Eva Mendes Proudly Celebrates Ryan Gosling’s Oscar Nomination For Ken Role In Barbie
Eva Mendes, the longtime partner of actor Ryan Gosling, is celebrating her favorite Ken’s remarkable journey to an Academy Award nomination for his outstanding performance in the movie Barbie. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Shawn shared her pride and support for Ryan, reflecting on the challenges he faced when first cast as Ken in the smash hit film.
Eva, who has been in a relationship with Ryan since their collaboration on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines in 2012, posted screenshots of early articles that had questioned Ryan’s suitability for the role of Ken when the movie’s photos were unveiled in June 2022. In her caption, she expressed her unwavering pride in him, stating, “So proud of my man. So much hate when he took on this role.”
She went on to acknowledge the negativity the actor endured with the #Notmyken movement and critical articles, emphasizing how he transformed the character into something entirely original, humorous, and emotionally resonant. “So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie 💕,” she added.
Throughout this awards season, Eva has been a vocal supporter of Ryan. She recently shared a GIF on Instagram capturing Ryan’s endearing reaction to winning the Best Song award for I’m Just Ken at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards. She couldn’t contain her excitement, exclaiming, “I LOVE HIM!!!!” in the caption.
Ryan’s Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Ken is his third Academy Award recognition, following his roles in Half Nelson (2006) and La La Land (2016). In response to his nomination, he expressed disappointment that his co-star Margot Robbie and their director Greta Gerwig were not nominated in the Best Actress and Best Director categories, respectively.
In a statement, Ryan highlighted the pivotal roles of Robbie and Gerwig in the success of Barbie, saying, “There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film.” He affirmed that their contributions were integral to the film’s acclaim.
Ryan and Eva, who portrayed an on-screen couple with an infant son in The Place Beyond the Pines, share two children in real life: Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7. Eva had previously praised her husband as “the greatest actor I’ve ever worked with” in a touching Instagram tribute ahead of Barbie’s release in July 2023.
