"I'd beach off with this Kenadian again in a heartbeat," the actor wrote of his fellow Canada native after many fans believed Gosling snubbed him on a red carpet.
UPDATE 6:45 am PT 7/27/23
Simu Liu is setting the record straight on the viral video featuring himself and his Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling after some fans believed they shared an awkward encounter on a red carpet.
The 34-year-old actor took to his Instagram Story on Wednesday, in which he addressed the interaction, claiming that Gosling was just messing around on the red carpet. And Liu had nothing but good things to say about his co-star.
"I'd beach off with this Kenadian again in a heartbeat," he wrote alongside a photo of himself and the Canada native at the London premiere of Barbie, where the viral video was shot. "He is the best human in every way, especially when he jokes around with us on the carpet and on set, infecting all of us with his kenergy."
Liu went on to reference the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike in his post.
"Now let's get back to the issues that matter, like supporting our striking actors and writers fighting for fair wages!" he said.
ORIGINAL STORY BELOW
Barbie stars Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu had an awkward interaction on the film's press tour -- at least according to some fans online.
On Tuesday, a video of the two Canadian actors -- who both star as versions of Ken in the Margot Robbie-led comedy -- posing for photos on the pink carpet at the Barbie Toronto premiere last month has gone viral on Twitter.
An awkward moment between Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu at a #Barbie promotional event in June is going viral. https://t.co/Ktiu0ZcfSw
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 26, 2023 @PopCrave
As shown in the clip, Gosling, 42, and Liu, 34, were smiling for photographers -- standing side-by-side -- when the latter put his arm on the former's back. Gosling then looked down at Liu's arm, to which Liu asked the Oscar winner if he didn't want him to touch his back.
Gosling then asked, "Do you want to?" to which Liu replied, "It's too tender, you think?"
"Yeah, it's a little bit," Gosling responded, and the co-stars then both put their hands in their pockets.
Although the context behind the moment is unclear, some Twitter users interpreted it as Gosling snubbing Liu, and described the video as awkward, "embarrassing," and even "painful."
"Oh I'd literally never show my face again," a user wrote in popular tweet.
"This is so embarrassing," a person tweeted, while another commented, "omg this is so painful to watch."
Amy Schumer Shares Her Reaction to Barbie After Her Version of Film Fell Apart
View StorySeveral users took sides, sharing that they believed Gosling or Liu was in the wrong.
Meanwhile, some fans even compared the moment to "Spitgate" -- aka the online debate that took the internet by storm last year in which fans discussed whether or not Harry Styles spit on his Don't Worry Darling co-star, Chris Pine.
"This is Barbie's 'DID HE SPIT ON HIM??' moment," a user wrote, while another added, "the new harry styles chris pine."
However, there were also many people on Twitter who didn't seem to believe the video was awkward at all, and didn't see anything odd about Gosling and Liu's interaction.
"I mean you supposed to ask before you touch someone," a person tweeted.
"I think they were just trying to figure out how to pose together. That's all I saw," another shared.
Another user pointed out that Gosling and Liu's Kens have a rivalry in the film, and the two were just jokingly playing up their on-screen feud.
"I think it's their characters playing like they hate each other cause they are in competition with each other in the movie. It ain't that deep," a fan wrote, to which another replied, "Thank you. People read way too much into things. It's a press tour!"
See more reactions to the video in the tweets, below.
Oh I'd literally never show my face again pic.twitter.com/SoGUAsQO55
— Aidan (@aidanthereup) July 25, 2023 @aidanthereup
Ryan really said pic.twitter.com/zz4tMiDSrt
— jourdy pranata updates (@davey0v0) July 25, 2023 @davey0v0
Okay is it me or has Ryan gosling come off very arrogant for this entire press tour???
— ✨Personality Hire✨ (@capricornzn) July 25, 2023 @capricornzn
I think it’s their characters playing like they hate each other cause they are in competition with each other in the movie. It ain’t that deep
— Muse 🔮 (@cryptomuse) July 26, 2023 @cryptomuse
Thank you. People read way too much into things. It’s a press tour!
— Charmaine (@charmnsass) July 26, 2023 @charmnsass
I think they were just trying to figure out how to pose together. That's all I saw
— Ken Do11 (@KenDo11XXX) July 25, 2023 @KenDo11XXX
Really keeping it up outside the movie. pic.twitter.com/xVAtTvIfg5
— Kami Anime S (@KamiAnimeS1) July 26, 2023 @KamiAnimeS1
I mean you supposed to ask before you touch someone
— 🌬 Janus Hndrxx💨 (@mizzhndrxx) July 26, 2023 @mizzhndrxx
this is so painful to watch
— j (@yunjiniac) July 26, 2023 @yunjiniac
This is so embarrassing omg 😭
— Nip Tuck (@sensationmaraj) July 26, 2023 @sensationmaraj
the new harry styles chris pine
— scone (@ItsScone) July 26, 2023 @ItsScone
This is Barbie’s “DID HE SPIT ON HIM??” moment 😂
— ArcherAndTiger (@ArcherAndTiger) July 26, 2023 @ArcherAndTiger
Barbie is in theaters now. To see more coverage of the blockbuster film -- which has broke records at the box office -- click here.