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Simu Liu took 'Barbie' role after an agent convinced him it's one of the best scripts he'd ever read

May 16, 2022, 18:14 IST
Simu Liu took 'Barbie' role after an agent convinced him it's one of the best scripts he'd ever readInsider
Simu Liu at the 2022 Oscars.Mike Coppola/Getty Images
  • "Shang-Chi" star Simu Liu said his agent thought "Barbie" was one of the best scripts he's ever read.
  • Liu told GQ that a junior agent said he would "stake" his career on it to persuade the actor to do it.
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"Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings" star Simu Liu said that a junior agent persuaded him to audition for Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," saying it's one of the best scripts he's ever read.

The upcoming movie has been highly anticipated due to the multiple stars in the cast, such as Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Will Ferrell. Much of the movie has been kept under wraps, including Liu's role, but the Marvel actor told GQ how he got involved with the movie.

During a group call with his team, a junior agent spoke up about "Barbie," encouraging him to consider the script.

"He literally said this verbatim," Liu recalled. "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.'"

Liu added that he auditioned, but had to meet Gerwig in person before he was given the role. He impressed the director by mentioning that he was involved in a competitive hip-hop dance team at university.

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"Greta was talking 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 said. "She audibly guffawed, she giggle-screamed – and then I got the part."

Liu added later that making Gerwig laugh on the "Barbie" set was "the best feeling in the world."

"When you're doing a scene and it's working, you hear, 'HAHAHAHA!' from the video village," he said and imitated Gerwig's laughter. "If you're an a------ on a Greta Gerwig set, there's no hope for you."

"Barbie," which premieres in theaters in July 2023, also stars "SNL" comedian Kate McKinnon and three actors from Netflix's "Sex Education" — Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, and Connor Swindells. Robbie and Gosling will play the two leads, Barbie and Ken.

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