Simu Liu explains why he auditioned for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie
Liu's agent called Gerwig's Barbie script the best he'd ever read
There’s a reason everyone in Hollywood is signing up for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. In a new interview with GQ, Simu Liu revealed his own involvement was all due to the strength of the script, which an agent recommended as one of the best he’d ever read.
The Marvel hero explained that while on a group call with his entire team of representatives, a “junior agent” chimed in to advocate for Barbie. “He literally said this verbatim,” Liu told the outlet. “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 clearly heeded the advice, submitting a self-taped audition (as did everyone else in the star-studded cast besides Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling). When he later met the director in person, he recalled, “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.”
When Liu shared that he had been on a competitive hip-hop dance team in college, Gerwig “audibly guffawed, she giggle-screamed—and then I got the part.”
He called making Gerwig laugh on set “the best feeling in the world,” adding: “If you’re an asshole on a Greta Gerwig set, there’s no hope for you.” However, he kept mum on details about the movie and his role. The Shang-Chi star said only that the movie is “wild” and “incredibly unique.” He teased: “I wish I could just show you what we do day to day because it’s crazy.”
He did confirm one crucial detail for GQ: though the film isn’t a musical, Liu will be employing those dance skills. Barbie is shaping up to be quite the spectacle!