Eva Mendes Champions Ryan Gosling’s ‘Barbie’ Oscar Nom After Ken Casting Backlash: ‘So Much Hate’ and Shame ‘When He Took on This Role’

Eva Mendes celebrated partner Ryan Gosling‘s latest Oscar nomination by putting his haters on blast. Gosling is nominated for best supporting actor at the 2024 Academy Awards thanks to his performance as Ken in the blockbuster comedy “Barbie,” which earned a total of eight Oscar nominations. Gosling’s casting was originally divisive, as social media debates erupted over whether or not he was too old to play the doll.

“So proud of my man. So much hate when he took on this role,” Mendes posted on Instagram accompanied by a photo from a Rolling Stone article that said Gosling was “giving cringe” as Ken. “So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all the#NotMyKenridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to Oscars. So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie.”

Gosling himself reacted to the backlash over his casting in an interview with GQ magazinepublished last May, ahead of the theatrical release of “Barbie,” saying at the time: “If people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with. It is funny, this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #NotMyKen. Like you ever thought about Ken before this?”

Gosling noted that Ken’s entire existence has been to just enjoy the beach and not really exist for any sake other than to be Barbie’s guy.

“And everyone was fine with that, for him to have a job that is nothing,” Gosling said. “But suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time.’ No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never fucked with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”

Gosling’s Oscar nomination for “Barbie” marks his third trip to the Academy Awards as a nominee following two best actor bids for “Half Nelson” and “La La Land.” In a statement following news of his latest Oscar nom, Gosling said he was “extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films.” He also called the Academy out for not nominating Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie in the best director and best actress categories.

“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 wrote.

“No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius,” Gosling added. “To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement. 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.”

Gerwig is still an Oscar nominee for writing Barbie, as is Robbie for best picture as one of the film’s producers. Gosling scored one of two “Barbie” acting nominations. America Ferrera is nominated for best supporting actress for her performance as Gloria.