Simu Liu Shares How They Made the Kens Look “Poreless” and “Plastic” in ‘Barbie’

Liu says Ken embodies “dumb masculinity” in that he’s very enthusiastic with “not a lot of brain power, but a lot of flexing and puffed up chests.” Naturally, the conversation veered into speaking of Liu’s own chest, as the actor detailed the extensive waxing he underwent for the movie to obtain the perfectly coiffed Ken look.

“We got waxed two times [over filming],” says Liu. “I had never been waxed before at that point, but I was told that it lasts a few weeks which is good because it was one of the most painful experiences of my life and I don’t think I could do that on a weekly basis.” The second wax was necessary because the hair on his legs started growing back “which was rough, I’m not gonna lie to you.”

Gosling revealed last year that he underwent spray tans for his look, and while Liu didn’t partake in those, he did need a perfectly even body complexion. “We had this kind of body paint that we applied to all over our exposed skin because there’s this notion of, ‘Well, Kens aren’t human so … Kens can’t break out because there’s no pores,’” he explains. “We had to look glossy and plastic and there was a lot of body paint applied every single day.” (While Liu didn’t specify the product used, we’re thinking the said “body paint” is something akin to Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs.)

While Ken is eye candy — with his hair perfectly quaffed and clear skin — Liu adds that a solid skin-care regimen was the basis of his look. “Skin care is very important before and after the makeup,” says Liu. “I really got to get into a skin-care routine over the course of this movie: the cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer. At the end of every day, it was just really, really important for Kens to keep that up.”

And it turns out Liu has great taste — his go-to brand is a favorite of Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, and Meghan Markle. “Look, right now I’m all about Tatcha,” says Liu. “The Rice Wash, I’m here for all of it! [It] feels great. I’ve gotten like three pimples [overall] since I started using it. This is not sponsored, I swear to God, I’m just a big fan. I’m just admiring from afar.”