Ryan Gosling Says Eva Mendes and Daughters Gave Him ‘Tips’ Ahead of ‘I’m Just Ken’ Performance at 2024 Oscars

Ryan Gosling had to make sure his Kenergy was approved by his and Eva Mendes‘ daughters before taking the stage at the 96th annual Academy Awards!

On Sunday, the 43-year-old Barbie star performed the film’s Oscar-nominated song, “I’m Just Ken.” Gosling shared that his daughters, Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7, got a first look at his performance before the world did, and had some feedback for their dad. 

“It was great,” Gosling tells People. “It was so fun because they came to the dress rehearsal the day before and so they were in the front row. “

He adds, “They gave me some tips and some notes, all great notes. They are such a huge part of this for me…it was my girls’ interest in Barbie and disinterest in Ken that got me into this in the first place. It was beautiful to have them there at the end.”

Though Gosling didn’t share the notes he received from his girls — it’s safe to say that any feedback they offered was constructive. From the moment Gosling took the stage on Sunday evening, the star-studded audience was on their feet. 

Donning a custom Barbie pink suit by Gucci — Gosling belted the song as he was joined onstage by Mark Ronson, Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen. Making the moment even more special, Gosling’s fellow Kens, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Simu Liu, danced alongside him. 

Gosling even got some crowd participation from Emma Stone, and Barbie‘s Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig. 

Another person who had a look ahead at Gosling’s onstage Kenergy was Ronson. Before taking the stage, the music producer spoke to ET and teased what the crowd could expect. 

“[It’s] me, Ryan, Andrew — the Kens are special guests,” Ronson told ET of the performance. “…I don’t even know how many people [will be] on stage, there’s so many people!”

In July 2023, Gosling told ET that it was his girls — whom he and Mendes have kept out of the spotlight — that inspired him to take the Barbie role.

“They’ve seen a lot pieces of [the film], and helped me a lot with it,” Gosling told ET at the time. “They were huge inspiration for me.”

The Fall Guy star also shared that his girls offered him tips about his portrayal of the iconic male doll. Noting that if it wasn’t funny, they made him work on some things. 

“Yeah, unless it wasn’t. And then I worked on it,” he said. 

“I’m Just Ken” lost the Best Song award to fellow Barbie tune, “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Elish. 

Gosling was a winner with his longtime partner, Mendes — who posed in his look and gave a nod to their daughters. 

“You took Ken all the way to the Oscar’s, RG,” she wrote next to a photo of her rocking the cowboy hat and draping Gosling’s sparkled pink jacket over her shoulder. “Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed. 💋.”

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