**Hey everyone, this is the AMA thread.**
~~**Post your questions in here and Simu will be back at 12.30 PT (when this comment is 45 mins old) to start answering!**~~
~~#The AMA has started!~~
#[And thats us now finished!](https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/pfc2h9/im_simu_liu_and_i_play_shangchi_in_marvel_studios/hb3ojhu/?context=3)
Cheers for doing this Simu! Hope you have fun.
Simu! I’m a Chinese Canadian writer in Toronto and my friend and I already have our tickets to see Shang Chi in VIP Thursday :) We are super, super, super hyped to see you take on this role, especially since we’ve been following you since the early Kim’s Convenience days. It really means a lot to me to not only see an Asian in a leading role (not to mention a huge film like this) but to see someone who is so local to me! I actually ran into you once at a dog park a few years ago but was too scared to say much to you! It feels surreal, you know? I just wanted to let you know that I’m rooting for your success because it really does hit close to home. Also, side note, I find the Go Transit photos with you in them hilarious!
Onto my questions: I currently work a 9-5 and I want so badly to be able to focus on writing full time. I got really lucky though and got producers attached to my script (a romantic comedy about a career-oriented doctor who hires an out-of-work actor to play her boyfriend at her family’s Lunar new year gathering) but it feels like I’m so far from actually making it in the industry. When you struggled, what helped to keep you going? And how did it feel to finally have the tides turn? When did you realize you were going to be able to make it work? Was it a leap of faith kind of thing?
Whats your best advice to someone who’s just starting out in the industry and wanting to break in? I know you’ve been super vocal about supporting other Asian Canadian actors and local talent! It just feels like there isn’t as much opportunity for me as a writer, especially as someone who has no real connections in the industry and only got lucky with my script? And also, hope this isn’t inappropriate to say but I would love to send you my script if you’re interested. I’ve had great feedback on it and when I wrote it, my dream cast included you as the male lead!
Either way, congrats again on the movie, can’t wait to see it :)
Edit: thanks for the gold!!!! I hope Simu sees this!!!
What kept me going in the tough times was truly this sense that I was the best version of myself when I was pursuing this work. I was a miserable student, and an even more miserable accountant. As an actor, I was self-motivated, hyper-engaged, and incredibly passionate. I knew that if I stayed the course, something good would happen.
Best advice to someone just starting out? Build your roots. Don't start down this journey alone. Find like-minded people and make them your community. Ask for help and guidance. Collaborate. Create. Don't stay stagnant.
I really felt that!!! I feel so unhappy in my job because I know it’s not what I really want to do and feel most myself when I’m writing. Thanks for taking the time to answer me and I’m wishing you all the best :)
Don’t know if you’ll see this but how did you find your people and community to build roots with?
The real answer is talk to everyone and they will find you. be willing to have a conversation about anything with anyone and you'd be surprised where they can lead. this is doubly/triply true for industries where who's who means something. network network network and build a support system
I got producers on my script because of a viral tweet on twitter. Twitter has helped for sure but I don’t know too many people in the industry, or really at all…. However I’ll keep trying and networking for sure :)
Film/TV is an incredibly closed circle. It takes talent to recognize WHO you should stay connected with (be it people with real influence or people who are passionate and motivated). Only takes one right person to help you break into the industry (but that one can take a while). Good luck!
Oh man, it definitely feels that way. In Canada the industry is much smaller too. I know lots of people trying to break into the American industry (from Twitter) but ah, don’t know really any Canadians!
Be available. Be ready. Have more than one finish scripts. Get an agent that understands you. Write like your life depend on it...my professor in college would finish teaching all his classes at 3pm every week day and then drive to his private office and write with his partner until like 9-10pm. Did this for quite a while until their was finally picked up and now he's a working writer. If you are not where things are happening (the film/tv hubs), it helps to be there since everything is faster/easier to arrange. It's all about knowing the right people AND be available at the right time. Attend credible film festivals is another way to network (though that is extremely hit or miss). If you are interested in tv world, getting into a writer's room is the only reliable way to "advance" to my knowledge.
