The 11 Greatest Times Actors Sang at the Oscars, From Amy Adams to Robin Williams
There was one question on everyone’s lips this awards season: Is Ryan Gosling going to sing “I’m Just Ken” live at the Oscars? The actor, whose turn as Ken in Barbie earned him several nominations this year, has demurred thus far. While perennial winner Billie Eilish has performed her own Oscar-nominated Barbie ballad live at recent award shows, Gosling has preferred to stay silent and seated—thus depriving us of what could very well be a grandiose, unforgettable live performance. Not even his generous Christmas gift to fans, a holiday remix of Ken’s anthemic showstopper with accompanying music video, could abate our thirst for seeing Gosling don the mink live in the flesh, for once and for all.
After months of lead-up, Gosling will grant us our wish: The actor is slated to perform “I’m Just Ken” live during this year’s Academy Awards, which airs March 10. With the song up for Best Original Song—again competing with Eilish’s multiple-award-winning theme—it’s only fair that Gosling gives it the last big push it deserves.
But this brings an interesting, newer question to the table. No shade to Dead Man’s Bones, but we know Gosling for his acting more than anything else. Can an actor really hold his own against professional musicians out there in the Original Song arena? Gosling would be far from the first to do so—and, should “I’m Just Ken” win, he wouldn’t even be the first actor-by-trade to sing the song to Oscars victory.