Last week, we wondered whether or not Eva Mendes would walk the red carpet with Ryan Gosling. Ryan and Eva have a long-established policy of not walking red carpets together, but I really thought they would do it. Alas, I was wrong! The streak continues. Instead, Ryan took his sister, Mandi, and his mom, Donna, and her husband as his dates. While Eva didn’t walk the red carpet with her man, she was backstage at some point, cheering him on. Eva posted some pictures in Ryan’s dressing room, including one of her wearing the sparkly pink jacket from Ryan’s amaaazing performance of “I’m Just Ken,” which was literally everything I wanted it to be and so much more.
Eva Mendes kept it low-key at the 2024 Oscars — but still found a way to show up for longtime love Ryan Gosling.
Mendes, 50, opted to skip the red carpet at the Sunday, March 10, awards show, instead choosing to support Gosling, 43, from backstage. Prior to the ceremony, the actress took to Instagram to share a photo of herself outside Gosling’s dressing room, captioning the post, “Always by my man.”
After Gosling took the stage to sing his Barbie Oscar-nominated song, “I’m Just Ken,” Mendes posted a second behind-the-scenes Instagram snap where she donned the bright pink-studded suit jacket, black cowboy hat and matching sunnies that the actor wore during his performance.
“You took Ken all the way to the Oscars, RG,” she wrote alongside the event pic. “Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed.”“I’m Just Ken” was up for Best Original Song at the 96th Academy Awards, ultimately losing out to another Barbie track, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made for?” which was the film’s only win of the night.
Barbie received eight nominations in total, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
Gosling also received a Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination for the role of Ken, a win that went to Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer.Sunday’s ceremony wraps up this year’s awards circuit for Gosling and his Barbie castmates. Despite the film’s global success — it brought in more than $1 billion at the box office — Mendes’ brother, Carlo Mendez, exclusively told Us Weekly that Gosling’s main focus will always be parenting his daughters, Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7.
You know, I have to admire the decade-plus commitment to not walking a red carpet together. It was nice to see that Eva was there to support Ryan regardless! The Instagrams were posted before the ceremony, and she’s not dressed like she’s at the Oscars, so my guess is that she was at a final dress rehearsal. I searched around but couldn’t find confirmation either way. And while it would have been amazing to get a new Eva red carpet fashion moment, the picture of her wearing the pink Ken jacket was awesome, too. It makes me wonder if Ryan got to take that sparkly jacket home, hehe.
Speaking of “I’m Just Ken,” a video is going around from Francesca Scorsese, who filmed her dad Martin reacting to the performance. It’s pretty damn delightful. Some of Ryans’ performances from the Mickey Mouse Club back in the day have also resurfaced. Vanity Fair has a great piece that talks about how the entire “I’m Just Ken” performance came together. Most of it was Ryan’s idea, including honoring Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” performance, the bit with the cameraman, and having Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig, America Ferrara, and Emma Stone participate in the singalong. I love that so much.
Photos credit: SRS / Avalon, Al Seib ©A.M.P.A.S. / Avalon, Nick Agro / Avalon, Avalon.red / Avalon
God that clip of Marty Scorsese is so cute.
Stellar performance. I was a Ryan Gosling as Ken skeptic but I truly love how he’s played it all with zero irony.
I’m with you @SAS, a real believer now!
100% agree, I turned my nose up when I heard he was cast as Ken. Now I can’t see anyone but Ryan as Ken. I loved his Kenergy! I am hoping they do a standalone Ken movie one day. If Margot is done with the Barbie character and I can’t blame her she put everything into that role.
I hope Eva was home with their kids getting to watch the show together.
She rivals Kate Middleton in her level of non-appearances!
To be fair she’s a private citizen and this is not her work. Also Kate would attend red carpets to fulfil her “work”. Non-red carpets are another matter for her “work ethic”.
His family are also private citizens but they were there. I think it’s really weird she didn’t attend at all.
@Megan meh, I don’t go to my husband’s work stuff either.
They’ve been clear that they haven’t wanted to appear together up to now. And if they had, that would have been a big story, which might have changed the narrative about not only his performance, but also the spotlight on the Barbie cast who were otherwise denied their moment.
I loved Ryan’s sister’s dress and styling. So much. I think she knocked it out of the park! And Ryan’s performance was amazing – he really went for it! Bravo!
I like her dress too!
I love Mandi Gosling’s gown, one of the best of the evening I thought. So many big names get sent stuff that doesn’t fit properly but hers is really well tailored.
I think it’s a really good strategy that they just don’t go to each other’s events – there’s always speculation when a significant other isn’t at an event and it must add pressure to the relationship when every red carpet moment is picked apart. Much easier just to have a “we don’t do that” policy so you don’t have to spend the evening answering “where’s Eva/where’s Ryan” questions.