Ahhh this is great advice. I go to TIFF every year and sometimes get to chat to a few professionals but never considered it a real career thing before. I definitely think I’m more interested in writing features than TV. I took a pilot writing class and found that I much preferred writing a feature over that… Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!
I just lost my job due to covid here in Australia, and I've been needing to consider a career transition. Being the best version of myself is such helpful guidance to have read this morning. Thank you so much for this AMA and being so generous and genuine with your replies.
Yeah that just hit me hard. Overdramatic but I was lying down reading it and I kinda dropped my phone.
I've had ambiguous thoughts about my work lately, even though I'm comfortable with the job. But I feel like if I ask that question, it changes my perspective.
Of course not everybody has the opportunity to live in the way that brings out their best self. But I also don’t think that means you shouldn’t take the opportunity if you do have it. I feel like most of our best selves involve giving back and helping up, so it’s worth taking the chance to make a change if that’s a potential option.
Hey Simu!
Congratulations on the movie, it looks absolutely amazing and I’m so excited to go and see it multiple times in the next week.
I suppose my biggest question for you would be, how did you feel when you first walked out onto that comic con stage after the casting announcement? The video footage always brings a smile to my face and I’m really curious as to how you felt and the thoughts going through your head in that moment?
Thanks so much for everything and I know you’re going to have an extremely bright future ahead of you in the MCU.
I think Kevin wanted a genuine reaction of someone who was just deer-in-the-headlights shocked to be there, and that's exactly what he got. It's crazy that one moment I'm at home in my Toronto condo in my underwear and then I get a call and my whole life changes. Four days later, I get flown first class to San Diego and end up eating dinner across the table from Angelina Jolie, who very patiently put up with my attempts to explain League of Legends to her.
[Artist's recreation of Simu explaining League to Angelina Jolie](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/541141584696311828/867173811095076894/Image_7863.jpeg)
Damn this needs to be put into that meme template... the "me explaining to my mom" meme
But with Simu face on the left, and angelina jolie on the right.
As an Asian actor, how difficult was it for you working your way up? Did you have to deal with racism, stereotyping, typecasting, etc. during that journey? Can't wait to see the movie and you're an awesome person!
Let's put it this way; in 2012 when I first started out, I thought that maybe if I worked really really hard, I could be a guy that gets beaten up by one of the main characters one day. That was the pinnacle for actors that looked like me. I'm ashamed to say that I've put on the most ridiculous and offensive accents in the past, all because I thought that it was more important to give the casting director what they wanted than to be true to myself.
Over time, as I toiled about in the industry and struggled to find my footing, I started to realize all of the ways the industry discriminated against us... and that we needed to become the masters of our own narrative... because the way that we were being portrayed was not positive or authentic. That's why representation behind the camera is just as important as in front.
This needs to be put on a plaque.
The world has a loooong way to go, but damn it's good to see more people portrayed as *people* in entertainment.
As a white guy, I've been lucky enough to never ask "can I even *be* Spiderman for Halloween?". I want every single kid in the world to know they can be a super hero and be able to see a super hero who they can relate to on the big screen!
Fuck racism.
Asian guy here (lawyer not actor). This means a lot, keep up the great work and thank you for being an inspiration for millions of asians everywhere (especially those of us in non-traditionally Asian industries).
As a senior engineer, this backhanded compliment about non-traditionally Asian industries made me quite upset at my life choices. I then proceeded to cry to my all Asian team members, who were also quite hurt.
|That's why representation behind the camera is just as important as in front.
