On a Sunday evening, the highly acclaimed actor Ryan Gosling graced the stage of the 2024 Critics’ Choice Awards. Nominated for his Barbie movie track “I’m Just Ken” in the Best Song category, he seemed taken aback when his name was called as the winner. This unexpected turn of events led to a comical reaction from Gosling, which instantly became a viral internet meme, spreading like wildfire.
As the presenters, Bella Ramsey and Anthony Ramos, announced Gosling’s triumph, the camera captured the actor’s bewildered expression. Raising his eyebrows and looking back and forth, he appeared to be giving the entire room a sidelong glance. Such humorous facial contortions by celebrities often gain significant traction on the internet, and in this case, Gosling was no exception.
While the award technically belonged to the songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, Gosling expressed his disbelief by standing and applauding. During Ronson’s acceptance speech, he acknowledged Gosling’s contribution and mentioned, “Ryan Gosling, this is as much your award as ours. You made the audience fall in love with this song with your matchless performance, so thank you.” The actor’s presence had undeniably played a significant role in the song’s success.
Gratitude for the Director
Ronson also took the opportunity to thank director Greta Gerwig, who happened to be seated at the same table as Gosling. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “The fact that you carved out 11 minutes for this prog-rock, power-ballad, dream-ballet, shred fest so the boys could cry and hold hands a little too, we’re really forever in your debt for that.” Gerwig’s visionary approach to the movie allowed the song to flourish, and Ronson made sure to acknowledge her contribution.
The Internet’s Response
Fans wasted no time in immortalizing Gosling’s facial expressions by utilizing GIFs of the moment. However, they didn’t stop there; they also took pleasure in drawing comparisons and speculating about what might have been going through his mind when his song emerged victorious. The competition included two other songs from the same Barbie soundtrack, namely “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa and “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish. Additionally, nominees in the category consisted of “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, “Road to Freedom” by Lenny Kravitz from Rustin, and “This Wish” by Julia Michaels from Disney’s Wish.
Ryan Gosling, renowned for his versatile acting skills, has been capturing audiences’ hearts for years. From his breakout role in “The Notebook” to critically acclaimed performances in films like “La La Land” and “Drive,” Gosling has proven his talent time and time again. While unintentional, his viral meme moment at the Critics’ Choice Awards added another layer to his already captivating persona.
The 2024 Critics’ Choice Awards witnessed a memorable occurrence when Ryan Gosling’s bewildered reaction to winning the Best Song award became a comical internet meme. Acknowledging the collaborative effort, Gosling’s presence and performance undoubtedly contributed to the song’s success. As fans indulged in the joy of meme culture, the incident highlighted Gosling’s ability to captivate audiences, both on and off the silver screen.