Now that Ryan Gosling‘s “Barbie” power ballad “I’m Just Ken” is an Oscar nominee for best original song, one of the biggest questions facing the upcoming Academy Awards telecast is whether Gosling will take to the stage to perform the viral hit live. Variety‘s Marc Malkin posed the question to “Barbie” soundtrack producer and “I’m Just Ken” co-writer Mark Ronson on the 2024 Grammys red carpet, but Ronson said Gosling has not yet confirmed to him whether an Oscars performance is in the cards.
“That would be great,” Ronson said during Variety’s On the Carpet, presented by DIRECTV. “Did he confirm to you? I want to know … it’s my dream! It’s my dream.”
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 immediately shut down the idea.
“No. I think if Ryan doesn’t do it then we’re not doing it,” the producer said.
Before “I’m Just Ken” became an official Oscar nominee, Gosling himself played coy about singing live during the awards show.
“Well, I haven’t been invited. And I wasn’t thinking about it until now, and now it’s all I’m going to think about,” Gosling recently told W Magazine last month. “Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?”
“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, which won the Grammy for best song written for visual media over “I’m Just Ken” and fellow “Barbie” hit “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa.
Ronson was also asked on the Grammys red carpet about Greta Gerwig’s absence from the Oscars’ best director category. Gosling has already gone on record calling the snub “disappointing.”
“I’m definitely surprised,” Ronson said. “To me, what she put together was a whole world that we’ve never really seen before. But I know she’s psyched to be nominated for screenplay and picture. She’s just the most positive person ever. It’s kind of inspiring.”
The Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 10.