Simu Liu | |||||||||||||||
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 Liu in 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1989-04-19)19 April 1989 (age 36) Harbin, China | ||||||||||||||
| Citizenship | Canada | ||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Western Ontario | ||||||||||||||
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2012–present | ||||||||||||||
| Partner(s) | Allison Hsu (2022–present; engaged) | ||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 刘思慕 | ||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 劉思慕 | ||||||||||||||
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Simu Liu (/ˈsiːmuːˈliːjuː/SEE-mooLEE-yoo;[1]simplified Chinese:刘思慕;traditional Chinese:劉思慕; born 19 April 1989) is a Canadian[2] actor. He rose to prominence by starring asShang-Chi in theMarvel Cinematic Universe filmShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Liu was born inHarbin, China, and raised inOntario. He has also played Paul Xie in theOmni Television crime drama seriesBlood and Water—for which he was nominated for aCanadian Screen Award[3] and anACTRA Award—Jung Kim in theCBC Television sitcomKim's Convenience (2016–2021),[4] and one of theKen dolls in the fantasy comedy filmBarbie (2023).[5] In 2022, Liu published the memoirWe Were Dreamers[6] and was named one ofTime magazine's100 most influential people in the world.
Liu was born inHarbin, China, on 19 April 1989, son of Zhenning and Zheng Liu. His parents met while attending university inBeijing, where they both studied engineering. His father, Zhenning, went to the United States to study for aPhD whilst his mother worked in Beijing, and Liu was raised until age 5 by his grandparents in Harbin "in a small apartment, without running water for much of the day", in circumstances he recalled as "idyllic and happy".[7][8] Liu later emigrated to rejoin his parents in Canada, who supplemented their scholarships with dish-washing jobs and eventually became successful aerospace engineers. He first arrived inKingston, Ontario where his father was fulfilling his doctoral studies atQueen's University.[6] Liu was later raised inMississauga, Ontario.[9][7]
In his memoir,We Were Dreamers, Liu wrote of the deprivation and trauma his parents had experienced growing up in China'sCultural Revolution,[7] and their subsequent "tiger parenting" style, saying he felt they "wanted to rid [his] life of joy or happiness", and recalling "the weight of what he describes as impossible expectations, to be the star child, the studious academic, the obedient son", being "belittled and physically punished" for perceived failings.[10] Liu's parents "hothoused him in maths at the age of five and set 'homework' that included reading biographies of scientists and studying algebra".[7] Upon his arrival in Kingston, Liu attended Sydenham Public School.[6] He later attendedUniversity of Toronto Schools and studied business administration at theIvey Business School at theUniversity of Western Ontario.[11]
Liu initially worked as an accountant atDeloitte, but was laid off in April 2012 after nine months.[12] He began to explore other career options and decided to pursue a career as an actor and stuntman.[13][14] Liu became distant from his parents after losing his accounting job and entering acting, but after discussing the matter with his parents, the family reconciled and became closer as a result.[15]
Liu got his start in acting working as anextra andstuntman, appearing in movies and music videos such asGuillermo del Toro'sPacific Rim[13] andAvicii's "I Could Be the One."[16] His other early onscreen credits includeNikita (2012) andBeauty and the Beast (2014). He appeared as a stuntman inSick: Survive the Night (2012) and the TV miniseriesHeroes Reborn.
In 2015, Liu was cast in his first significant recurring role, appearing as a series regular in seven episodes of theOmni Television crime drama seriesBlood and Water (2015–2016). He would later receive his first award nominations for this role at theACTRA Awards andCanadian Screen Awards in 2017.[17]
Later in 2015, Liu was cast in his first main role as Jung Kim in theCBC Television sitcomKim's Convenience,[18] a TV adaptation of theplay of the same name. It remains his most notable television success to date, with the series being nominated for and winning multiple awards internationally, including Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards and "Most Popular Foreign Drama" at the 2019Seoul International Drama Awards. Liu starred in the series until its conclusion in 2021.
