Simu Liu
Simu Liu | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 19, 1989 Harbin, China |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, filmmaker, producer, writer |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Portrayal of Shang-Chi in Marvel Cinematic Universe; Jung Kim in Kim's Convenience |
Simu Liu ( ; ; born April 19, 1989) is a Canadian actor who rose to fame for his portrayal of Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Originally from Harbin and raised in Ontario, Liu has undertaken significant roles such as Paul Xie in Omni Television’s crime series Blood and Water, which earned him a Canadian Screen Award nomination along with an ACTRA Award. He is also recognized for his leading role as Jung Kim in CBC Television’s sitcom Kim's Convenience (2016–2021), and appeared as one of the Ken dolls in the fantasy comedy film Barbie (2023). In 2022, Liu released his memoir titled We Were Dreamers and was listed among Time magazine’s 100 most influential individuals worldwide.
Early life
Born on April 19, 1989, in Harbin, China, Liu is the son of Zhenning and Zheng Liu, both engineers who met during their university studies in Beijing. While his father pursued doctoral studies in the United States, Liu was raised by his grandparents in Harbin until he was five years old. Subsequently, he moved to Canada to live with his parents, who transitioned from working as dishwashers to establishing careers in aerospace engineering. His early years were spent in Kingston, Ontario during his father's PhD program at Queen's University, before primarily growing up in Mississauga, Ontario.
In his memoir We Were Dreamers, Liu reflects on his parents’ strict "tiger parenting" approach, shaped by their experiences during China’s Cultural Revolution. This parenting style emphasized rigorous academic discipline and high expectations, particularly focusing on early proficiency in math and science. Liu attended Sydenham Public School followed by University of Toronto Schools, later studying business administration at the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.
Liu began his professional journey as an accountant at Deloitte, but after being laid off within nine months in April 2012, he shifted his focus toward acting and stunt performance. This career change initially caused some distance between him and his parents; however, through open communication, they eventually reconciled and strengthened their familial bond.
2012–2018: Initial roles and television appearances
Liu’s acting career started with work as an extra and stunt performer, featuring in projects such as Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim and Avicii’s music video "I Could Be the One." His early acting credits include appearances on Nikita (2012), Beauty and the Beast (2014), along with stunt contributions to Sick: Survive the Night (2012) and Heroes Reborn.
In 2015, Liu secured a recurring role spanning seven episodes on the crime drama Blood and Water, which led to nominations at both the ACTRA Awards and Canadian Screen Awards in 2017.
Later that year marked a breakthrough when he was cast as Jung Kim in CBC’s sitcom Kim's Convenience, adapted from a stage play of the same name. The show became a defining success for Liu, winning several accolades including Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards and earning "Most Popular Foreign Drama" at the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards. He remained with the series until its conclusion in 2021.
In 2016, Liu took on a recurring role portraying former CIA analyst Faaron on NBC’s Taken, inspired by the film franchise starring Liam Neeson. Despite landing significant parts, he continued to appear as an extra on productions such as BBC-Space’s Orphan Black and Canadian science fiction series Dark Matter. In 2017, he appeared in recurring roles on Season 2 of Slasher and CityTV’s miniseries Bad Blood.
In 2018, Liu featured in episodes of the sci-fi drama The Expanse as well as Wong Fu Productions’ YouTube series Yappie.
2019–present: Recent projects and involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
In the early months of 2019, Liu made guest appearances on television, featuring as a noodle vendor in the 100th episode of ABC's Fresh Off the Boat and portraying Garbage Boy in Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.
During Comic-Con 2019, Disney revealed Liu as the star of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, marking Marvel's inaugural film with a predominantly Asian cast. Prior to this announcement, Liu had shown enthusiasm for the role through his Twitter account. Although its release was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie premiered on 3 September 2021, receiving critical praise and achieving significant box office success by exceeding $200 million amid pandemic conditions. A follow-up film is currently planned, with Liu set to reprise his character in the forthcoming MCU installment Avengers: Doomsday scheduled for 2026.
In September 2021, Liu took on the lead role in the English voice cast for Netflix's anime feature Bright: Samurai Soul, which debuted in October. By February 2022, he had joined the cast of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and starred in the thriller Simulant (initially titled Hello Stranger). Both films were released in 2023, with Barbie breaking box office records.
