Eva Mendes is standing by Ryan Gosling , whose turn as Ken proved critics wrong.

Greta Gerwig s Barbie (2023) made box office history last year, but was initially mocked as too twee a project for Gosling whose first look was met with ridicule. His performance has since been nominated for an Oscar , spurring his longtime partner to speak out.

So proud of my man, Mendes wrote Wednesday on Instagram . So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it.

Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to the Oscars , she continued about Goslings nod for Best Supporting Actor.

Mendes even shared parts of an article partially titled, Ryan Gosling Is Giving Major Cringe as Ken in Barbie, which likened him to one of those creepy, older West Hollywood men who still think theyre in their 20s. While presumably tongue in cheek, it was no anomaly .

Some saw Barbie as a cash-grab of Mattels famous doll line or an earnest failure in tackling corporate influence . Others deemed it a zippy clarion call for feminism that turned its star and producer Margot Robbie and Gerwig into role models for women.

While both Robbie and Gerwig received respective Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, fans couldnt help but notice that this women-led phenomenon left them out of the Best Actor and Best Director categories and nominated Gosling.