The Oscars made for quite an eventful night, as viewers saw movies like Oppenheimer, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest win big. Then, there was the thrill of seeing Ryan Gosling’s highly anticipated performance of “I’m Just Ken” and a near-naked John Cena present Best Costume Design. But one touching element of the Academy Awards that may have escaped your attention. I'm talking about the pair of homages to “blonde bombshell” Marilyn Monroe from Gosling and Sydney Sweeney.
Ryan Gosling's performance of his 2024 Oscar-nominated power ballad was truly the highlight of the night. I'm sure it was especially important for Mickey Mouse Club fans to see the Canadian actor get back to his live-singing roots. But as a Variety X post noted, Gosling nodded to pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe through his performance as well. Take a look at this image from that 2024 Oscars night and see if you can guess which movie of Monroe’s this stair sequence comes from:
If you couldn’t guess, the actor was paying homage to the late star's snazzy dresser character Lorelei Lee from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Just like the Barbie actor was singing his tune on a red staircase surrounded by his musical ensemble, the actress did the same when singing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” to various men in regard to exploiting them for riches. The Drive actor also wore a shocking pink suit when, while the Golden Age of Hollywood-era performer wore a shocking pink dress during her cabaret performance in the aforementioned movie. What an excellent way for him to pay tribute to a fellow scene-stealer.
As mentioned, Ryan Gosling wasn’t the only one who decided to honor Marilyn Monroe. Anyone But You’s Sydney Sweeney attended the Oscars in a classic white dress akin to the kind that Hollywood’s 1950s sex symbol was known for wearing. Take a look at Sweeney’s Instagram post down below, which her beautiful flowing white dress:
With the 26-year-old actress being quite the “blonde bombshell” herself for this generation, it's only fitting that she channeled one of the most beautiful actresses of the Golden Age. Not only does her cream-colored Marc Bouwer gown look like Marilyn Monroe’s expensive movie prop from The Seven Year Itch, but it was actually originally worn by Angelina Jolie at the 76th Academy Awards. Topping off that dress with a loosely curled sultry bob, the Euphoria star looked like a dream on the red carpet.
Last night's ceremony was all about honoring the films that hit our screens in the past year, which is wonderful. Nevertheless, the Oscars are also about honoring those who've come before and their work. It's lovely that two stars would find a way to pay tribute to Marilyn Monroe, one of the world's most beloved stars.
As Ryan Gosling and Sydney Sweeney found unique ways to honor the cultural icon at the 96th Academy Awards, I’d like to believe the classic Hollywood sex symbol would be touched if she was still here today. Hopefully, more folks continue to pay homage in such ways moving forward.
If you’d like to see the 2024 Oscar’s big wins and moments from the night, you can stream the ABC event with a Hulu subscription. Those who'd also like to see the theatrical version of Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" can stream the film with a Max subscription.
