"Gael Garcia Bernal made Fergie’s National Anthem seem like Whitney Houston in her prime," tweeted one user about his performance of the Oscar-nominated "Coco" song.
"Coco" may be one of the most beloved films of the year, a big winner at 90th Academy Awards, but that doesn't mean it's beyond criticism. Oscar fans were not at all impressed with the live performance of "Remember Me" from the film, particularly because of Gael Garcia Bernal's role in it.
Bernal performed alongside Miguel and Natalia LaFourcade for the live performance, but they are singers and he is an actor. In fact, him not being a singer is significant for the song and the performance -- his character is a songwriter, not a singer in the film -- but that didn't come across satisfactorily to viewers at home. All they saw was a man not quite nailing it on stage as well as his fellow performers. And that was putting it much kinder than many on Twitter did.
The actor admitted to Entertainment Weekly to feeling the nerves prior to his performance. "Oh man, I’m beyond [nervous]. Thanks for reminding me," he said. "I never imagined I would be singing at the Oscars, at all, like ever in my life." After the response he received to his first time, he may never again.
Below are some of the most scathing reviews of Bernal's performance, along with a few who threw him their support and appreciation.
I love Coco, I love the song Remember Me, and I love Gael Garcia Bernal... but why on earth did they have him sing that song?!? Sweetie, no. #oscars
— Snark Llama (@SnarkLlama) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal made Fergie’s Nation Anthem seem like Whitney Houston in her prime
— Brett Anderson (@BAnderson3737) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal really shouldn't have been asked to sing after Mary J. Blige destroyed at the #Oscars. Or really ever. (but points for gamely trying!)
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) March 5, 2018
Let the record show: I liked Gael Garcia Bernal’s earnest singing. #Oscars #Oscars2018
— Robert Hernandez (@webjournalist) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal's performance in 'Amores Perros' > Almost everything every other actor has done > Things that are just OK > Taxes > Ebola> Gael Garcia Bernal singing 'Remember Me'
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) March 5, 2018
Me: Nothing music-related in the movies has ever been worse than Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia.
— Charlie Toft (@CharlieToft) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal: Hold my Corona.
"There is literally nothing Gael Garcia Bernal could do to make himself unattractive."
— Kevin Fallon (@kpfallon) March 5, 2018
[Gael Garcia Bernal starts singing.]
"About what I said earlier..."
Gael Garcia Bernal singing Remember Me live at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/9u1Njj4hh8
— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) March 5, 2018
I wish I could sing like Gael Garcia Bernal. Oh wait, I can.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) March 5, 2018
turns out I can sing as well as Gael Garcia Bernal and dress as well as the production design guy who wore tennis shoes and sunglasses
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal is so cute I don’t even care that he can’t sing. #Oscars
— Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) March 5, 2018
Seriously what the hell was that with Gael Garcia Bernal
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal is an actor. Not a singer. That was kinda painful... pic.twitter.com/at9J4R6GwN
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) March 5, 2018
Gael sounded the way a toothy blowjob feels. #Oscars
— Phillip Henry (@MajorPhilebrity) March 5, 2018
gael garcia bernal cannot: sing
— amy brown (@arb) March 5, 2018
gael garcia bernal can: get it
I will hear zero complaints about gael garcia’s singing because that was ~*literally*~ the point of his character, hector was a songwriter not a singer that’s why he teamed up with ernesto in the first place pls and thank
— Mariana Avila✨ (@marianaavilal) March 5, 2018
"There is literally nothing Gael Garcia Bernal could do to make himself unattractive."
— Kevin Fallon (@kpfallon) March 5, 2018
[Gael Garcia Bernal starts singing.]
"About what I said earlier..."
Gael Garcia Bernal’s hotness cannot save this trainwreck of a vocal performance
— steven j. horowitz (@speriod) March 5, 2018
Someone just asked if Gael can sing, to which I say, DOES IT MATTER LOOK AT HIM. #Oscars
— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) March 5, 2018
That was a great American Idol audition from Gael Garcia Bernal
— Dazed (@Dazed) March 5, 2018
Gael these vocals........ #Oscars pic.twitter.com/aIMqkDpDhO
— Phillip Henry (@MajorPhilebrity) March 5, 2018
I love Gael Garcia Bernal but watching him sing live is career suicide. How did this make it to air? #Oscars
— Nigel M. Smith (@nigelmfs) March 5, 2018
Gael García Bernal looked so handsome singing Remember The Key.#Oscars
— Emerson Collins (@ActuallyEmerson) March 5, 2018
Gael Garcia Bernal singing is the cutest most awkward g.d. thing I've ever seen #Oscars90
— Meredith Blake (@MeredithBlake) March 5, 2018
Live shot of me watching Gael Garcia Bernal singing Remember Me. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/vmCZWrhgSG
— Dan Riley (@ThreeColumnsArt) March 5, 2018
view photos
Getty
2018 Academy Awards: Every Look from the Red Carpet
