Simu Liu reveals 'painful' experience of waxing his whole body for Margot Robbie's Barbie movie

You can't be a Barbie girl — or a Barbie boy — in a Barbie world with body hair.

Simu Liu, who stars opposite Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Greta Gerwig's upcoming live-action Barbie movie, has revealed that his mystery role in the project required full-body waxing and a high pain tolerance.

"Waxing has been an education to say the least," he told The Independent in an interview published Tuesday. "It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I have such a newfound admiration for the incredibly brave women who go through this on a monthly basis."

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Simu Liu reveals the 'painful' experience of waxing his entire body for Margot Robbie's 'Barbie' movie

The publication noted that the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star was on a break from filming the movie during the conversation, noting that he was dressed "in what looks like a designer bowling shirt" with his hair "styled into a fluffy quiff," though his character has yet to be revealed.

Liu went on to tease the movie's plot, referencing internet chatter that has thrust wild theories about the story — which Gerwig worked on with her longtime partner, Noah Baumbach — into the ether.

"Honestly, the discourse online is giving me life," Liu said. "With every casting announcement or bit of news, they're like: 'What is this?' And that's perfect — the less you know about it, the better."

Liu previously told EW that Gerwig's cast — also including America Ferrera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, and Will Ferrell — is one of the "coolest" groups of actors working on a major picture in Hollywood.

Warner Bros. Margot Robbie as Barbie in 'Barbie'

"Greta's such a special filmmaker," he said in an interview tied to his memoir, When We Were Dreamers. "I can't wait to see it all come together and for the world to see. Because I know there's a lot of question marks! Everyone's like, 'What is this Barbie movie?' When people say 'Barbie movie,' they feel like they know what it's going to be like. But with every casting announcement and the announcement of Greta Gerwig, I think we've been raising a lot of eyebrows. But without giving away anything about the script, I'll just say that it's one of the best things I've ever read."

Barbie is slated to hit theaters on July 21, 2023.

Hear more on all of today's must-see picks on EW's What to Watch podcast, hosted by Gerrad Hall.

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