15 Details And Behind-The-Scenes Moments From Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" Oscars Performance That Somehow Make It Even Better

15 Details And Behind-The-Scenes Moments From Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" Oscars Performance That Somehow Make It Even Better

Last night, the 96th Academy Awards aired, and it was filled with a ton of much-deserved wins for some of the biggest stars and movies of 2023.

Mary Steenburgen, Lupita Nyong'o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rita Moreno and Regina King on stage at the 2024 Oscars
Rich Polk / Variety via Getty Images

Robert Downey Jr., Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Emma Stone, and Cillian Murphy took home the big acting awards, while Oppenheimer won seven awards, including Best Picture.

Robert Downey Jr., Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Emma Stone, and Cillian Murphy posing with their Oscars
Arturo Holmes / Getty Images

While the ceremony itself was pretty flawless, aside from a few awkward moments, there was one clear winner of the best moment of the night, and that was Ryan Gosling taking the stage to perform the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie.

Ryan Gosling on stage in a sparkling pink jacket with arms outstretched
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / Getty Images

Everyone absolutely loved it, with the entire crowd inside the Dolby Theatre getting so into it, and people at home could not stop talking about it, too.

Ryan Gosling in a pink dotted suit singing into a microphone on stage
Frank Micelotta / Disney / Getty Images

So, if you're like me and are absolutely obsessed with Ryan's Oscars performance, I've rounded up some details and behind-the-scenes moments from the performance that you might not know. Here they are:

1.First, when Ryan begins his performance, behind Margot Robbie, who could not stop laughing, he places his cowboy hat on his sister Mandi's head.

Ryan attended the Oscars, where he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Barbie, alongside Mandi and their parents.

2.In case you don't know, Ryan was joined on stage by Mark Ronson, who wrote "I'm Just Ken" alongside Andrew Wyatt. Mark was seen playing the guitar, while Andrew was playing the piano.

<div><p>"I'm Just Ken" was Mark and Andrew's second Academy Awards nomination for Best Original Song; they previously won for "Shallow" from <i>A Star Is Born</i>.</p></div><span> ABC</span>

"I'm Just Ken" was Mark and Andrew's second Academy Awards nomination for Best Original Song; they previously won for "Shallow" from A Star Is Born.

ABC

3.When Ryan ascends the pink stairs and is surrounded by male dancers in suits and cowboy hats, it's seemingly a nod to Marilyn Monroe's famous "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" performance from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Marilyn Monroe in a pink dress surrounded by men in suits and bow ties in the iconic movie scene
ABC / 20th Century Fox

You can even see that the suits the dancers are wearing in both are similar:

Screenshots from the Oscars and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
ABC / 20th Century Fox

4.And just a wholesome Barbie and Ken connection, Margot Robbie also notably paid tribute to Marilyn's performance by recreating it in Birds of Prey, where Harley Quinn performed the song.

  Warner Bros
Warner Bros

5.Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, and Scott Evans all join Ryan on stage. Of course, they all starred as various Kens in Barbie.

A closeup of Ben, Simu, and Ncuti onstage
ABC

6.The giant cutouts of Barbie's head that circle around Ryan during the performance are a tribute to the very first Barbie doll. The sunglasses and hairstyle mirror how the first Barbie was styled when the toy was launched by Mattel in 1959.

  ABC
ABC
Barbie doll in vintage-style swimsuit stands next to a small easel displaying a black-and-white family photo
Chesnot / Getty Images

7.Slash joining Ryan on stage to perform "I'm Just Ken" isn't as wild as some people might believe. Slash actually plays the guitar on the recorded track. "I sent him the song and he was like, 'This is a good song...cool, I'll play on it,'" Mark Ronson recalled.

Slash onstage next to Ryan at the Oscars

Mark added, "He kills it, he plays the solo at the end and the rhythm parts. It's wonderful."

ABC

8.Also, Wolfgang Van Halen can be spotted on stage during the performance as well. Like Slash, Wolfgang plays guitar on the recorded "I'm Just Ken" track. Wolfgang explained that Mark Ronson hit him up because he needed his "'mammoth guitar sound' and [he] happily obliged."

Wolfgang Van Halen and Slash onstage at the Oscars

Of course, Wolfgang is the son of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen. New Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese also plays on the "I'm Just Ken" track, but it appears he wasn't on stage at the Oscars with everyone.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

9.At the end of his performance, Ryan waves his necklace and kisses it, with people on social media assuming it could be a sweet little gesture for his partner Eva Mendes and their children.

closeup of Ryan Gosling and others at the Oscars

During the press tour for Barbie, Ryan has often paired his outfits with a necklace; most notably he wore an "E" in the Barbie font to the world premiere in LA, as a nod to Eva.

Closeup of Ryan Gosling
Closeup of Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling in a pink suit posing on the red carpet
Ryan Gosling in a pink suit posing on the red carpet

Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images

10. In the audience during the performance, Francesca Scorsese, Martin Scorsese's daughter, shared this amazing video of her dad laughing and having a great time.

@pelicinema / Francesca Scorsese / Instagram / Via instagram.com

11.Meanwhile, Lupita Nyong'o shared what her view during Ryan's performance looked like, and you can hear Joseph Quinn, who was seated next to her, laughing in the background.

Lupita's Instagram story showing Ryan Gosling singing to Margot Robbie with the caption,
Lupita's Instagram story showing Ryan Gosling singing to Margot Robbie with the caption,
Lupita's Instagram story showing Ryan Gosling singing to Margot Robbie with the caption,
Lupita's Instagram story showing Ryan Gosling singing to Margot Robbie with the caption,

Lupita Nyong'o / Instagram / Via Instagram: @lupitanyongo

12. Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and America Ferrera jumped out of their seats the minute the rest of the Kens joined Ryan on stage.

@margotswhore / Chris Gardner / X / Via Twitter: @chrissgardner

13. And following his performance, and during a commercial break, you can spot Ryan sneaking back to his seat and being congratulated by his family and Margot Robbie.

Chris Gardner / X / The Hollywood Reporter / Via x.com

14. In the press room after her acceptance speech, Emma Stone once again said she "genuinely" thinks she broke her dress during "I'm Just Ken," adding she was sewed back in after her win.

Variety / X / Via x.com

15.And finally, Eva Mendes posted a pic of her posing backstage and wearing Ryan's jacket and cowboy hat from the performance, with the caption, "You took Ken all the way to the Oscar's, RG. Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed."

Basically, in conclusion:

@AlDANS_ / X / Via Twitter: @AlDANS_

You can watch Ryan's entire "I'm Just Ken" performance from the 2024 Oscars below:

Check out the rest of our Oscars coverage here.