During a recent appearance on The Today Show, former WWE superstar John Cena recalled how he was able to nab the merman role in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie.
Cena described his casting as a “happy accident,” and revealed that Oscar nominee Margot Robbie helped him get cast in the high-profile project. The pair previously worked together in 2021’s The Suicide Squad.
“In an accidental run-in with Margot Robbie, I said, ‘I will pretty much do whatever you guys need, ’cause I really enjoy the movie.’ And they asked me if I wanted to be a merman. I said yeah, sure,” he said.
Cena added, “Honestly, I think people are going to have a lot of fun watching this. I think it’s going to take a lot of people by surprise. [It’s] a very interesting take on everything but I was super lucky and it’s tremendously surreal.”
Who’s Cast of Barbie Set?
“To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken,” reads the synopsis.
Barbie is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Greta Gerwig (lady bird) from a screenplay she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. Joining Robbie and Cena are Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Kate McKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Dua Lipa and more.
The film is produced by Robbie and Tom Ackerly for LuckyChap and Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner, along with Josey McNamara and Ynon Kreiz. This marks Robbie’s latest collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures after starring as fan-favorite anti-hero Harley Quinn in 2016’s Suicide Squad, 2020’s Birds of Prey, and 2021’s The Suicide Squad.