Must watch: Ryan Gosling prepping for his ‘I’m Just Ken’ moment in ‘Barbie’
The Barbie movie soundtrack delivered banger after banger thanks to the likes of Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish, but the award for surprise showstopper goes to Ryan Gosling’s heartfelt ’80s power ballad “I’m Just Ken.”
The song — featuring a sick guitar solo courtesy of Guns N’ Roses’ Slash — plays over a beach battle between the Kens, which then fades into a Singin’ in the Rain-esque dream ballet. It’s a standout sequence in a film full of standouts — and what better way to celebrate it than by watching a behind-the-scenes video of how it all came together?
A new music video/featurette unveils footage of Gosling rehearsing his Kenergetic dance moves, as well as his fellow Kens Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans recording backing vocals. But the greatest delight may well be watching Greta Gerwig direct the sequence, smiling and laughing along with her cast as she surveys the musical greatness she’s created. It’s the kind of movie magic you need to see to believe.