Here's Why Ryan Gosling Wore Sunglasses For His 2024 Oscars Performance

He wears his sunglasses at night! Ryan Gosling was cool and Kenergetic when he took to the Oscars stage for his performance of "I'm Just Ken," which he really sang in the "Barbie" movie. However, he kept his eyeballs covered. After inhabiting the glossy skin of Barbie's fantastic, plastic companion, he's likely learned that every beloved doll comes with a few fun accessories inside their box, and he's previously explained why sunglasses are a must-have item for Ken.

For his Academy Awards performance, Gosling sported a neon pink suit studded with rhinestones. When he began singing, he was seated behind a giggling Margot Robbie. Gosling had a dark cowboy hat pulled down over his eyes, which he removed to reveal his dark shades. He was later joined on stage by a group of male dancers that included his co-Kens Ben Kingsley-Adair and Simu Liu. Gosling then got upstaged by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, who made a surprise cameo during his performance and did some epic shredding. One of the song's co-writers, Mark Ronson, also got to demonstrate his guitar skills.

At one point, Gosling was lifted in the air as dancers held up large cut-outs of Barbie's head. It was the OG-version of the doll, complete with her retro cat-eye sunglasses. But according to Gosling, Ken doesn't just wear shades to complement one of his lady's most iconic looks — and he likely had a good reason for wearing sunglasses indoors like Jack Nicholson.

In a 2023 interview with GQ, Ryan Gosling listed off a few "Ken-sentials." He said that Barbie's beau must always carry two pairs of sunglasses in his fanny pack. And whenever he pulls a Corey Hart by becoming the guy in shades, it's for Barbie's benefit. He explained that one pair of sunglasses must have mirrored lenses "so you can reflect Barbie's greatness." They also turn Ken into a living makeup mirror that allows Barbie to make sure that she never gets a speck of lipstick on her gleaming pearly whites. But Gosling didn't wear mirrored aviators for his Academy Awards performance — he sported sunglasses with dark shades. "Dark ones are great because they can hide your sadness," he shared. "You never wanna risk bumming Barbie out." He also stated that the style must be one that suits Barbie in case she needs to borrow them.

So, what reason did Gosling have to be sad Ken on Oscar night? Well, "I'm Just Ken" was nominated for best original song and didn't win, so maybe it made him feel like he wasn't "Kenough." It lost to the "Barbie" ballad "What Was I Made For?" The song, which was written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, is about Barbie's journey of self-discovery. It's a real heart-string tugger and might remind Ken of something dear that he lost, so it seems that Gosling stayed true to his character by making the right sunglasses choice.