Simu Liu is teasing the deeper and important messages in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Barbie movie. Based on Mattel's iconic fashion doll brand, Barbie has quickly become one of the most compelling projects of the new year, and a highly anticipated release. Set to hit theaters on July 21, 2023, not much is known about the film, other than its large ensemble cast highlighted by Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Ncuti Gatwa, Alexandra Shipp, Issa Rae, and Liu.

Audiences got to see some of the movie's cast in the Barbie teaser trailer, and were given a sense of its tone, but Liu is sharing that there is a lot more to it. Vanity Fair reports that the actor revealed Gerwig was "very conscientious" about who was cast in the film and teased that in some of its dance sequences, he saw a diverse group of people. He added that one of its main messages is that anyone can "embody what it means to be a Barbie or a Ken." Read Liu's comments regarding the deeper ideas presented in Barbie below:

"I remember very clearly about some of our big intricate dance sequences. Greta was very, very conscientious about who she cast. We were able to cast people of different shapes, sizes, differently abled, to all participate in this dance—all under this message of: You don’t have to be blonde, white, or X, Y, Z in order to embody what it means to be a Barbie or a Ken... It’s really about finding your inner beauty and owning that part of yourself and being the best possible version of you."

Related: Greta Gerwig's Barbie Movie Can Fix Mattel's Feminism Problem

How Barbie Could Exceed Expectations

Margot Robbie Winking in sparkly outfit in Barbie

A talking point surrounding the upcoming film has been the inclusion of alternate Barbies and Kens. While Robbie and Gosling will appear as the main versions of the characters, Liu, Gatwa, and Rae are all reportedly playing variants, along with Kingsley Ben-Adir and Hari Nef. Having different actors portraying Barbie and Ken is another example of the diversity that audiences can expect to see. Liu spoke highly of his time on set, sharing what it was like getting to work with the movie's cast and crew, and previously revealed how fun the experience was, likening it to being around friends.

Robbie, who also produced the film, has talked about how it will be different from any preconceived notions, and with so little known about it, there are a lot of possible scenarios Barbie could explore. Gerwig has found success with Lady Bird and Little Women, both of which earned her Academy Award nominations, and with Noah Baumbach co-writing Barbie, audiences have high expectations for its story. When it comes to box office predictions, because the movie's release coincides with that of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, discourse surrounding which will be more successful has been ongoing.

Backed by a large and growing fanbase, Barbie has been getting a lot of attention, and after the recent release of its teaser trailer, the anticipation has only increased. It will be interesting to see how the film meets or defies current expectations, and what audiences take away from its messages. It is easy to imagine how daunting of a task the project was, but all the comments from Liu and other cast members suggest it will be worth the hype. As its release approaches, more details concerning Barbie are sure to be revealed.

Next: Yes! Barbie Movie's Multiple Barbies & Kens Story Is PerfectSource: Vanity Fair

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