Simu Liu eyes Bollywood after showcasing dance moves in ‘Barbie’

The actor reunites with Awkwafina and John Cena in the upcoming Prime Video comedy ‘Jackpot!’

• Eastern Eye
• 17 August, 2024

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By: Eastern Eye

HOLLYWOOD star Simu Liu, known for his breakthrough role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, hopes that his dancing skills showcased in Barbie will open doors to Bollywood. Liu, who played the role of Rival Ken in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 blockbuster, expressed his strong desire to be part of a Bollywood film.

In an interview with PTI, Liu shared his enthusiasm, saying, “I think I’ve made my intentions very, very clear. I would love to be in a Bollywood movie.” The actor, who often sparred with Ryan Gosling’s Beach Ken in Barbie and participated in a memorable dance-off, hopes this experience will serve as an audition for Bollywood opportunities.

In Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s 2023 summer blockbuster, the actor played Rival Ken who often sparred with Ryan Gosling’s Beach Ken. They also have a dance-off on the popular song I’m Just Ken.

“Hopefully, my work in Barbie is an appropriate audition for Bollywood because there’s a lot that we have in common, a lot of music and dance numbers. I would love to come to India. So I’m putting that out in the universe and hopefully, the universe will give me something back,” the 35-year-old said.

Written by Rob Yescombe and directed by Paul Feig, the filmmaker behind hits such as Bridesmaids, The Heat, and A Simple Favor, Jackpot! revolves around Awkwafina’s character Katie, a struggling actor new in a near future California. After Katie wins a lottery, the public is after her life because of a rule that allows the person who kills her to claim all the winning money.

In the comedy, Liu plays Louis Lewis, a character whom he described as a “slick and charming” guy who is also “very enterprising and backstabby”. Lewis befriends Katie and Cena’s Noel with the intention to kill them and take away the money.

“I do think an actor playing a villain is allowed to go to more places and have a little bit more fun. I definitely had a lot of fun on this one and the experience of working with Awkwafina… (again) It felt just like an awesome reunion of sorts and getting to face off against John is… What can I say? Like a childhood dream of mine,” he said.

Liu and Cena, a popular name in the WWE pantheon, closely worked with stunt coordinator James Young who helped them use their physicality to deliver a convincing performance.

“John and I really take this stuff seriously. We geeked out in the preparation process, all of the rehearsals and kind of running choreography in between takes. He’s such a student of life and I appreciated working with him.”

The actor worked with Cena on “Barbie” but they didn’t have any scenes together. Liu, however, got to know that Cena would have a cameo as a Mermaid Ken in the film, an idea that tickled him.

“He shot his cameo with Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie and (him as) Mermaid Ken probably on a soundstage somewhere on his own. When we were shooting it, we were looking at the laser pointer dots in the distance.

“We had no idea what we were looking at and we were just told that it would be John Cena dressed in a mermaid outfit. That was pretty great for imagination, but I didn’t actually get to see him,” he said.

Liu shot to fame with Canadian TV sitcom Kim’s Convenience and went on to solidify his stardom as Marvel hero Shang-Chi, a role he hopes to reprise in future. (PTI)