’s awkward jokes about Christopher Nolan’s imaginary “porn addiction” (yes, really) and his Oscar monologue that was slammed by critics as “tepid and unfunny”.

Really, the whole thing can be best summarised by the look on Kate McKinnon’s (who played “Weird Barbie” in the blockbuster) face at the end of Gosling’s performance. A mixture of pure shock and joy that something this outlandish actually made to the Oscars’ main stage. Petition for Ken to host the Oscars 2025 ceremony, anyone? 

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