Ryan Gosling makes rare comment about daughters as he discusses I'm Just Ken Oscars performance

The Barbie star is notoriously private about Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7, whom he shares with partner Eva Mendes
Ryan Gosling has revealed what his daughters really thought of his performance at the Oscars
AFP via Getty Images
Tina Campbell12 April 2024
The Weekender

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Ryan Gosling has given a rare insight into his role as a father as he discussed his barnstorming performance of I’m Just Ken at this year’s Oscars.

The Canadian actor, 43, has previously admitted that he decided to take on the role of Ken in Greta Gerwig’s live action Barbie movie due to his two daughters disinterest in their own Ken dolls.

It seemed only fitting that he then had Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7, come to the Oscars rehearsal as he prepared to perform his song, which was up for a Best Original Song award.

Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote his latest film The Fall Guy, Gosling was asked about his daughters’ response to his live performance.

“When they come see you do I'm Just Ken, do they go, 'Oh, yeah, daddy's fun. He's awesome?'” the talk show host asked.

TOPSHOT-US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-AWARD-OSCARS-SHOW
Ryan Gosling stole the show at this year’s Oscars with his performance of I’m Just Ken
AFP via Getty Images

“Dad's Kenning again,” Gosling replied.

Fallon asked if they were fans of the movie and presumed they were with him during filming.

“They were,” Gosling confirmed.

“I mean, look, it was their, you know, interest in Barbie and their disinterest in Ken that sort of started all of this,” he continued.

Gosling, who has been in a relationship with Eva Mendes, 50, since 2011, said his work on Barbie was a “team effort” with his girls.

Ryan Gosling shares his daughters with Partner Eva Mendes (left)
Getty Images

He continued: “And they were on the film, and they came to set when I filmed the number. But there's also been, like, a a lot of this has no context for them. You know, it's just like a lot of fake tan stains around the house.

“So, I wanted them to come to the dress rehearsal just to give it some kind of context for what had been going on.”

Revealing that it was their first big show, he praised them as really wanting to help him out, adding: “But they knew all the choreography better than I do.”

Ahead of the release of The Fall Guy in UK cinemas on May 2, Gosling is set to host Saturday Night Live (SNL) this weekend with special music guest Chris Stapleton.

This will be the third time he has hosted the famed late night sketch show, having first hosted in 2015 with musical guest Leon Bridges and later returned in 2017 to host once again while joined by Jay-Z.

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