For weeks after the Oscar nominations were announced, “Barbie” star Ryan Gosling publicly maintained he wasn’t sure if he’d perform “I’m Just Ken” during the 96th Academy Awards.
However, “Barbie” co-star and producer Margot Robbie says he never hesitated to agree to the performance. In fact, she says she didn’t have to pressure him “at all.”
“He jumped at this,” Robbie told me at the Chanel and Charles Finch party Saturday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel. “He’s going to crush it. I’m so excited. I think he’s going to be the highlight of the whole night. I think a lot of people are going to be tuning in for this specific performance.”
In his Variety cover story in early February, Gosling insisted that the Academy hadn’t yet asked him to perform. “It might be too much of a risk to have me do it,” said Gosling, who is up for an acting Oscar for his work as Ken. “I don’t know how that would work. But I’m open to it.”
Mark Ronson, who wrote the song with Andrew Wyatt, told Variety at the Grammys that it was his dream for Gosling to perform at the Academy Awards.
When asked if he’d possibly sub in another singer should Gosling not want to perform “I’m Just Ken” live during the Oscars, Ronson said, “No. I think if Ryan doesn’t do it then we’re not doing it.”
“I’m Just Ken” is one of two “Barbie” tracks that earned an Oscar nomination for best original song. The other is “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas.
Meanwhile, Robbie also told me that she continues looking for the right project for her directorial debut. “I would love to, but there are no plans at this point,” she said. “But I get to read scripts all day every day at the company [LuckyChap Entertainment].”
Also at the Chanel event were Oscar nominees Da’Vine Joy Randolph, America Ferrera and Robert De Niro, Sandra Hüller and Celine Song as well as Kristen Stewart, Usher, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Tessa Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Lily Rose Depp, Kerry Washington, Dominic Sessa, Gracie Abrams, Adrien Brody, Alexandra Shipp, Rebecca Hall, Rachel Zoe, Jennifer Meyers, Willem Dafoe, Jack Huston and Danny Huston.
Earlier in the evening, a starry crowd packed the Giorgio Armani store on Rodeo Drive for the label’s annual pre-Oscar party. This year’s honoree was “Killers of the Flower Moon” director Martin Scorsese. Those in attendance included De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Paris Jackson, Regé-Jean Page, John Mulaney, Olivia Munn, Kathryn Newton, Christoph Waltz, Jeffrey Wright, Allison Williams, Ramy Youseff, Callum Turner, Ke Huy Quan, Scott Eastwood and Mamie Gummer.
