Barbie: Fans Finally Got To See John Cena As Kenmaid In This BTS Video
So much about the "Barbie" movie is still shrouded in mystery, even though we're inching closer and closer to its official release date. We know Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are the main Barbie and Ken, respectively, and that they end up traveling to the real world and baffling those around them. We know that Simu Liu is another Ken, Michael Cera is the sidekick Allan, and Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, and many, many more play various types of Barbies. Dame Helen Mirren, incredibly, serves as the movie's narrator. There are a few people whose roles in the movie have been kept largely under wraps, like John Cena... until now.
Entertainment Weekly released a clip courtesy of Warner Bros. that finally shows us what character Cena will be playing — and it's "Kenmaid," the Ken version of Mermaid Barbie. (Mermaid Barbie is played by Dua Lipa, who also recorded an original song for the film.) In behind-the-scenes footage, Cena opens up about his role and working alongside the talented cast and writer-director Greta Gerwig. Cena told EW that he was "blown away" by Gerwig's concept and that he genuinely thinks everyone who sees the movie will enjoy it.
John Cena thinks the Barbie movie is something really special
Sitting in a trailer off-set, Cena looks pitch-perfect as Kenmaid, complete with long, flowing Farrah Fawcett locks. Adorned with wristlets, a necklace covered in shells, and sans shirt, Cena spoke eloquently about the "Barbie" movie, praising its universality.
"I think it's going to be a movie that evokes conversation," Cena says in the clip. "And I think it's going to be beautifully visually appealing. I think the audience will walk away with a mixed bag of opinions, which I think is the greatest form of entertainment. When you have one universal feel about a project, it's not like that's bad, but when people can get into a fiery debate about something, I think that's good."
Early reactions to "Barbie" have been largely positive, but if Cena is to be believed, the movie could end up being more divisive than anyone expects. Gerwig, known for her previous films "Lady Bird" and "Little Women," is nothing if not an ambitious filmmaker, and she worked on the "Barbie" script alongside her partner Noah Baumbach... so it's easy to imagine that the film takes some fairly enormous swings between the two of them. Debates are always welcome, so we'll just have to wait and see if the "Barbie" movie strikes up any major discussions.
How did John Cena get involved in the Barbie movie?
So how did former pro-wrestler and DCEU staple John Cena even get involved in the "Barbie" movie? As Cena told Today in May of this year, it had to do with the fact that the latest installment in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, "Fast X," happened to film right near Barbie's set, and he approached Robbie about filming a cameo.
"I haven't worked with Margot before," Cena said at the time. "'Fast X' was filming across the street from 'Barbie,' and [she asked], 'Why don't you do 'Barbie?' I said, 'I've been trying!' And Margot makes a lot of the decisions for that and I said, 'Well, I'll do whatever you need.'"
"I think 'Barbie' and 'Fast X' share a lot of parallels," Cena continued. "The 'Barbie' cast list is amazing. The 'Fast X' cast list is amazing. It was a chance to [say], 'Hey, would you guys be willing to have me if I could do something?'"
Obviously, the rest is history, as Cena will play a small yet perfectly cast role as the Ken equivalent of a mermaid — although until the movie releases, we still have no idea what he actually does in the movie. Considering how funny Cena has proven himself to be in recent projects, though, it seems like he's a perfect fit for Gerwig's hot pink, over-the-top, heightened Barbie world.
"Barbie" hits theaters on July 21, 2023.