We Love You, Ryan Gosling, But We’re Really Here for John Cena as Kenmaid

We are only a week away from the July 21 debut of the Barbie movie. As a lifelong Barbie fanatic, this movie is a long time coming. I’m all about the over-the-top popcorn buckets. I am LOVING the coordinated Barbie-themed outfits at the theater premieres. The dedication of the cast and crew of Barbie already signals that the movie will be great.

As much as we all love Barbie herself, Ken is also in the movie. Although I am enjoying Ryan Gosling’s commitment to the himbo Kenergy, there was another Ken I was waiting to see. This Ken isn’t just another beach doll. No, he swims majestically under the sea alongside Mermaid Barbie and his name is Kenmaid. Promotional pictures of Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie were out months ago, but we are just now getting our first glimpse of John Cena in his Kenmaid costume.

Kenmaid is the best Ken

Sorry, regular Ken, but Kenmaid is the best Ken you can get. He’s got all of Ken’s basic attributes, plus he has fins! I’m one of those people who has been obsessed with mermaids their entire lives. I always wondered why Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid didn’t swap his legs for fins. It just made more sense. So obviously, mermaid Ken is my favorite. The name Kenmaid just makes him that much better.

John Cena’s casting as Kenmaid is also a gift. Cena rose to fame as a WWE wrestler in his signature jorts. Since those days in the early 2000s, he has become beloved by many fans outside of the wrestling world. Cena successfully crossed over into films like the Fast and the Furious franchise which helped him build a wider fanbase. As the titular character in the Peacemaker series, Cena brought surprising depth and vulnerability to the character. Between his interviews and setting the record for most wishes granted at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he just comes across as being a cool dude.

For a while the internet has known John Cena would appear in the movie as a Ken. Yet as many times as I’ve watched the Barbie trailers, John Cena has not popped up. I don’t blame Warner Bros., I would want to keep it under wraps too. Warner Bros. surprised fans with a behind-the-scenes video on YouTube (which has since been deleted) which finally showed Cena in costume. He’s shirtless, with a seashell necklace and flowing blonde hair. I don’t even need to see the fin to know that it will be perfect. I trust Cena to do his magic and make Kenmaid come to life better than my dreams ever could.

(featured image: Warner Bros.)