Ken’s Applying for a Job at the Oscars

Ken’s job is famously “beach,” but that title could be changing very soon. In an interview with W Magazine for its annual Best Performances issue on January 3, the actor who plays the crotchless doll in Barbie dropped hints that Ken could snag a real gig: performing at the Oscars. When asked about his go-to karaoke song, Ryan Gosling teased a possible career-defining moment for his plastic himbo alter ego: “I don’t have one. I only sing at the Oscars … Oh no, wait, I don’t.” Though he hasn’t yet been invited to the Oscars to perform the dream ballet anti-toxic-masculinity anthem “I’m Just Ken,” Gosling quipped that the interview was making him obsess over a potential performance. “I wasn’t thinking about it until now, and now it’s all I’m going to think about,” he told W. “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?”

The likelihood of an “I’m Just Ken” live number at the Oscars is pretty high. Shortlisted for the Best Original Song category, the ditty is a shoo-in for a full on nomination, especially after getting a nod at this year’s Golden Globes, set for January 7. With nominees invited to perform, we might have a phantasmagoria of Kens trotting around the Oscars stage. One small step for the Barbie movie, one giant leap for Ken’s empty résumé.

• [w magazine]

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