On the 14th of April 2024, during the live broadcast of the iconic comedy show, “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), Ryan Gosling, the show’s host, made a surprising announcement during his opening monologue. He stated he had decided to sever ties with his famous character Ken from the “Barbie” series. However, he also promised viewers a memorable farewell.
Gosling, 43, excited the audience with news about his latest movie, ‘The Fall Guy,’ featuring Emily Blunt. He assured fans that he wouldn’t be making any Ken-related jokes because, in his words, “it’s not a joke”. He further explained that he and Ken had to part ways. He compared their relationship to a deep, intense, yet ultimately unsuccessful romance.
“When you invest so much into a character, saying goodbye can feel like a heartbreak,” Gosling confessed.
As Gosling shared his feelings, he sat at a piano, stylishly donning a pair of sunglasses similar to the ones he wore in the “Barbie” series. The crowd cheered as he poured out his heart in a version of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well,” cleverly reworked with Barbie-themed lyrics.
At this point, Gosling was interrupted by his ‘The Fall Guy’ co-star, Emily Blunt. Blunt was notably part of last year’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ which was considered a strong competitor to ‘Barbie’ at the box office. This rivalry led to the coining of the term ‘Barbenheimer.’
Blunt, 41, appeared baffled as she questioned Gosling’s actions. She revealed that they had initially planned a ‘Fall Guy’ monologue featuring a series of stunts. She expressed her disappointment in Gosling’s choice to sing about Ken instead.
Gosling humorously responded that he was still sticking to their plan, as he performed the ballad in ‘The Fall Guy.’ He then continued singing, while being joined by several Barbie dolls on the stage, leading to Blunt’s visible frustration.
Blunt and Gosling then engaged in a lively exchange, with Blunt criticizing Gosling for clinging onto his Ken character and Gosling defending his emotional attachment to it. The banter was both amusing and poignant, reflecting the ‘Barbenheimer’ rivalry between the two stars.
“We won everything,” Blunt reminded Gosling, referring to their success with ‘Oppenheimer.’
Gosling retorted, “But did we win people’s hearts?”
In a surprising turn of events, Blunt joined Gosling in a final rendition of “All Too Well,” marking a harmonious end to their playful dispute.
The ‘SNL’ episode also featured a brief appearance from Kate McKinnon, another member of Gosling’s ‘Barbie’ team. McKinnon participated in a ‘Close Encounters’ sketch, during which Gosling, true to his previous performances, had a hard time maintaining a straight face.
It was a throwback to their original sketch from 2015 and 2017, reminding fans of their hilarious on-screen chemistry.
