Shang-Chi star Simu Liu asked Marvel about playing Shang-Chi on Twitter 8 months ago
Aux Features Shang-Chi
Even for established actors, finding work can be painfully disheartening. You can kill an audition, only not to get a callback for any number of reasons completely unrelated to your performance. Maybe you’re an inch too short, your eyes the wrong shade of green, or the casting director had a weird tuna sandwich for lunch. Carol Kane famously recalls not even being asked to audition for parts seeking a “Carol Kane type.” It is a brutal, unforgiving process.
Unless, that is, you are actor Simu Liu, in which case you just ask Marvel nicely, and they get back to you a few months later with the leading role in a brand-new MCU franchise.
Last December, Liu, who features in the well-received Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience and the less well-received TV adaptation of Taken, tweeted at Marvel, “OK @Marvel, are we gonna talk or what #ShangChi.” This week, wouldn’t you know it, Marvel announced a bevy of new films for the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, starring none other than Simu Liu.
As martial arts master Shang-Chi, Liu will be Marvel’s first Asian lead in a movie, and will star opposite Tony Leung as the “real” Mandarin. (As opposed to the fake-out Mandarin played by Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3.) Provided Marvel can revise some of the more problematic stereotypes of the comic-book Mandarin, the film is a promising step forward for Marvel, both in its diversity and its big-screen franchise commitment to a very obscure comic property that a few years ago would have been an under-supported Netflix series.
The lesson here? It never hurts to ask. Liu, who probably had to do more to get the role than just tweet about it, reacted to his Babe Ruthian shot call about how you might expect anyone to.
“Well shit,” said Liu.
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34 Comments
He also did a tweet 5 years ago basically congratulating Marvel on Capt America and Thor, but when are we going to get an Asian superhero?
I don’t have twitter…can I just post here?
OK @Marvel, are we gonna talk or what #Galactus
You’re too fat to be Galactus.
Your momma’s so fat, she’s going to play Galactus AND Galactus’ stunt double.
Your momma’s so fat, she keeps her pants up with the Kuiper Belt.
This is a keeper.
But plenty gassy for the Fantastic Four one.
I was never a comics guy, but one thing that always confused me about Galactus is how a cosmic entity can wear a hat.Or WHY, for that matter.
He got a planet to build him one obviously. “Build me a giant hat or I eat your entire world” seems like pretty good motivation. He’s allowed to be fancy, you gonna argue?
I demand to see some spats on this world-eater.
Galactus’ appearance is generated by the species watching. So the problem is with the heroes of earth and not Galactus.
BUT I WOULD LOOK SO GOOD IN THE MINI SKIRT AND HAT!
Dammit, you really would.
Kim’s Convenience is a great little show. Dude is going to be a major star after this movie comes out.
It is so great!
And everyone should watch Kim’s Convenience it’s great.
Please kimchee supporting role
I want Mrs Kim to have a supporting role more.
Just cast the whole fucking show. Pastor Nina as America Chavez????
Anyone else watch, like, all of Kim’s Convenience before realizing that Pastor Nina was also on Handmaid’s Tale?
I realized it two months ago. After having seen all of Kim’s Convenience previously.
I’m not sure whether I want her to be a supporting character or the real villain. Either way, she needs to execute a few “sneak attack”s.
She’ll kill them all with her potluck food.
I do and still waiting for season 3 but since he is shang chi, I will have to wait.
OK @Marvel, are we gonna talk or what #Willie Lumpkin
How dare you stand where he stood.
Kinda sweet that they’re coming back around to pursue the Mandarin/Ten Rings storyline. I watched Iron Man again last night, and there’s a Ten Rings flag in the background of the cave at the beginning. You know the cave, the one with the BOX OF SPARE PARTS in it.Another fun fact about the first Iron Man: There’s a quick shot of Happy Hogan smoking a cigarette, which is a clear reminder that there was once a time when these movies weren’t owned by Disney.
There’s a quick shot of Happy Hogan smoking a cigarette, which is a clear reminder that there was once a time when these movies weren’t owned by Disney.Here’s the only other movie in the MCU not made by Disney(or Sony), see if you can spot the similarities.
Jesus, that wig.
I knew I should have tweeted them about playing Volstagg.
After what happened with Danny Rand – hiring an actor with no kung fu, and not really teaching him any of it either – I can’t just assume it’s different this time, so I’ve gotta ask. This guy got any kung fu?
Haven’t seen any direct evidence of it but then again he looks athletic and game enough to learn it to an acceptable level quickly enough
That looks, at the very least, like a good start!
The problem with Iron Fist wasn’t the actor himself. It’s that they only gave him 15 min of training before each scene and used stunt doubles infrequently. It’s not hard to make an actor with no martial arts experience look like a great fighter so long as they have the time and resources to make it work.Iron Fist was rushed. Shang Chi won’t be.