Simu Liu Auditioned For 'Barbie' Role On The Advice Of Agent Who Loved The Script

Simu Liu rose to prominence as an actor in the popular series Kim's Convenience and then as Shang Chi in Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings." The Canadian actor is returning to screens once again in Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" live-action film. 

During an interview with GQ magazine, Liu revealed how he got involved with the highly anticipated movie and said that a junior agent convinced him to audition for the whole, insisting that it was a fantastic script and perfect for him.

The movie has been kept a big secret, and the only things fans know for sure are the stars, such as Liu, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Will Ferrel. So, Liu's little reveals are very much appreciated. Read on to find out what else he said about the film and his experience on set.

Liu revealed that he knew very little about Gerwig's "Barbie" but agreed to audition for his role on the advice of a junior agent at his management company. The junior agent spoke up about the script during a group call and encouraged him to consider the film.

Liu recalled the call for GQ and said, "He literally said this verbatim. He was like, 'If I could stake my career on any one script, it's the "Barbie" script. I really think you should do it.'"

With the insistence of the junior agent, Liu took a look at the script, and he certainly must have liked what he saw because it convinced him to audition for a role in the movie.

With his decision made, Liu sent in a self-tape audition, which was apparently so good that Gerwig requested a meeting with him. Liu revealed that during the meeting, the famous director spoke about "how much she loved watching men dance, because it's such an expression of artistry you're not used to seeing from typical men."

Liu saw this as an in for him and told Gerwig about his history as a competitive hip-hop dance team member while he was at university. Gerwig loved his story, and she was sold on giving him the role.

He said the 38-year-old director of the iconic film "Little Women" "audibly guffawed, she giggle-screamed – and then I got the part." However, with how secretive the cast and crew of the film are, fans don't know what exactly Liu's role in the film is.

Liu did give fans some breadcrumbs about the film during his GQ interview. He described the movie as "incredibly unique" and "wild." He also said he wished he "could just show you what we do day-to-day because it's crazy." 

One fact fans do know about "Barbie" is that it is not a musical. However, Liu did reveal that he has had many dance rehearsals for his role. So, it might not be a full musical, but fans might get a few classic Barbie performances. Liu also teased what it has been like as an actor on a Greta Gerwig project. 

"When you're doing a scene and it's working, you hear, 'HAHAHAHA!' It's the best feeling in the world," Liu said and imitated Gerwig's laughter. He continued, "If you're an asshole on a Greta Gerwig set, there's no hope for you." Later on in the interview, he added that making Gerwig laugh on set was "the best feeling in the world."

"Barbie" has a pretty impressive cast. It includes actors like Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, and SNL comedian Kate McKinnon. The only actors whose roles are confirmed are Robbie and Gosling, who play the lead roles of Barbie and Ken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFehbO6ex0A

Gerwig serves as co-writer alongside Noah Baumbach and as a director on the film, which is still filming and under production. Fans got their first image reveal from the film at the 2022 CinemaCon. 

The image quickly became viral on social media and was of Robbie in the iconic Barbie pink convertible, smiling broadly while wearing a polka dot headband. The movie is set to premiere in July 2023.