Simu Liu has been on a roll since headlining the Marvel blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu diversified his film resume by taking on different roles, and one of those will be in the upcoming comedy Barbie, where he plays one of multiple Kens (outside of Ryan Gosling). Playing Barbie’s boyfriend marked a striking departure from his intense Marvel role, but that’s how Liu wanted it. Now the Shang-Chi star explained what made filming the comedy film so different from his Marvel debut.
Images from Barbie have already signified that audiences are in for a fun and surreal time. The MCU star is just excited about the film as moviegoers, as evidenced by him hyping up the first trailer. Some of his hype might have to do with his experience from the set. Simu Liu called being in the upcoming meta-comedy a great “opportunity” after starring in his blockbuster Marvel debut. He couldn’t help but speak highly of the yet-to-be-released comedy, saying:
The invitation to participate [is] certainly very humbling. I’m extremely honored to have even been given the opportunity to play in that sandbox with such incredible auteurs every step of the way. [I’m honored] just getting to do something completely different than the Marvel thing and fighting, and letting it be about the dance and the color and the vibrancy of that movie.
He’s been hyping up the doll-to-screen adaptation for some time, even sharing a photo from the film’s screening. So Simu Liu is ready for audiences to see all the fun and excitement he and his costars got into during the upcoming comedy.
While viewers got a peek at his Ken in the first trailer, Liu recalled working on the upcoming comedy being “so much fun.” The MCU star broke down to People what made every day of shooting worth returning to the set.
The dancing, the laughing, all of that. That was every single day for us on set. So now to finally see that in a work form is actually surreal because we just felt like we were having fun the whole time.
Of course, the Kim’s Convenience alum is excited for audiences to see his sweet dance moves. He did enjoy “keep the audience guessing,” as the teaser trailer gave moviegoers a peek into what Barbieland had to offer. Simu Liu did hint at another trailer dropping before the movie hits theaters. He has been showing fans why his Ken might rival Gosling, including the roller rink photo from his girlfriend and his shirtless appearance in Savage X Fenty Vol. 4. The Greta Gerwig feature will premiere in cinemas on July 21.
Along with Barbie, Simu Liu will appear in two other new movie releases in 2023. He’s gearing up to secure his leading man status with the upcoming romance film One True Loves, which hits theaters on April 4. He will also star alongside Avatar 2’s Sam Worthington and Jordana Brewster in the thriller Hello Stranger. Until those movies arrive, you can watch Liu take down the Dweller-in-Darkness in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings through a Disney+ subscription.