It seems to always be the guy’s idea though. Gwyneth and Taylor Swift experienced that (with Chris Martin and Joe, respectively), when it was obvious later that both women were happy to be public with their partners. If I put myself in Eva’s shoes, no way would I not want to be my husband’s date on some of the most important/fun nights of his life. I’m obviously not her, but based on her Instagram posts, she’s not THAT private about them. I read somewhere that Ryan wanted it this way, and can 100% see that.
That’s what it seems like to me, too. She is STILL talking about him and posting, so what difference would it have made if she got dolled up and supported him in person? The whole thing makes no sense.
I agree! She keeps posting about him and it’s like he doesn’t even acknowledge her. I love him I live very close to where he grew up in London Ontario and it’s really cool to see him do so well and I think he’s very talented. I think at the beginning they did it as a secretive thing but now we know they’re married and they have two daughters so it’s pretty silly in my opinion. I feel bad for her because it seems like he’s hiding her.
@Looney & Voom, exactly—glad I’m not the only one who thinks that. Look at Emma Stone—very private about her marriage but values her husband enough to have him here, even if they don’t walk the red carpet together. It can be done. There are many couples just as famous as Ryan and Eva are who are navigating their public relationships just fine.
I know why she posts the Instas—because she doesn’t want people to think she was not part of the process and to ward off gossip about whether or not they’re still together. But at this point, everyone’s feeling a bit sorry for Ms. Behind-the-scenes-only Mendes. I say this with a husband who has a sister—I’d be pissed if my SIL got to go to this event over me!
I get a she trapped Ryan energy from this relationship. No wonder they are never seen together.
Oh please, get out here with that noise. 🙄
Stop it. They have a loving relationship with a lot of trust and healthy boundaries. Her behavior is the opposite of a controlling partner smdh.
Right, because one of the most beautiful women in the world. Who is also a succesful actor in her own right. Had to baby trap him.
GTFO of here with that nonsense.
You don’t have to live your life on a cover of a magazine to pretend your happy. Or post photoshopped photos.
You’re not far off from the truth, but the situation has more to do with her mental health than anything.
She was literally backstage cheering him on. She was celebrating him on IG.
Hardly a mental break down, I think.
What a sh–ty thing to say.
WTF is WRONG with you people?? There is NOTHING wrong with her mental health, this is just how she prefers to roll. It’s his night, not hers. Honestly…..
They have been together for over a decade now. If he felt trapped any time, he is welcome to leave and work out a custody arrangement with her like the grown ass adults they are. This narrative comes from people who obsessively believe she isn’t good enough for him, which he clearly disagrees with.
My god so much sour bitterness here. He wore a pendant with her initial on it during promotion. Why do people need to believe other people are as unhappy as they are?? Smdh.
Ugh its the Oscars. This feels almost performative and pathological that she wasn’t there.
I get they don’t do normal red carpets or pap strolls – but this is different, especially when the his mum and her partner are there too and Eva isn’t.
Get a sitter – are we saying they never go out together and miss a bedtime?
She was backstage FFS.
LOL the projection in the comments is something to behold. Eva and Ryan clearly have an understanding and he seems very happy in the relationship— y’all just look weird AF to be mad when he clearly ain’t.
Thank for this post. It’s truly wild, lol.
This.
The speculation is truly unhinged. As if you need to be appearing on a red carpet to have a real and good relationship and family. Some people want privacy.
I’m not surprised Eva is always M.I.A she was treated horribly when they first got together. It was just people saying awful things about her for doing anything and everything. I know if it was bad here, then it was worse other places, I’m sure she just wants to protect her peace .
And what, pray tell, was the horrible treatment? Don’t make salacious statements like this without proof. They are SOLID.
Personally it seems to me that she would love to go to these things. She posts a lot on IG.
Yeah came here to say this. Her IG is a weird combination of “look at me” and very insecure vibes. She is really good looking, does not look her age at all, no blatant niptuck. So i dont get it.
I loved the big production number! It makes me chuckle every time I watch it. Ryan just seems like a good dude, and he totally killed it. Loved they got a few other movie Ken’s to participate too.
That said – it seems odd now that Eva doesn’t come to events. I get they have a ‘policy’ and it’s very longstanding, but in the beginning it seemed like it was to maintain their privacy. But it’s been years and 2 kids and she posts about him on Instagram. What’s the point of not going to the main industry function of the year together? It’s not like Eva’s from a totally different world, this is her profession as well. It obviously works for them, but I’d be kind of sad not to be able to celebrate with my partner and our friends on their big night.
I feel the same, after all this time, and being public enough to post on instagram, it’s a bit odd to me that she wouldn’t be there with him in person when he’s nominated for an Oscar and doing a big performance.
But it’s up to them, I guess this is how they want it.
I thought she was there but just backstage with him
Oops sorry didn’t see that you mentioned that. I guess I thought that meant she watched from backstage.
I remember when they first got together people were awful -accusing her of latching on to a younger bigger star to help her career. Women are rather awful to the partners of “hot” actors unless that woman is as big or bigger career wise. Then they ship. I remember Jen garner and Ben Affleck made it to seven years before she did red carpets with him and that was when he was doing his Oscar campaigning for Argo. I read it was to keep their professional lives and private lives separate. But it was her idea, obviously, since he has no problem being the plus one on the red carpet in his second marriage. And she still keeps her BF off the red carpet.
