We’re in the Michael Cera Renaissance and we’re listing the reasons why we can’t get enough of the actor!
Michael Cera is well-loved for the quirky, meek, and often cringey persona that has landed him several critically acclaimed roles such as Superbad, Arrested Development, Juno, and Scott Pilgrim v.s. The World. What is interesting is how years later with his recent appearance in Barbie, there seems to be a sort of rebirth of the Michael Cera era, that is a time when we relive the glory of the old days when soft and adorkable men squirmed their way into our hearts through their large or small roles on screen. So let’s explore just what makes Michael Cera so special that he warrants so much hype:
He’s “Just Allan”
Michael Cera surprised everyone and no one with his brief appearances in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie this July. What was meant to be a sarcastic commentary on the traditional gender roles that Barbie both encapsulated and broke free of, quickly became a source of humor and memes about both Ryan Gosling’s Ken and Cera’s Allan. Although Allan is by no means the protagonist of the film, he seems to steal the show in some of the scenes that he is a part of, specifically when he tried to escape Barbieland because he wasn’t fitting in with the ‘Kens.’ Michael Cera’s meek and dry humor never ceases to amaze an audience of fans who look for a more subversive take on comedy.
He Leads a Popular Cult Fanbase
If you can think of a cult classic/indie comedy from the early 2000s, you probably have few degrees of separation from a Michael Cera movie. I’m not saying he is in every movie from that era, but when I look at what he has been in, they’re all hits. The Michael Cera fanbase is so dedicated that it may even be called a subculture of its own. Fans adore the geek-charming, adorkable, and chronic virgin-self that he plays, but many believe his characters are him playing himself. His persona is what makes him so likable to fans and we love to see even more of Cera’s charm on screen, even if he is just being himself.
He is Canadian
Seriously, who knew this guy was Canadian? He even starred in a then-popular Canadian children’s show, I Was A Sixth-Grade Alien. He voiced the younger brother in Braceface as well. Who knew the beloved 2000s and 2010s actor was part of projects during his childhood that were pretty successful too?
Also take a look at this parka, clearly this man has spent some chilly winters up north and his style has adapted well to it.
He Has a Band!
Did you know our favorite guy is the lead in an indie band called The Long Goodbye and that some of his stage performances on bass guitar were actually him playing? It includes him and his Clark and Michael co-creator, Clark Duke and they make “silly, confessional, and off-the-rag ditties” for “adolescents in love” and they’re good!
Though they are no longer making music, we can still relive the glory of the 2010s through his music available on Soundcloud–where real genius is made.
He Rocks a Pair of Tight-Ass Gym Shorts
In Juno, Cera plays the meek cross-country player and Juno’s boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker. His wardrobe for this film has been the inspiration for many a couple’s Halloween costumes for his duo-chromatic red and yellow cross-country uniform. A true costume would never be complete without a pair of gym shorts so small that they truly strip one of their dignity. But look at him go! He is strutting like a model on a runway!
