The 2024 Oscars were not only a night filled with prestigious awards but also a platform for playful banter between Hollywood stars. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, known for their roles in “The Fall Guy,” took a moment to joke about the famous “Barbenheimer” rivalry while presenting a special tribute to stunt performers.
Putting the Rivalry to Rest
Both Blunt and Gosling were nominated for supporting actor Oscars this year, Blunt for her role in “Oppenheimer” and Gosling for his role in “Barbie.” The two movies had competing releases on the same date last summer, leading to a playful rivalry. However, on the Oscars stage, the co-stars decided to put the “Barbenheimer” rivalry aside.
“I’m just happy that we can finally put this ‘Barbenheimer’ rivalry aside,” Gosling expressed to Blunt.
Blunt, with a hint of sarcasm, responded, “The way this award season has turned out, it wasn’t that much of a rivalry. Just let it go!” She cleverly referenced how Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” dominated the awards season with multiple wins for Best Picture.
A Friendly Exchange
Gosling congratulated Blunt on the success of “Oppenheimer” and humorously added, “But I think I kind of figured out why it’s called ‘Barbenheimer’ and not ‘Oppenarbie.’ You’re on the tail end because you rode ‘Barbie’s’ coattails all summer.” He playfully referred to the massive $1.4 billion worldwide box office gross of “Barbie,” which made it the highest-grossing film of 2023 and Warner Bros.’ top-grossing movie ever. Although “Oppenheimer” also performed well, earning over $960 million worldwide, it couldn’t match the record-breaking success of “Barbie.”
Blunt replied with a clever response to Gosling’s teasing, saying, “Thanks for Kens-plaining that to me, all right. Mr. I need to paint my abs on to get nominated! You don’t see Robert Downey doing that.”
The Fall Guy and Steven Spielberg’s Praise
Gosling and Blunt were not just presenters at the 2024 Oscars; they will also star together in the upcoming action comedy film “The Fall Guy,” set to release on May 3. Directed by David Leitch, known for his work on “Deadpool 2” and “Bullet Train,” the film is based on the 1980s TV series of the same name. Gosling plays a Hollywood stuntman working for a director played by Blunt, who also happens to be his former flame. The story unfolds when the lead actor of their movie goes missing, and Gosling’s character takes on the challenge of finding him.
During a recent interview with Variety, Gosling revealed that Steven Spielberg is a huge fan of “The Fall Guy” and approached him at the Golden Globes to express his admiration for the movie.
“I saw Steven Spielberg walking in my direction,” Gosling shared. “I don’t know Steven Spielberg. I thought there’s no way he’s coming to talk to me. And yet he kept getting closer, and then I thought, I know what’s going to happen. I’m going to point to him, and he’s going to go, ‘Not you, behind you,’ so I’m not going to do that. Finally, I said, ‘Me?’ and he goes, ‘Yeah you.’ I go, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t think you were coming to talk to me.’ And I stood up, and he gave me a hug and said, ‘I just saw ‘The Fall Guy,’ and I loved it.'”
Gosling expressed his excitement and gratitude for Spielberg’s praise, stating, “As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter anymore what happens. Steven Spielberg liked it. That was an all-time moment for me. I’m really excited for people to see it. I think it’s a really special movie.”
Watch the Hilarious “Barbenheimer” Bit
If you want to see Gosling and Blunt’s hilarious exchange about the “Barbenheimer” rivalry, check out the video below.
Source: Variety