Honestly, it feels like forever ago that we all sat in theaters watching a guy do parkour on a San Francisco bus. But it's only been a few years since Simu Liu officially became a household name. He was the guy. The lead. The star of Marvel's first film with an Asian-led cast, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
A lot has changed since 2021.
People love to talk about the "Marvel formula," but what Simu did wasn't just about hitting marks or wearing spandex. It was a massive cultural shift. Before he was Xu Shang-Chi, he was an accountant at Deloitte who got fired. Seriously. He's joked about it a million times. He was basically at rock bottom, searching Craigslist for extra work, and somehow ended up as a literal Avenger.
The Hustle Behind the Hero
You've probably seen the memes. Simu Liu, smiling in a crisp dress shirt, pointing at a laptop or shaking hands in a boardroom. Those aren't AI-generated. They're real stock photos he did for a quick $120 back in the day.
It’s hilarious now, but it speaks to the grind.
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When Marvel announced they were looking for a Shang-Chi, Simu didn't wait for a call. He tweeted at them. "Hey @Marvel, great job with Cpt. America and Thor. Now how about an Asian American hero?" he wrote in 2014. Then he did it again in 2018. Talk about manifesting your destiny. Most people think getting cast in a $200 million movie is about having the right agent, and sure, that helps. But for Liu, it was years of working on Kim's Convenience and doing his own stunts in Canadian indie projects that paved the way.
He wasn't a martial arts master when he got the part, either.
He knew some taekwondo and could do a backflip—which he practiced for months just to look cool—but the "Master of Kung Fu" title required a level of training most humans would quit after day one. We’re talking Krav Maga, Muay Thai, Tai Chi, and Wushu. He put on 10 pounds of muscle. He did the work because he knew the world was watching.
Why Shang-Chi Was a Turning Point
Before Shang-Chi, Asian characters in superhero movies were usually the sidekick or the tech genius. Or the guy who dies in the first ten minutes to show the villain is serious.
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Marvel’s first Asian-led film changed the math.
The movie pulled in $432 million during a pandemic. That's a huge deal. It proved that audiences—not just Asian audiences, but everyone—wanted to see these stories. But recently, Simu has been pretty vocal about a "backslide" in Hollywood.
Just a few weeks ago, in late 2025, he went on Threads to call out the industry. He basically said that while Asian-led films like Everything Everywhere All At Once and Crazy Rich Asians were massive hits, studios still treat Asian actors as "risky." He pointed out a pretty stinging double standard: a white actor can lead two $200 million flops and still get another lead role, but Asian actors are often fighting for scraps.
It sucks. It really does.
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But it’s why he stays relevant. He isn’t just happy to be there; he’s kicking the door open for the next person.
What’s Next for Simu Liu?
If you're wondering where he's been, he’s been busy. Like, "no sleep" busy.
- Avengers: Doomsday (2026): He’s officially back. He’ll be sharing the screen with Robert Downey Jr. (who is back as Doom, which is still wild to think about).
- The Copenhagen Test: He just launched this spy thriller on Peacock. He plays an intelligence analyst whose brain gets hacked. It’s a far cry from the Ten Rings, but it shows his range.
- Last Breath: He starred in this survival thriller with Woody Harrelson earlier in 2025.
And yeah, Shang-Chi 2 is still happening. Simu has said he sounds like a "broken record" promising it, but it’s in development.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you're looking at Simu Liu’s career and wondering what the takeaway is, it's pretty simple: Persistence is a skill.
- Don't wait for permission. He tweeted at Marvel when he was a literal nobody. If you want something, put it out there.
- Lean into the "embarrassing" starts. Those stock photos haunt him, but they also make him human. Everyone starts somewhere.
- Diversify your skills. Simu sings (he was on the Shang-Chi soundtrack and Barbie), he writes (his memoir We Were Dreamers is a great read), and he produces. In 2026, being "just" an actor isn't enough.
- Use your platform. Whether it's advocating for UNICEF or calling out Hollywood's lack of diversity, he uses his fame for more than just selling tickets.
Simu Liu didn't just play a superhero; he had to become one to even get the audition. He's proof that being the "first" is a heavy lift, but somebody’s gotta do it. And honestly? He’s doing a pretty good job.
Keep an eye out for him in Avengers: Doomsday later this year—it's going to be massive. If you want to support his work beyond the MCU, check out The Copenhagen Test. It’s a solid reminder that he’s more than just a guy with a magic necklace.