Go Inside Ryan Gosling’s ‘Euphoric’ Oscars Performance with One of the Kens: ‘Felt Like the Super Bowl’ (Exclusive)

It’s not Anthony “Kanec” Carr’s first time on the Oscars stage, but Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” was unlike any other he’s performed.

A professional dancer, working as a choreographer for an upcoming Broadway revival Wizardwas one of more than 60 dancers in the biggest Oscars performance to date, and tells PEOPLE the experience was nothing short of “euphoric.”

“It felt like the Super Bowl,” he says — which is saying a lot, considering he’s performed at the big game before (during Katy Perry’s Halftime Show in 2015). “It was really beautiful. We like to call it Ken-ergy.”

Joking that he was “probably the shortest Ken doll in history,” Carr describes the whirlwind experience as not only a remarkable musical feat — “I was really impressed,” he says of Gosling, 43 — but possibly the most fun he’s ever had. on stage. “It was really magical.”

Now, as he finds himself singing Barbie song “12,000 Times a Day” and dropping the “Ken Club,” the seasoned dancer, 39, gives PEOPLE an inside look at the behind-the-scenes effort — and some of the hilarious moments — that went into bringing “I’m Just Ken” to life on Sunday.

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What role did Ryan Gosling play in the planning?

Gosling was the real ringleader of the effort, says Carr, describing the actor as “so multi-talented.”

“He was very hands-on with the choreographer, and together, giving notes and things to just keep the dynamic of the performance. They always have really great ideas, so we did a lot of trial and error with a lot of things.”

Despite being present from the first day of rehearsals and inviting many of them, the actor was extremely reserved.

“When they came, it wasn’t Ryan Gosling, it was a performer with us. It was like Michael [Jackson] and his dancers. He was just cool.”

Carr didn’t miss that “you don’t always see a director like Ryan so wise and skillful in everything. Not only in performing – directing, [the] steps. He’s so multi-talented, that contributed to that.”

“To me, he is a true performing legend and I’m really grateful that I could be so close and be a part of it,” says o Fall Guy actor. “He did his thing.”

Mark Ronson, Ryan Gosling and Slash perform ‘I’m Just Ken’ from “Barbie” onstage during the 96th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Winter/Getty

Who choreographed the performance?

The number was choreographed by Mandy Moore, whom Carr describes as “one of the greatest” female choreographers ever. Moore had previously worked with Gosling La la countryand the dancer says, “We were lucky to be under their gravitational pull.”

Carr became involved with the show through Moore, with whom he previously worked on a “passion project” nearly a decade ago. At first he only knew that Moore was in charge of the number and that it was an Oscar performance. “Then the details and the need-to-know happen as time goes by. You get a description of the performance, and then you put two and two together from there.”

With Moore choreographing, Carr says he knew he was in for “all sorts of things,” since she “does a lot of styles,” and he, like five dozen other dances, was “just happy to be a part of the performance .”

She and Gosling worked in tandem to bring Ken’s vision to life, and Carr says, “It wasn’t just dancing, it was a real party that was unforgettable. The entire Dolby Theater was together, singing and swaying. It was adorable. ”

Every amazing photo from Ryan Gosling’s ‘I’m Only Ken’ performance at the Oscars

Did Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig attend rehearsals?

Greta Gerwig also weighed in before the tuxedo and pink hat flash mob took the stage on Sunday. The Barbie the director “participated in rehearsals, it was nice,” Carr reveals. “Their team really did their thing, they were really good and they came together because it was just such a big project.”

He adds: “I remember she had a great tracksuit on. She’s stylish.”

Margot Robbie wasn’t part of the rehearsal process, though, which Carr says seemed intentional. – I think it should have been more of a surprise for all of them. Her real answer to the number happened in real time. “That reaction was so priceless, the smile in the audience. I think she was actually surprised.”

Scott Evans, Ryan Gosling, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Slash, Mark Ronson, Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa perform “I’m Just Ken” at the 96th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theater on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Rich Polk/Variety via Getty

In the mix, of course, were the “cameo Kens”: Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa. The song’s producer, Mark Ronson, was also on stage with the dancers – and Guns N’ Roses’ Slash made a surprise appearance, although Carr and the band were aware he would be there.

“But the rise phase, we didn’t know it was going to happen with Slash. So talk about the show, but you really want to slow down time and say, ‘Hey, is that Slash? Wait a minute.’ ”

Carr was placed on stage to the left of Liu, 34, for the dance and describes it as “being at camp with a guy”.

“He’s cool. He will sing behind the stage, we will all dance and practice. I like that. It’s great,” says Carr. He also noticed Liu “in his zone” running through dance steps during a quiet moment backstage. “It’s cool, you see people in their process.”

As for the other Kens, Carr says Evans, 40, is “funny,” and Ben-Adir, 37, is super “cool, and then he’s smiling.”

The “Cameo Kens” joined rehearsals three days later, and Carr made sure to applaud how quickly they learned their steps in time for the show. “They learn it in less time than us and they do it with us, so think how amazing that is.”

How long did the rehearsals last?

There was a quick turnaround between the five dozen dancers who met Gosling and Moore for the first time, learned the routine and actually performed it at the Oscars.

“We started last week,” Carr says, giving them “literally five days” to rehearse.

The schedule was arranged to bring the dancers to rehearsals in four different groups on the first two days, before they all came together on the third day – including all the “cameo Kens”.

“Mandy Moore is amazing because she had more than one performance on the show, so when we had maybe an eight-hour rehearsal, she had two eight-hour rehearsals, a 16-hour day,” he adds.

As for the rehearsal dynamic, Carr was reunited with several familiar faces he had worked with before, which was an added bonus to an already exciting experience.

“Everyone — Sim, all the guys were really cool, it didn’t feel… The only way you’d know it was Ryan Gosling was because you could see the name. It was really like all the Avengers together — he was our Captain America .”

Ryan Gosling performs “I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie” onstage during the 96th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Winter/Getty

Were there any mishaps or last-minute changes?

“Everything went smoothly,” Carr says, though he notes that some parts were a little more “chaotic” than others.

“The entrances and exits can be intense because we have to get to set points and you have a certain funnel of space to go through, so it was really impressive when you have 30-something guys coming off stage right and left and stuff coming in. ”

They also had to be “meticulous” during the shot of Gosling dancing among the Barbie heads. With a segment inspired by Busby Berkeley — which they called “the Barbie Berkeley” — “our biggest thing was just being together and being precise.”

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Source: HIS Education