You'd be hard-pressed to find a name with more Hollywood buzz behind it than the massive star-power currently wielded by Toronto's very own stock photo model-turned Marvel superhero, Simu Liu.
Next, our 2022 JUNO Awards host is set to rub elbows with some major household names in Greta Gerwig's live-action Barbie movie, wherein he stars alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Michael Cera and Will Ferrell.
In a new interview for GQ, Liu offered an explanation for his decision to audition for the star-studded project, as well as what won him the role.
The actor recalls having been on a group call with his whole team, who were pitching him myriad big-budget studio projects he was being given an opportunity to star in following the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Despite having his pick of the pack, none of the films really stood out to him — until a junior agent decided to interject.
"He literally said this verbatim," Liu told the publication. "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.'"
The actor took the prodigy's chutzpah to heart: the Kim's Convenience star auditioned for the film, and apparently made Gerwig laugh, which he credits with helping him lock down the role. His other secret weapon? A background in competitive hip-hop dancing.
Since Ken is already spoken for by Gosling, we don't know much about Liu's yet-to-be-disclosed role in Barbie — but it will reportedly involve a lot of dancing. The director found it both kismet and hilarious that the actor had danced competitively.
"She audibly guffawed; she giggle-screamed," he recalled, "and then I got the part."
Some things are just meant to be.
Liu is currently on tour promoting his memoir We Were Dreamers, which comes out tomorrow (May 17).
Next, our 2022 JUNO Awards host is set to rub elbows with some major household names in Greta Gerwig's live-action Barbie movie, wherein he stars alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Michael Cera and Will Ferrell.
In a new interview for GQ, Liu offered an explanation for his decision to audition for the star-studded project, as well as what won him the role.
The actor recalls having been on a group call with his whole team, who were pitching him myriad big-budget studio projects he was being given an opportunity to star in following the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Despite having his pick of the pack, none of the films really stood out to him — until a junior agent decided to interject.
"He literally said this verbatim," Liu told the publication. "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.'"
The actor took the prodigy's chutzpah to heart: the Kim's Convenience star auditioned for the film, and apparently made Gerwig laugh, which he credits with helping him lock down the role. His other secret weapon? A background in competitive hip-hop dancing.
Since Ken is already spoken for by Gosling, we don't know much about Liu's yet-to-be-disclosed role in Barbie — but it will reportedly involve a lot of dancing. The director found it both kismet and hilarious that the actor had danced competitively.
"She audibly guffawed; she giggle-screamed," he recalled, "and then I got the part."
Some things are just meant to be.
Liu is currently on tour promoting his memoir We Were Dreamers, which comes out tomorrow (May 17).
