Ryan Gosling Officially Performing 'I’m Just Ken' At The Oscars

It is his destiny to sing Awards Academy

The debate is over. It’s happening. Critics Choice Award-winning “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie will join its fellow Best Original Song nominees to be performed live at the 96th annual Academy Awards on March 10, airing on ABC. And of course, it will be Ken himself, Ryan Gosling performing the hit.

While the Academy has declined to comment, it puts an end to speculation that had been brewing ever since the nomination was secured in January as to whether he would do so. The tradition of Best Original Song nominees performing goes all the way back to 1946. Earlier this month, Gosling, who is also up for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Ken, insisted that he hadn’t yet been asked to perform. “It might be too much of a risk to have me do it. I don’t know how that would work. But I’m open to it.”

Mark Ronson, who wrote the song with Andrew Wyatt, has not only said that it had become his dream for Gosling to perform at the Oscars, but was insistent that “I’m Just Ken” could only be performed by Gosling and if he had declined that a performance would not accept substitutes and instead just not happen. Specifically, he said, “No. I think if Ryan doesn’t do it then we’re not doing it.”

The category’s other nominees, and thus the expected (if not already confirmed) other performers include Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” also from Barbie, played over its penultimate sequence and has been far more favored this awards season, including for the Grammy. The rest are American Symphony’s “It Never Went Away” by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson, Flamin’ Hot’s "The Fire Inside" by Diane Warren, and Killers of the Flower Moon’s "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)" by Scott George. The 96th Academy Awards air March 10 on ABC at 7 PM Eastern and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Source: Variety