Eva Mendes is standing by Ryan Gosling, whose performance as Ken ended up proving critics wrong.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie made box office history last year, but was initially mocked as too twee a project for Ryan — whose first photo in character was met with ridicule. His performance has since been nominated for an Oscar, spurring his longtime partner to speak out.
“So proud of my man,” Eva wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it.”
“Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to the Oscars,” she continued, referring to Ryan’s nod for Best Supporting Actor.
Eva even shared parts of an article partially titled, Ryan Gosling Is Giving Major Cringe As Ken In Barbie,” which likened him to “one of those creepy, older West Hollywood men who still think they’re in their 20s”. While presumably tongue in cheek, it was no anomaly.
Some saw Barbie as a cash-grab of Mattel’s famous doll line or an earnest failure in tackling corporate influence. Others deemed it a zippy clarion call for feminism that turned its star and producer Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig into role models for women.
While both Margot and Greta received respective Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, fans couldn’t help but notice that this women-led phenomenon left them out of the Best Actor and Best Director categories – while Ryan was recognised by the Academy.
Ken himself reacted to those arguable “snubs” in a statement of solidarity on Wednesday.
“I am extremely honoured to be nominated … But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie,” he told several media outlets.
“No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius,” he continued. “To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.”
While America Ferrera publicly agreed (and received a Best Supporting Actress nod), not everyone feels the same. Ryan, meanwhile — whose performance in the film of I’m Just Ken spurred a Best Original Song nod for writer Mark Ronson — has arguably already won.
“So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie,” wrote Eva in her post.