Barbie and Shang-Chi Actor Simu Liu Reveals What’s More Difficult Than Keeping Marvel Secrets (Exclusive)

Barbie has assembled one of the most star-studded ensembles in recent memory. The live-action adaptation of the iconic toy line is fronted by Academy Award nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling while is bolstered by a supporting ensemble that includes Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, and more. Among that supporting cast is is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu. Barbie represents Liu’s biggest role since joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the blossoming actor is already seeing the parallels between the blockbuster productions.

Speaking to ComicBook.com’s Jamie Jirak, Liu noted that his Barbie role as one of the various Kens was shrouded in secrecy when he first signed on.

“I wasn’t even allowed to say who I was playing for the longest time,” Liu recalled. “I think everyone knew that Margot was Barbie and that, and that Ryan was Ken. The whole thing about the Barbie Land and the Barbies and the Kens, plural, was quite a bit of a secret and it was in many ways, it actually was more secretive than some of the Marvel stuff. I don’t wanna jump the gun on that too much because I’m sure there’s stuff down the line that I’ll just be so not at liberty to talk about at all.”

Liu added that like Marvel projects, he has been fascinated to follow how movie-goers took in Barbie as news surrounding it was first surfacing.

“What has been really cool is tracking the general public’s just impressions of this movie. When the casting first came out and then when you know, when Issa was announced and then Will was announced. And all of these incredible actors just kept getting announced every single day and it was great watching the world just like, ‘What is this movie? We’re dying to know!’” Liu continued. “It’s just so cool now to be at a point where we’re just about ready to share it with the world. I can’t wait for them to see it. There’s no real way to do it justice without actually seeing it.”

Barbie hits theaters on July 21st.

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hits theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.