Ryan Gosling as Ken in The Barbie Movie. Image courtesy Warner Bros.

The rumors are true, at least according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ryan Gosling will perform his hit “I’m Just Ken” from The Barbie Movie at the 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony, where the song is one of five vying for a Best Original Song Statuette.

The song, written to express Ken’s dissatisfaction with his second banana status in Barbie’s world, will compete against the other song nominated from the Barbie soundtrack: “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish. “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot, “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony and “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People”) from Killers of the Flower Moon are also contenders.

The song really was a hit, in that it charted, debuting on Billboard’s Hot 100 at number 87 in August, weeks after it was released. Gosling also released an EP in December that featured three new renditions of the song, including a “Merry Kristmas” version.

Mark Ronson, who cowrote the song with Andrew Wyatt, will get his wish when Gosling performs, having said in an early interview that he wouldn’t want anyone else to perform the song. “No. I think if Ryan doesn’t do it then we’re not doing it,” he said.

Ronson told The Hollywood Report that the seeing the song get an Oscar moment has “always just been the dream since sort of that first day in the studio, but all that stuff still seems like a while away.” 

He is open to having the other Kens join Gosling onstage, saying “Oh my goodness, that’s from your mouth to God’s ears.” 

Besides best original song(s), Barbie is up for six other Oscars, including best picture and adapted screenplay, and an best supporting actor nomination for Gosling. Star Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were not nominated, but America Ferrera also got a best supporting actress nod.

“I’m Just Ken” has already won best song at the Critics Choice Awards and earned a Grammy nomination for best song for visual media.

The Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 10th starting at 7pm Eastern time and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

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