Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu recently discussed his real-life superpower: being "unapologetically Asian."
Speaking at the 19th annual Unforgettable Gala when he received the Breakout in Film honor, Liu said, "There are so many people here tonight fighting the good fight…showing me what it means to be unapologetically Asian... The more I think about it, the more it feels like a super power." During his speech, Liu acknowledged other Asian actors who have been "fighting this war for representation, for so much longer than I have." Finally, he asked Asian talents to "show the world how f**king cool it is to be Asian."
Since appearing in Marvel Studios' blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Liu has used his platform to speak out against prejudice against Asians people and culture. In an opinion piece he wrote for Variety, published in early 2021, Liu stated, "I worry a lot about my parents these days... According to Stop AAPI Hate, a website that tracks the violence, against Asian Americans, there were over 2,800 reported cases of racism and discrimination between March 19 and Dec. 31 of last year." He then went on to write about specific instances of racism in his own life, as well as the lack of voices that the Asian community has in the U.S.
Even before being cast as Shang-Chi, Liu fought back against stereotyping and racism in other productions, including the Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, which gave him his breakout role. The actor previously revealed that on the same day he was cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was arguing on the show's set against the use of a racist joke. "I didn't want audiences to see this character playing into that joke... It was terrifying. I was on the verge of tears. It was actually a really, really rough day," Liu explained.
Liu has also gone on to reveal the bigoted environment that the Asian cast were subject to on Kim's Convenience, stating on social media, "We were a cast of Asian Canadians who had a plethora of lived experiences to draw from and offer to writers. But we were often told of the next seasons' plans mere days before we were set to start shooting... there was deliberately not a lot of leeway given to us."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings went on to be a huge critical and financial hit for Marvel Studios. A sequel is in the works, with director Destin Daniel Cretton recently stating that it is still in the development stage. The film is now available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Deadline