“Barbie” fans in Alabama recently had a chance to say “Hi, Ken!” when one of the stars of the movie was spotted in Birmingham.

Actor Simu Liu, the Marvel breakout who displays plenty of “Kenergy” in the summer blockbuster, paid a visit to the Uptown location of Santos Coffee, according to social media posts from the coffee shop. Liu, who delighted audiences with his dance moves in the film, can be seen in photos posted Tuesday on Instagram and Facebook, posing with staffers at the shop.

“Excited and honored to have the amazing celebrity @SimuLiu visit our Uptown store!,” Santos Coffee says in its posts. “Your presence brightened our day, Thanks for stopping by! #UptownStoreVIP #SimuLiuVisit #GratefulForSupport

Although Ryan Gosling portrays the primary Ken in “Barbie,” there are actually several versions of Ken in the film. Liu’s Ken emerges as a rival to Gosling’s Ken, especially when they compete at the beach or on the dance floor. Along with his on-screen charm, Liu has earned kudos for executing a backflip in the movie.

Liu, 34, has been a recognizable figure in the entertainment world, starring in Marvel’s 2021 “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” His role in “Barbie” has upped his public profile significantly, however, and turned the Canadian actor into a sensation.

“Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, has topped the box office this summer, earning more than $1.28 billion worldwide, according to Warner Bros. As of Wednesday, “Barbie” will have grossed more than $574 million in the United States, according to Deadline.

So why was Liu in Birmingham? It’s unclear exactly when he showed up at Santos Coffee near the BJCC campus, although the social media posts appeared on Tuesday.

We do know, however, that the actor was in town over the weekend for KultureBALL, an event benefiting KultureCity. Liu is a board member for KultureCity, a nonprofit organization based in Vestavia Hills.

For the past two years, Liu has been in attendance at KultureBALL, described by KultureCity as “our annual star studded event where celebrity and philanthropy walk hand in hand to promote acceptance, sensory inclusion and raise funds for programs benefiting individuals with sensory needs and invisible disabilities like PTSD, autism, dementia, Down Syndrome just to name a few.”

In 2022, Liu highlighted KultureBALL on Instagram, and posted photos of himself at the event with other attendees, including KultureCity founder Julian Maha, actor Jason Chan and Alabama native Channing Tatum. Tatum was honored as advocate of the year in August 2022 at KultureBALL.

This year’s KultureBALL was held on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Birmingham’s Boutwell Auditorium, with Ludacris as the entertainment headliner. As of Tuesday, Liu hadn’t mentioned the 2023 event on social media. However, fan accounts such as @simuliuupdates have posted photos and videos of him on stage at KultureBALL, touting the organization and its achievements.

Guy Rawlings, an anchor and reporter for WVTM-TV in Birmingham, also posted on Facebook that Liu was at KultureBALL this year, along with former NBA players Dominique Wilkins (KultureCity’s board chairman) and Dwight Howard. Zack Clayton, a professional wrestler, was on hand, as well.