Liu appeared alongside NBA athlete Jeremy Lin as animated versions of themselves in Malaysian comedian Ronny Chieng's Netflix short film Ronny Chieng Takes Chinatown (2022). In December 2022, he served as a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional. On 7 April 2023, Liu launched his debut single "Don't" and made an appearance as a guest dragon on season 19 of the Canadian reality series Dragons' Den.
Regarding film adaptations, a live-action version of Sleeping Dogs was announced in March 2017 with Donnie Yen attached to star. Although production updates surfaced in 2018, Yen confirmed in January 2025 that the project was no longer proceeding. Shortly after, Liu announced via Twitter his efforts to revive the adaptation. By February 2025, IGN reported that pre-production had commenced with Liu both producing and taking over Yen’s role as Wei Shen.
Additional endeavors and public persona
In 2014, Liu earned $100 by modeling for stock photos with FatCamera—a fact that attracted media attention following his breakout acting success in 2021.
Beyond acting, Liu is engaged as a filmmaker, producer, and writer. His inaugural project was Open Gym (2013), a short film he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. He has since created several other shorts such as Crimson Defender vs. The Slightly Racist Family (2015). In 2016, he contributed to story development and penned an episode for the second season of Blood and Water. The following year, he collaborated with Wong Fu Productions on Meeting Mommy, co-writing and producing it. In 2018, Liu established his own production company named 4:12 Entertainment to focus on developing feature-length projects.
Liu shared reflections on his immigrant background in an article for Maclean's magazine published in December 2017. His memoir titled We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story was released by HarperCollins in May 2022. Additionally, he authored a column in Variety in March 2021 addressing Asian hate crimes and the consequences of divisive rhetoric.
Recognized for his influence, Liu was included in Time magazine’s 2022 list of the 100 most influential individuals under the "Artists" category. He featured on Hello! magazine’s compilations of Canada's Most Beautiful and Hottest Bachelors during both 2017 and 2018. In May 2021, he made history as the first East Asian man to appear on the cover of Men's Health magazine in over ten years. November 2021 saw him hosting Saturday Night Live, becoming only the fourth actor of Chinese descent to do so. He also served as host for the Juno Awards ceremonies in both 2022 and 2023.
Appointed as a UNICEF Canada Ambassador in October 2020, Liu has participated consistently in every Youth Advocacy Summit since then, including attending in 2023 despite suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
In 2023, Liu assumed the role of chief content officer at MìLà, a Bellevue-based direct-to-consumer company specializing in soup dumplings.
Accolades
In 2017, Liu earned nominations for both a Canadian Screen Award and an ACTRA Award due to his performance in Blood and Water. That same year, he and the ensemble cast of Kim's Convenience were honored with the ACTRA Award for Outstanding Ensemble, with the show receiving additional nominations in 2018 and 2019. Moreover, Kim's Convenience was awarded Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards.
On the theatrical front, Liu was recognized with a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble alongside the cast of the 2016 Factory Theatre revival of Banana Boys.
January 2023 marked a significant milestone when Liu was presented with the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's Radius Award at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards. He also secured the Canadian Screen Award for Best Host in a Live Entertainment Special as the host of the 2022 Juno Awards.
Personal life
Liu began a relationship with digital marketing professional Allison Hsu in 2022. The pair announced their engagement in May 2025.
