Simu Liu

Simu Liu – Life, Career, and Inspiring Journey

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Simu Liu (born April 19, 1989) is a Chinese-Canadian actor, stuntman, writer and advocate. From immigrant beginnings to Marvel stardom, explore his biography, milestones, quotes, and lessons.

Introduction

Simu Liu (刘思慕) is a Canadian actor, stunt performer, writer, and advocate who gained international fame after starring as the title character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).

Before that breakthrough, Liu was best known for his role as Jung Kim on the Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience.

He also published a memoir We Were Dreamers and has spoken widely about representation, immigrant identity, and the challenges of following a nontraditional path.

Early Life & Background

• Simu Liu was born on April 19, 1989 in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China.

• His parents were studying engineering, and for the early years he lived with his grandparents in Harbin while they pursued their studies abroad.

• At age 5, he moved to Canada and was raised in Mississauga, Ontario (Erin Mills area).

• In Canada, his family’s immigrant journey and his parents’ high expectations shaped much of his early life.

Education & Early Career Shift

• Liu studied business and accounting at the Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario.

• After graduation, he worked as an accountant at Deloitte.

• His stint at the accounting job lasted about eight months, after which he was laid off. He has recounted that he missed many calls because he turned off his phone to work on acting/extra roles.

• This pivotal moment led him to pivot fully to acting, pursuing small roles, stunt work, and building credits.

Acting Career & Milestones

Early Roles & Breakthrough

• Liu’s early career included work as a stuntman, extra, and in supporting/guest roles in TV series like Nikita and Beauty & the Beast.

• He earned recognition in the Canadian series Blood & Water (for which he got award nominations).

• His role as Jung Kim in Kim’s Convenience (CBC) became his signature TV role and earned wide acclaim.

Marvel & Global Recognition

• In 2019, Liu was cast as the lead in Marvel’s first major Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

• The film was released in 2021 and marked a major leap in his career, elevating him to global stardom.

• Liu also appeared as one of the Kens in Barbie (2023), adding to his range in mainstream blockbuster cinema.

Other Creative Ventures

• He founded 4:12 Entertainment, a production company, to develop his own film/TV projects.

• In 2022, he published his memoir We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, reflecting on his upbringing, identity, and career journey.

• He is also active in advocacy, particularly around representation, anti-Asian hate, and children’s causes (serving as a UNICEF Canada Ambassador).

Personality, Values & Public Voice

Simu Liu often speaks candidly about identity, representation, and the immigrant experience. He emphasizes that those who follow nontraditional paths must often prove themselves in multiple ways.

He has also been vocal about the need for greater representation behind the camera (producers, writers, decision-makers), not just on screen.

Liu has acknowledged personal struggles with expectations, pressure, and reconciling his parents’ aspirations with his own dreams.

Selected Quotes

Here are some representative quotes from Simu Liu:

“It seems like such a paradox to me that human beings are both great adapters to change and terrified by it at the same time. So often we drift through life bound by the poor decisions we’ve made in the past, too afraid of the uncertainty that comes with challenging our status quo.”

“I realized, if I don’t step into the spotlight, and the person next to me doesn’t step in, and the people around me don’t step in, then who will?”

“What needs to change, really, is that we need better representation behind the camera. We need better representation among the people who tell the stories or the people who greenlight the movies.”

“I would do background and extra stuff, I would do student films; I just found every opportunity I could to be on set, and after a while I accumulated enough work to get an agent.”

These quotes reflect his determination, advocacy, and perspective as someone bridging multiple identities and roles.

Lessons from Simu Liu’s Journey

• Embrace nonlinearity: His path from accountant to blockbuster lead shows that success is rarely a straight line.

• Persist through small roles: Liu repeatedly accepted minor and extra work, building credits and experience.

• Speak for more than yourself: He uses his platform to advocate for underrepresented voices and systemic change.

• Own your narrative: By publishing a memoir and producing content, Liu is reclaiming control over how his story is told.

• Balance compromise with authenticity: He often discusses navigating external pressures (family expectations, industry norms) while staying true to his voice.