Eva Mendes has come to her man’s defense.
The actress took to Instagram on Wednesday to slam a Rolling Stone article from June 2022, in which the writer was extremely skeptical of Ryan Gosling taking on the role of Ken in Barbie.
"So proud of my man," Mendes wrote. "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 Oscars."
She added, "So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie."
In the article, the 43-year-old was described as a "creepy, older West Hollywood [man] who still thinks they’re in their 20s," with the writer describing Gosling's Ken as "cringe."
However, clearly, the world didn’t feel the same way. Gosling found out this week that he has been nominated for best actor in a supporting role at the Oscars. Barbie earned eight nods in total at the awards show, including best picture.
America Ferrera also snagged a nomination for best supporting actress, director Greta Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach received nods for best-adapted screenplay, and Billie Eilish’s "What Was I Made For?" has been recognized for best original song. The film also received best costume design and best production design nominations.
However, Margot Robbie, who plays the titular Barbie, and Gerwig were snubbed for two larger categories, with Robbie missing out on best actress and Gerwig not making the cut for best director.
Following the nominations, Gosling issued a statement where he shared his gratitude for being recognized, and also responded to the Academy Awards’ clear miss.
"I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films," he wrote, per Time. "And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken."
“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.”
“To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement,” he continued. “Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.”
Barbie was a box office hit, surpassing the billion-dollar threshold just three weeks after premiering in theaters—and making Gerwig the first solo woman director with a billion-dollar movie. By the end of 2023, it was the highest-grossing film of the year, earning $1.44 billion.