Film
| † | Indicates films pending release |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Pacific Rim | Template:N/A | Background extra | |
| 2015 | Antisocial 2 | Male Nurse | ||
| 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Shaun / Shang-Chi | ||
| Bright: Samurai Soul | Izno (voice) | English-language dub | ||
| Women Is Losers | Gilbert | |||
| 2023 | One True Loves | Sam | ||
| Simulant | Casey | |||
| Barbie | Rival Ken | |||
| 2024 | Arthur the King | Leo | ||
| Atlas | Harlan Shepherd | |||
| Jackpot! | Louis Lewis | |||
| 2025 | Last Breath | David Yuasa | ||
| Template:Pending film | Dad (voice) | Currently in production | ||
| 2026 | Template:Pending film | Shang-Chi | Filming underway | |
| TBA | Template:Pending film | Wei Shen | Pre-production; replacing Donnie Yen |
Television
2014 Beauty and the Beast EMT Episode: "Both Sides Now" rowspan="2"|2015 Blood and Water Paul Xie Primary role Make It Pop! Randy Episode: "Rumors and Roommates" 2016 Taken Faaron Recurring role; season one 2016–2021 Kim's Convenience Jung Kim Lead role rowspan="4"|2017 Orphan Black Mr. Mitchell Episode: "Clutch of Greed" Dark Matter Technician Episode: "Nowhere To Go" Slasher: Guilty Party Luke Two episodes Bad Blood Guy Three episodes rowspan="2"|2018 data-sort-value="Expanse, The" | The Expanse Lt. Paolo Mayer Episode: "Dandelion Sky" 'Yappie' Tom Lead role 2019 Fresh Off the Boat Willie Episode: "Under the Taipei Sun" 2020 Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens Garbage Boy Episode: "Grandma & Chill" rowspan="6"|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 dub| 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)"' |
|- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- 2021 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Himself (guest) Episode aired September 10, 2021 |- 2021 Selling Sunset Himself (guest) Episode titled "A House For A Hero" |- 2021 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode featuring Simu Liu and Saweetie |- 2021 Marvel Studios: Assembled Himself Documentary episode on making of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings |- 2022 Jeopardy!#Celebrity Jeopardy! Himself (contestant) Participated in two episodes |- 2022 data-sort-value="Simpsons, The"| The Simpsons Adult Hubert Wong (voice) Episode titled "When Nelson Met Lisa" |- 2022 Running Wild with Bear Grylls Himself Episode named after Simu Liu |- 2023 data-sort-value="Other Two, The"| The Other Two Himself Episode titled "Cary Gets His Ass Handed to Him" |- 2023 StoryBots: Answer Time Socradamus Episode titled "Elements" |- 2024 Dragons' Den Himself Season 19 appearance |- 2024 Gremlins Chang Voice role |- 2024 Laid Philippe Episode titled "Sex Cluster" |- 2024 What If...? Shang-Chi Voice role; two episodes |- 2025 Got to Get Out Himself (host) Lead role |- 2025 Rise Up, Sing Out Himself (voice) Episode themed on Lunar New Year |- 2025 Invincible Multi-Paul / Paul Cha Voice role; three episodes |- Pending Shang-Chi Voice role; currently in production |- Pending Dr. Nate Grady In production phase |- Pending Alexander Hale Post-production stage -|}
Music Videos
| Year | Title | Performer(s) | Role Portrayed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | "I Could Be The One" | Avicii & Nicky Romero | Office Employee |
| 2015 | "The Filth" | Dream Jefferson | Gangster / Stunt Coordinator |
| 2021 | "Run It" | DJ Snake featuring Rick Ross & Rich Brian | Himself |
Video Games
| Year | Title | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stormgate | Warz |
Web Series
| Year | Title | Character | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Out with Dad | Waiter | Appeared in 2 episodes |
Extended Plays
| Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| Anxious-Avoidant |
|
Singles
| Title | Year Released | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Don't" | 2023 | Anxious-Avoidant |
| "If It's Time" | 2023 | Anxious-Avoidant |
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Project | Awarding Body | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Blood and Water | ACTRA Awards | Outstanding Performance – Male Actor | Template:Nom |
| 5th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Program or Series | Template:Nom | ||
| Kim's Convenience | ACTRA Awards 2017 | Outstanding Performance – Ensemble Cast | Template:Won | |
| 2018 | ACTRA Awards 2018 | Outstanding Performance – Ensemble Cast | Template:Nom | |
| 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 47th People's Choice Awards | Male Movie Star of 2021 | Template:Nom |
| Action Movie Star of 2021 | Template:Won | |||
| Unforgettable Gala – Asian American Awards | Breakout Film Actor | Template:Won | ||
| 2022 | 5th Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards | Game Changer Award | Template:Won | |
| 2nd Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actor in a Superhero Film | Template:Nom | ||
| Kim's Convenience | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Template:Nom | |
| Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Hero | Template:Nom | |
| 47th Saturn Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture | Template:Nom | ||
| 2023 | As Himself / Host / Writer (variety/sketch comedy) | 11th Canadian Screen Awards | Radius Award (won), Host (won), Variety or Sketch Comedy (nomination) |
External links
- IMDb
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1989 births
- Living people
- 21st-century Canadian male actors
- Canadian Buddhists
- Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States
- Canadian male actors of Chinese descent
- Canadian male film actors
- Canadian male television actors
- Canadian male television writers
- Canadian male voice actors
- Canadian television writers
- Chinese emigrants to Canada
- Dragons' Den
- Male actors from Harbin
- Male actors from Mississauga
- Screenwriters from Ontario
- University of Western Ontario alumni
- Writers from Mississauga