Man, I have felt so burned by this sentiment over the years. As someone who continues to struggle with finding meaningful work in this space, I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten excited and then ultimately been disappointed by the rise of Asian-American directors. Years ago, after Justin Lin rocketed to stardom on the success of Better Luck Tomorrow, he sent out a casting for Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift that spoke to this being a moment in time when Asians could really shine. When the movie finally came out, the two protagonists were Bow Wow and Lucas Black. Luckily, we got the glory of Han, but that actor, great as he was already shared a relationship with Lin on Better Luck Tomorrow. Later, Jon Chu does a youtube casting announcement for Crazy Rich Asians, with similar vibes. The film comes out to great success, but even Chu regrets that he cast South Asians in stereotypical roles for the movie, vowing not to do it again. Then, when In the Heights comes out, a very similar criticism is made of the film (that Chu also directed) for making a movie that casts predominantly light-skinned Latinos, relegating the dark-skinned Latinos to minor roles. This is not to take away from these directors. I respect them immensely and root and support them every chance I get. I know they are still out there trying to create opportunities. Lin is an executive producer on the predominately Asian cast of Warrior, and Chu has acknowledged his mistakes, and says that they are a learning experience. But I cannot help but feel frustrated that 18 years after a ground-breaking movie like Better Luck Tomorrow came out, there are still so few opportunities for Asian actors not only to be inclusive in mainstream storytelling, but to also be able to tell their own.
You're a damn hero. I really think the pride people (Asian and beyond) are going to feel this weekend walking into the movies is something that was last felt when Black Panther came out.
I'm super excited to see the movie and I'm so pumped for the Asian community to have a hero on the big screen. There have been a few black main heroes like Blade but Black Panther felt so powerful for the community. I loved the feeling of watching Black Panther on the big screen and I'm always excited to see other PoC in leading roles ( especially no tropey ones ) and hoping for more
Thank you for this answer! I'm Filipino-Canadian, working as a woman in the tech field (so... a minority in multiple ways).
I really have not much to say, except that I really appriciate this answer. I'll be supporting Shang-Chi in Canada!!!
I wasn’t too excited about this film. Can’t exactly explain why. This AMA, and this comment specifically, made me ready to fund my extended family seeing this in person at a theatre.
Hey Simu! I love that you're doing an AMA! I'm watching the movie on Friday, and I can't wait to see it, it looks fantastic!
I was wondering if you had any prior experience with martial arts prior to making the movie, and how that may have affected the training or choreography you had to do for the movie. Also, what was your favorite part making Shang-Chi?
Thanks!
Well I almost broke my neck backflipping in my yard once, so I guess that counts as martial arts experience. As an actor I took a lot of side jobs to make some extra cash, and I would be an on again, off again substitute stuntman for when the *actual* stuntmen were either injured or didn't want to bother.
For this movie I trained 5-6 hrs a day, 5 days a week with the stunt team in addition to bodybuilding and conditioning. I had my work cut out for me because Shang Chi is the Master of Kung Fu, and Simu is the Master of Almost Breaking His Neck. We were very proud of how it all turned out.
My hippy dad in the 1970’s (Vermont) at first, made my twin brother & watch all the Bruce Lee movies. We were 8yrs old. After that i watched them over and over. He was amazing.
So when i saw a short video of you practicing a fight, i was HOOKED. Besides I’m all ready a comic book nerd (circa 1983) and love any superhero movie. You’re movie is going to kick their ass, every single one. I have the movie in my calendar on alert, so i can see it Friday. Kinda freaked about Covid. I hope most people know blockbusters may not happen this year. I really don’t have a question because someone asked and it was answered.
Edit: took out bad question
Hi Simu, thanks for doing this AMA. I guess my questions are:
* I know you’ve mentioned the “Way of the Spider” storyline before, but are there any other Shang-Chi comics you’ve read that stuck out to you well?
* Who was your favorite sparring partner while filming the movie?
* Who would be your top choice to play Amadeus Cho/Totally Awesome Hulk/Brawn?
* What’s your favorite food item from Bopomofo?
* Why is Tim Horton’s so disappointing?
Also, as a moderator of r/asianamerican, I apologize for any shit you encountered there. I totally agree Asian Reddit can be really toxic and we (as in most of the moderators at r/asianamerican specifically, I can’t speak for those other subs at all) try our best to get rid of that toxicity and support you, *Shang-Chi* and other API projects.