In 2016, Liu was cast in a recurring role as the ex-CIA analyst Faaron, loosely modeled on real-life ex-analystRodney Faraon, in theNBC prequel seriesTaken based on thefilm franchise starringLiam Neeson.[19] Even as he was cast in main and recurring roles, Liu continued to appear as an extra on several television shows, appearing in an episode of the hitBBC-Space seriesOrphan Black as well as in the Canadian science fiction seriesDark Matter.[citation needed] In 2017, Liu appeared in the second season ofSlasher as well as theCityTV miniseriesBad Blood, both as recurring characters.[20] In 2018, he appeared in the science fiction television seriesThe Expanse[21][22] andWong Fu Productions' YouTube seriesYappie.[23]
In early 2019, Liu guest-starred in the 100th episode of ABC'sFresh Off the Boat as a noodle vendor named Willie.[24] He also guest-starred in an episode of the TV seriesAwkwafina Is Nora from Queens as Garbage Boy.[25]
AtComic-Con 2019, Disney announced that Liu would play the titular superheroShang-Chi in the filmShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is Marvel's first film with anAsian-led cast.[26][27] Liu had asked about playing the role on Twitter in December 2018 when the movie was revealed to be in development.[28] After several production and release delays due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the film was released in theaters on 3 September 2021, garnering positive critical reception and achieving commercial success.[29][30] A sequel is planned.[31] He will also return to play the titular character in the upcoming MCU filmAvengers: Doomsday (2026).
In September 2021, it was revealed that Liu will lead the English-language voice cast ofBright: Samurai Soul, a Netflix anime film which premiered on 12 October.[32] In February 2022, Liu joined the cast ofGreta Gerwig'sBarbie film,[5] as well as the thriller filmHello Stranger directed byApril Mullen, which eventually becameSimulant.[33] Both films were released in 2023, with the former garnering acclaim and breaking box office records.[34]
Both Liu and NBA playerJeremy Lin had guest appearances as caricaturized versions of themselves in Malaysian comedianRonny Chieng'sNetflix shortRonny Chieng Takes Chinatown (2022).[35][36] In December 2022, Liu was a guest narrator atDisney's Candlelight Processional.[37] On 7 April 2023, Liu released his debut single, titled "Don't".[38][39] He was a guest dragon in season 19 of the Canadian reality seriesDragons' Den.[40]
In January 2025, Liu announced onTwitter that he was working to make a live action adaptation ofSleeping Dogs after a previous version starringDonnie Yen had been canceled. Shortly afterwards, it was reported that the film had entered pre-production with Liu expected to replace Yen as well as produce.[41][42]
In 2014, Liu was paid $100 to model for a set ofstock photos for FatCamera; the photos appeared in subway stations, advertisements, storefronts, pamphlets, and textbook covers. The photos received widespread media coverage upon Liu's mainstream acting breakthrough in 2021.[43][44]
Liu is also a filmmaker, producer, and writer. Liu's first work in this area wasOpen Gym, a short film he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in that debuted at the 2013 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. He has directed, produced, and written several other shorts, includingCrimson Defender vs. The Slightly Racist Family (2015). In 2016, Liu helped writeBlood and Water, during which he helped break the story for the show and wrote an episode for its second season.[3] In 2017, Liu worked withWong Fu Productions on their shortMeeting Mommy (2017), which he wrote and produced withTina Jung. It was released in February 2018 on the Wong Fu Productions YouTube channel.[45] In 2018, he founded his own film production company, 4:12 Entertainment, and began developing long-form film projects under it.[46][47]
