Ryan Gosling Performs ‘Just Ken’ at the Oscars With a Cameo By Slash

In one of the most anticipated and surely one of the most exuberant moments of Oscar night, Ryan Gosling took the stage to perform “I’m Just Ken,” the nominated song from “Barbie” by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt.

Wearing a bright pink suit and cowboy hat, Gosling started out in the audience, serenading his “Barbie” co-star, Margot Robbie, who couldn’t contain her laughter. He then took to the stage surrounded by an army of dressed-up Ken dancers, including his film co-stars Kens Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa and Scott Evans. Mark Ronson joined him on stage, but Guns N’ Roses’ Slash did the real thing, appearing midway for a cameo. In a (minimal) display of strength similar to Ken’s, he hit a pink board with his hand, wearing a pink glove.

At one point, Gosling returned to the crowd leading a song that included Robbie, director Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” actress America Ferrera and Emma Stone. (Stone was not in “Barbie,” however; she sang with Gosling in “La La Land.”)

On the red carpet, Ronson promised a “Absolutely banana show” in an interview with E!, and delivered on that promise, with cutouts of Barbie heads and a “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” aesthetic.

“Doing any kind of live television is stressful, and then doing it in that room? There aren’t many rooms that are more intimidating,” Simu Liu told the Times at the Governors Ball after the broadcast. “The nerves were on edge and there was a moment of euphoria when we finished: ‘Yes!’ I think we did it,” he said.

In another life, Gosling might have gone the pop star route. He got his start on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club,” the revival of the classic Disney variety show, which also launched the careers of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. Before that, Gosling was a dancing girl. Her early routines, including one in which she wears “Hammer pants”, have received tens of millions of views online.

But instead of pursuing musical celebrity, Gosling aspired to be an actor in a “serious movie,” like he once told the New York Times. He considered his past as an obstacle. The agents dropped him. “It’s very difficult to break the stigma coming from children’s television,” he explained in 2011. “All you have is a VHS tape of you fucking on ‘The Mickey Mouse Club,’ using fake suntan lotion and fighting imaginary sphinxes.” . (That last part was a reference to his time on “Young Hercules”).

But even as Gosling went from child entertainer to feted movie star, he never really abandoned his singing and dancing skills. There was a detour in 2009 when he made an indie rock album with his friend Zach Shields as Dead Man’s Bones duowhich featured the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children’s Choir in its gothic themes.

And filmmakers have been eager to use their talents. He was nominated for best actor for crooning and tap dancing in the musical “La La Land” (2017). Still, when that film’s song, “City of Stars,” was nominated for (and won) best original song, Gosling didn’t take the stage. Instead, executive producer and co-star John Legend did the honors.

“Barbie,” however, made Gosling commit to the part. “I’m Just Ken” accompanies the dreamy ballet near the end of Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster in which Gosling’s Ken expresses his torment at playing second fiddle to Barbie (Margot Robbie) in Barbie Land . In addition to making a move for the film, Gosling also sang on “Ken the EP,” which included the original version of the song and three additional songs, including “I’m just Ken (Merry Christmas Barbie).”

Kyle Buchanan contributed to this report.