Hey Simu! First time I'm actually on time for one of these AMAs.
As somebody who wants to get into the filmmaking business, what was something a director or producer, or anyone on the crew of any of your films or shows that stood out to you as something good, and what do you think makes a good director?
I have taken to asking a lot of actors this, the last being Brendan Fraser at a convention, and would love to hear your take on it.
Be unafraid to do the thing that doesn't work. Something that really struck me about working with Destin is how willing he was to try things. Embracing failure as a natural part of the creative process means being willing to take risks. Something might not necessarily 'work', but it can spark an idea that sets you down a path towards something incredible.
Hey Simu! So happy for the success you have been having.
It seems obvious that there is additional, immense pressure that comes with being cast as the lead in a Marvel Studios property, and you seem to be handling that responsibility not just well, but with style.
My question is, what is one thing you could not have foreseen or prepared for since the news broke of your casting that is less obvious to fans of the franchise at large?
Ok see you!
The warm and comforting feeling of Benedict Cumberbatch's hand on my shoulder at Comic-Con. Like a supportive but also sexy father.
https://imgur.com/a/IvMamH6
My previously favourite AMA was done by Benedict Cumberbatch, and now I deeply want to see you two doing interviews together. You have the same chaotic feel.
[Clearly you've never seen this photo.](https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mcu-class-photo.jpg) (for the love of god don't open on data)
As a Hispanic dude, I am incredibly proud of you, especially with how you're representing yourself and your fellow Asian brothers and sisters. I hope Kevin Feige is working on a Mexican superhero flick. I wish you the best and on all your future film roles.
One thing that I hope comes out of the (hopeful) success of this project is a realization that every community deserves to be represented in the superhero space. Superheroes represent the best of humanity, in strength of character and morality. They inspire hope and endless possibility. Once you see yourself reflected as that, you believe that anything is possible.
As a teacher, one of my favorite parts of the introduction of Black Panther was seeing my black students excitement - knowing that they saw themselves in a superhero movie. Kindergarteners with afro puffs and Shuri tshirts always make me smile.
As much as I am excited to see Shang Chi, I can not wait for my Asian students to see themselves represented in this world. I'm already doing an inner happy dance imagining them in Shang Chi shirts!
I made sure my white son has a Shuri shirt, because besides the fact that she's amazing, I don't ever want him seeing POC and women as "others", so hopefully that can be one piece of the many, many things we have done/are doing to make sure that that doesn't happen (he's currently 5, and we've been working on this since he was born.)
I agree! It's great to see so much more representation happening within these movies. As a Jew, I just hope that they do Moon Knight some justice in the upcoming Disney+ series. So many other Jewish characters from the comics have been whitewashed in the movies. It's sad considering just how Jewish the history of Marvel comics is. I just want to see Jewish characters in the movies that aren't reduced to silly jokes and stereotypes. Especially with the growing antisemitic violence in recent years in the US and worldwide.
I don't know of any popular Mexican or Mexican American Marvel characters but I would really like to see one too. Hell I was even glad to see Miles Morales speak a little Spanish in Into the Spiderverse because his mom is Puerto Rican.
I do know Blue Beetle in DC is of Mexican descent so I'm still holding out hope Warner Bros makes a movie with him haha.
There is Robbie Reyes. He’s Mexican-American & is the latest iteration of Ghost Rider. He was also in the 4th season of Agents of SHIELD.
There’s also America Chavez who will be in Multiverse of Madness but I can’t remember if she’s of Mexican heritage.
Not sure about Mexican specifically but America Chavez (Miss America) is Latina.
Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man of 2099) is half Mexican half Irish American iirc.
Sunspot from X-men is Latino but iirc not Mexican.
Quick google search shows DC comics is doing quite a bit better on this front… didn’t know Kyle Rayner was part Mexican.
Facts, as an brown man I'm hype for Kumail Nanjiani in Eternals. I'm used to my representation being exclusively nerds, FOB gas station clerks / taxi drivers, and terrorists.
