Simu Liu Waxed His Entire Body for 'Barbie': "It Was the Most Painful Experience of My Life"

If you’ve ever had your armpits, legs, upper lip, or bikini line waxed, you’re well aware it’s not necessarily an enjoyable experience. And thanks to his new gig as a Ken doll in the upcoming Barbie movie, Simu Liu can empathize. He kicked his grooming routine into high gear ahead of filming by getting his full body waxed—no hair left behind. 

“Waxing has been an education to say the least,” the Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings actor told The Independent in a recent interview. “It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I have a new admiration for the incredibly brave women who go through this on a monthly basis.” 

Getting his body in a hairless state might not be the only way Liu is prepping for the movie. In early February, the Marvel actor took to Instagram to debut a new platinum blonde hairstyle. “Sorry ma pls don’t kill me,” he captioned a shirtless selfie. While some very perceptive followers guessed the new look was for a gig, news that Liu was officially joining the cast didn’t break until a few weeks later. 

Very little is known about the movie, but according to an interview Liu did with GQ last month, it’s “incredibly unique” and “wild.” He also spilled that the main reason he decided to go for the role was thanks to a rave review from his agent. “He [my agent] literally said this verbatim,” Liu said. “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 isn’t the only big name in Barbie. Margot Robbie has the leading role and Ryan Gosling has been tapped to play the main Ken doll. A first look of Robbie in character was released earlier this year—and it effectively broke the internet. We have yet to see a glimpse of Gosling dressed as Ken, but rest assured, we’re anxiously awaiting an image. Barbie is set to be released on July 23, 2023.