In December 2017, Liu wrote forMaclean's magazine about his experiences growing up in an immigrant family. The article appeared in the January 2018 issue.[48] His memoir,We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, was published by HarperCollins on 17 May 2022.[49] In March 2021, Liu published a column inVariety detailing the effects of Asian hate crimes and how "rhetoric like 'the China virus' encourages hate toward all Asian people—not just Chinese."[50]
Liu was included onTime magazine'sannual list of the 100 most influential people in the world (in the "Artists" section) in 2022.[51] Liu was named one ofHello!'s 50 Most Beautiful Canadians and 25 Hottest Bachelors in 2017 and 2018.[52][53][54] In May 2021, Liu became the first East Asian man to coverMen's Health magazine in over a decade sinceJet Li in 2010.[55] In November 2021, Liu became the fourth actor of Chinese descent to hostSaturday Night Live.[56] He has previously hosted theJuno Awards of 2022 and theJuno Awards of 2023.[57][58]
In October 2020, Liu became aUNICEF Canada Ambassador[59] and has since appeared in every Youth Advocacy Summit hosted by UNICEF Canada. In 2023, Liu made an appearance despite having torn his Achilles tendon.[60]
In 2023, Liu joined MìLà as its chief content officer. MìLà is a direct-to-consumersoup dumpling company that is based inBellevue, WA.[61]
Liu was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award and an ACTRA Award in 2017 for his work inBlood and Water.[3] He, along with hisKim's Convenience castmates, won the ACTRA Award for Outstanding Ensemble in 2017. Liu and his castmates were nominated for the same award in 2018 and 2019.Kim's Convenience also won the award for Best Comedy Series at the2018 Canadian Screen Awards.[62]
On stage, Liu was nominated for aDora Mavor Moore Award in the Outstanding Ensemble category alongside his castmates in the 2016Factory Theatre remount of the playBanana Boys.[63]
In January 2023, he was named the winner of theAcademy of Canadian Cinema and Television's Radius Award at the11th Canadian Screen Awards.[64] He also won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Host in a Live Entertainment Special for the 2022 Juno Awards.[65]
In 2022, Liu began dating digital marketing manager Allison Hsu.[66] In May 2025, the couple announced that they were engaged.[67]
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Pacific Rim | — | Extra |
| 2015 | Antisocial 2 | Male Nurse | [68][69] |
| 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Shaun / Shang-Chi | |
| Bright: Samurai Soul | Izno (voice) | Englishdub | |
| Women Is Losers | Gilbert | ||
| 2023 | One True Loves | Sam | |
| Simulant | Casey | [70] | |
| Barbie | RivalKen | ||
| 2024 | Arthur the King | Leo | |
| Atlas | Harlan Shepherd | ||
| Jackpot! | Louis Lewis | ||
| 2025 | Last Breath | David Yuasa | |
| In Your Dreams† | Dad (voice) | In-production[71] | |
| 2026 | Avengers: Doomsday† | Shang-Chi | Post-production[72] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Nikita | Hong Kong Police Constable | Episode: "3.0" |
| 2013 | Warehouse 13 | Bartender | Episode: "Secret Services" |
| Played | Gunman | Episode: "Made – Daniel" | |
| Mayday | Narita Air Traffic Controller | Episode: "The Final Push" | |
| 2014 | Beauty and the Beast | EMT | Episode: "Both Sides Now" |
| 2015 | Blood and Water | Paul Xie | Main role |
| Make It Pop! | Randy | Episode: "Rumors and Roommates" | |
| 2016 | Taken | Faaron | Recurring role; season 1 |
| 2016–2021 | Kim's Convenience | Jung Kim | Main role |
| 2017 | Orphan Black | Mr. Mitchell | Episode: "Clutch of Greed" |
| Dark Matter | Technician | Episode: "Nowhere To Go" | |
| Slasher: Guilty Party | Luke | 2 episodes | |
| Bad Blood | Guy | 3 episodes | |
| 2018 | The Expanse | Lt. Paolo Mayer | Episode: "Dandelion Sky" |
| Yappie | Tom | Main role | |
| 2019 | Fresh Off the Boat | Willie | Episode: "Under the Taipei Sun" |
| 2020 | Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens | Garbage Boy | Episode: "Grandma & Chill" |
| 2021 | Corner Gas Animated | Gerald Mesmerizer (voice) | Episode: "The Fresh Prints of Bell Heir" |
