Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) wished his Barbie co-star John Cena a Happy Birthday. However, he did so while paying homage to an iconic WWE meme.
He took to X on April 22 (a day early) to wish Cena a Happy Birthday. Liu, whose birthday is just three days prior, reminisced about being on set and celebrating their birthdays together. That resulted in film sets splurging on an “extra-dope food truck” for the two.
“Happy birthday to the one and only @JohnCena!” his post began. “I miss our chats, shooting with you, and having our birthdays close enough together that production splurges on an extra-dope food truck.
“I never thought I could love someone who I couldn't actually see, but here we are!” Liu's post concluded.
In the post, Liu has his arm around thin air — an obvious nod to the “You Can't See Me” meme. Liu's NBA Celebrity All-Star Game jersey can also be seen in the background.
John Cena, who is celebrating his forty-seventh birthday on April 23, first gained notoriety for being the face of WWE for years. He did dip his toe into acting while in the WWE, appearing in their in-house studio films such as The Marine and 12 Rounds. However, it wouldn't be until the mid-2010s that Cena's Hollywood career took off.
Roles in Trainwreck, Sisters, and the Daddy's Home series helped launch Cena into a new stratosphere. He'd also appear in comedies such as Blockers and Vacation Friends while also starring in major tentpole franchise flicks like Bumblebee, the Fast and Furious franchise, and The Suicide Squad.
Additionally, Cena got to lead his own DCEU series, Peacemaker, after The Suicide Squad. He has also had roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Argylle, and Ricky Stanicky.
In Barbie, both Liu and Cena play a variation of Ken. The former is the Tourist Ken whilst the latter is the Kenmaid (a merman).
Who is Simu Liu?
Simu Liu got his start appearing in episodes of Nikita, Warehouse 13, and Mayday. His film debut came in 2013 with his role in Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim. From there, he landed a leading role in Blood and Water and a recurring one in the TV series adaptation of Taken.
His TV career would continue to excel as he landed a starring role in Kim's Convenience. He starred in the comedy series alongside Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang, and Andrew Phung from 2016-21. Liu also landed a leading role in Yappie and will star in SevenWonders coming up.
After almost a decade away from the big screen, Liu made his return in the MCU's 2021 film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu starred in the title role of the film. The MCU film grossed over $430 million at the box office.
That opened a lot of doors for Liu. He would subsequently appear in One True Loves, Simulant, and Barbie. In 2024, Liu starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in Arthur the King for Lionsgate. He will also star in the upcoming Netflix sci-fi film Atlas starring Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown, and Mark Strong.
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