That song sounds like a Taco Bell ad (I’m just Ken, I eat chalupas in bed, I get paid to dance around like its wi—ii—ittty).
Also funny how fast people reacted to that odd comment above about the man being trapped. Nerves were triggered, my dudes …
I understand wanting to be low key early on on the relationship, but when your both stars, and have been together for over 10 years and you have kids, it no big deal to walk the red carpet together. Regardless I hope Eva makes a comeback. There is a pattern when male actors marry other actresses and the actresses career gets lost whilst the men thrive. It happed to Ryan and Blake, Ben affleck and Jen garner and justin timberlake and Jessica.
I know priorities change after kids, but it also seems a lot of these actresses are sacrificing their careers as to not overshadowed their husbands.
Ryan ‘s old but he probably has teenage fans and I can’t imagine what that would be like on his partner.
It’s weird because there are some male celebrities whose wives don’t seem on their level looks-wise, but I literally never see those wives called “lucky” perhaps because no one wants their husbands?
And the Oscars are a work party, Ryan has a lot of people to talk to so unless she feels like working a room on her own, it’s best to stay home.
Since when is 44 *old*? You must be 21, and having teenage fans doesn’t equate into it being hard on Eva. Jeez some of the comments here are just outrageous.
The way people online pick apart every, damned thing about celebrities, I don’t blame them for wanting to have a “private” relationship. I especially don’t blame Eva – people are absolutely vicious and the hate is usually directed towards women.
His performance was the highlight of the night and I will forever believe he was robbed of that Oscar. No one deserved it more than Ryan.
You know I don’t blame them for not walking red carpets everything a couple does is analyzed and picked apart it probably makes relationships harder, and both of them have been in very public relationships and probably know the impact it had on them, they have kids maybe they wanted to do something different. Honestly it is no one but their business.
His sister looked gorgeous and I loved the video of Martin first time he hasn’t fallen asleep. Good job Ryan.
I’ve never been able to stand Eva and I think her whole stance around this is is stupid, full stop. It almost amazes me that people forget her messy past-her emotional rehab stint and the persistent rumors she had an affair with Denzel when they made their movie together. Plus, she was rumored to have an affair with another married co-star, whose name I forget.
Eva was MESSY back in the day. I will never forget a friend told me she saw Eva screaming and berating at someone who beat her to a parking space. Eva was screaming, “Do you know who I am?”
Yeah, never liked her.
When I read stories from a friend of person commenting online, I’m always distrusting. And why would Eva say, don’t you know who I am? Most people don’t know her. She seems fine with that.
Some of these comments smack of Harry and Meghan. The non lily white older woman snares the handsome young white man on her Web of something and traps him for years and gets pregnant immediately etc etc.
Though I’m sure that her ethnicity has nothing to do with it. 🙄🙄
The parking lost story is not recent-this was years ago when she was at peak fame. Also, I am black, not white.
Also, as someone else said upthread, Eva was not backstage at the Oscars, she was home with their kids.
That parking lot story happened when Eva was at the peak of her fame. For the record, I am black and also, Eva was not backstage at the Oscars, she was at home with her kids. She even said so on her Instagram.
Your comment is based on nothing but salacious rumours and inuendo. Her stance is stupid? STUPID??? It’s their own life and they both seem happy with the arrangement. She was backstage cheering him on. If that’s what you call stupid, GMAFB.
Lady Gurnavere – your “whole stance around this is is stupid.” What “emotional rehab stint” could you even possibly be nattering about? You sound like a gossipy backstabby troll.
I get that Gosling is a big star, but is it really fair for one person to bring THREE guests with him? What’s wrong with limiting each attendee to a single guest? I’m sure there are very worthy academy members who could have used those two extra tickets. (This isn’t on Gosling, this is a critique of the academy’s practice of giving some stars extra tickets)
Honestly, I’m surprised more people in Hollywood don’t make the choice she did. When the work starts to dry up, why keep stressing yourself out on the weight maintenance, aesthetic work, drama, etc.? It’s a very rare strain of celebrity that gets to be comfortable and famous forever. Take the money, invest it wisely, and enjoy yourself.
Have you seen some of the comments about Cillian Murphy’s wife? She’s been torn to bits over her looks, hair, outfit, and lack of a smile.
I’m so glad I’m not famous. Eva’s probably sick of all of it. I have a feeling they’re one of the few showbiz couples who’ll last because they keep what they can about their relationship private. Love that. Good for her.
It’s possible that part of her sobriety is to stay away from the Hollywood scene, that this is a conscious act of self-care.
I do find it odd how she’s so behind the scenes. But perhaps they do that because if she ever does strut out with Ryan on the red carpet, there’ll be a media frenzy, and this might led to the papz photographing their kids etc