| Star Wars: Visions | Lah Zhima (voice) | Episode: "The Ninth Jedi": English language dub[73] | |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Himself (guest) | Episode:10 September 2021 | |
| Selling Sunset | Himself (guest) | Episode: "A House For A Hero" | |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "Simu Liu/Saweetie"[74] | |
| Marvel Studios: Assembled | Himself | Episode: The Making ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | |
| 2022 | Celebrity Jeopardy! | Himself (contestant) | 2 episodes |
| The Simpsons | Adult Hubert Wong (voice) | Episode: "When Nelson Met Lisa"[75] | |
| Running Wild with Bear Grylls | Himself | Episode: "Simu Liu" | |
| 2023 | The Other Two | Himself | Episode: "Cary Gets His Ass Handed to Him"[76] |
| StoryBots: Answer Time | Socradamus | Episode: "Elements" | |
| 2024 | Dragons' Den | Himself | Season 19[40] |
| Gremlins | Chang | Voice[77] | |
| Laid | Philippe | Episode: "Sex Cluster" | |
| What If...? | Shang-Chi | Voice; 2 episodes | |
| 2025 | Got to Get Out | Himself (host) | Main role[78] |
| Rise Up, Sing Out | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Lunar New Year" | |
| Invincible | Multi-Paul / Paul Cha | Voice; 3 episodes[79] | |
| Marvel Zombies | Shang-Chi | Voice; 3 episodes | |
| Star Wars: Visions† | TBA | Voice; season 3[80] | |
| The Copenhagen Test† | Alexander Hale | Post-production | |
| TBA | Seven Wonders† | Dr. Nate Grady | In production |
| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | "I Could Be The One" | Avicii &Nicky Romero | Office Worker | [16] |
| 2015 | "The Filth" | Dream Jefferson | Gangster/Stunt Coordinator | [81] |
| 2021 | "Run It" | DJ Snake ft.Rick Ross &Rich Brian | Himself | [82] |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stormgate | Warz | [83] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Out with Dad | Waiter | 2 episodes |
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| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Anxious-Avoidant |
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| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Don't" | 2023 | Anxious-Avoidant |
| "If It's Time" |
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Blood and Water | ACTRA Awards | Outstanding Performance – Male | Nominated | [84] |
| Canadian Screen Award | Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Program or Series | Nominated | [85] | ||
| Kim's Convenience | ACTRA Awards 2017 | Outstanding Performance – Ensemble | Won | [86] | |
| 2018 | ACTRA Awards 2018 | Outstanding Performance – Ensemble | Nominated | [87] | |
| 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | People's Choice Awards | The Male Movie Star of 2021 | Nominated | [88] |
| The Action Movie Star of 2021 | Won | ||||
| Unforgettable Gala – Asian American Awards | Breakout Actor on Film | Won | [89] | ||
| 2022 | Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards | Game Changer Award | Won | [90] | |
| Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actor in a Superhero Movie | Nominated | [91] | ||
| Kim's Convenience | Canadian Screen Award | Best Lead Actor, Comedy | Nominated | [92] | |
| Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Hero | Nominated | [93] | |
| Saturn Awards | Best Actor in a Film | Nominated | [94] | ||
| 2023 | Himself | Canadian Screen Award | Radius Award | Honoured | [64] |
| Juno Awards of 2023 (as host) | Host, live entertainment special | Won | |||
| Simu Liu, Luciano Casimiri, Leonard Chan, Julie Kim andKristeen Von Hagen,Juno Awards of 2022 (as writer) | Variety or sketch comedy | Nominated |
So he convinced Jeremy Lin and Simu Liu to appear in the video as caricatures of their public personas.
In "Ronny Chieng Takes Chinatown," Fung and Chieng try to save a Chinatown restaurant from closing by enlisting the help and support of NBA player Jeremy Lin and actor and recent Marvel superhero, Shang-Chi himself, Simu Liu.
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