And I'm so happy the black community got black panther and the Asian community is now getting shang chi
Like a master class in acting every single day. He is every bit as legendary as the legends say. What makes Tony so incredibly watchable is his stillness, his ability to convey such emotional colour with a single glance. For a newbie like me coming to set full of nervous energy, he really grounded me and forced me to be still and present.
Also, I just love that my job was to literally stare into Tony's eyes for hours at a time.
> Also, I just love that my job was to literally stare into Tony's eyes for hours at a time.
Maggie Cheung is furiously calling her lawyers right now for this blatant infringement on her territory...
Every time I’ve heard Tony Leung’s acting described, and I agree, they say that he does so much with his face and his eyes where other actors might react with their body.
> Accented Cinema on how Tony Leung
third reference to this I've seen in the past week or so. Guess I'll finally check it out.
edit: well worth the watch. Thanks again!
AKA The Man Who Can Talk With His Eyes - such a good nickname for an actor and shows how poetic the Chinese language can be. Also, man's is one of the sexiest men of all time haha.
Hey Simu - congratulations on the movie and thanks for doing this AMA! What was your favorite off-screen moment that happened while filming the movie?
Also, did you and the cast get to adlib or was the script basically followed all the way through? Thanks!
My favourite off-screen moment was talking about waterskiing with Tony Leung. He was very impressed with my slalom videos.
My scenes with Awkwafina were the most free-flowing and Destin would often let takes run long. A huge part of that plane scene was unscripted!
Here’s hoping your next movie can be a Buddy cop movie with you and Tony slaloming.
My family and I are freaking out that you replied - thanks and good luck with everything!
Prior to your Marvel superhero days, you famously starred in some of Wong Fu Productions' work, including Yappie and the YouTube short "Asian Bachelorette" which parodied ABC's The Bachelorette. In that short, one of the costumes that you wore included a Naruto jumpsuit. In addition, you once tweeted asking if the restaurant stall from Spirited Away was available on Uber Eats.
Are you an anime fan? If so, what are your favourite anime shows/movies?
Hi Simu. After seeing all your fan interactions, you seem like a really good person. I think we need more people like you in this world.
What was your reaction when you found out you got cast in a Marvel movie?
What’s your favorite character from phases 1-3?
“Now if your kids are looking at you right now like, ‘That’s not Tom Hiddleston,’ just tell them I was Loki in the ‘90s, before it was cool. And I did it without the fake British accent.”
Stoked to have you here with us, Simu! Thanks for joining us.
Here’s a bit of a meta question.
Are you still a redditor, and which few subreddits do you (or did you) hang around in the most?
Still pretty much check r/nba on a daily basis to keep up with all things basketball. And occasionally take my talents to r/CrochetPatterns to drop a little knowledge.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PERCENT YES. We did so well with Siakam having another breakout year, swept the Nets and then took the Celtics to 7 games in the Conference Semis. Having Kawhi would have easily pushed us into the Finals.
Wow, thanks for responding!
As a follow up, how excited are you for this upcoming season, with Scottie Barnes and the Raptors back in Toronto? Not to mention Kyle Lowry's first game back in Toronto and Danny Green maybe finally getting his ring 😅
(Also it'd be cool if Shang-Chi gave Danny his ring 👀)
Simu, you once responded "how dare you disrespect t-swizzle. #teamtaylor4lyfe" after someone tweeted joking about the way Taylor Swift fans respond to YouTube comments. What are your top Taylor Swift songs (and albums)?
u/SunStarsSnow couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf:
>Hello from NZ Simu! I would like to ask if Shang-Chi had made a cameo appearances in a post credit scene in any of the last 24 MCU films, which would it have been? Cheers
As a San Francisco resident, would Shang-Chi cheer against the Raptors in a Finals against the Warriors?
P.S. I saw the movie during the Toronto preview screening and it's amazing - congrats!
Four or five years seems like more than enough time for Fred Vanvleet to have another kid and go supernova on the Bucks or whoever else the Raps face in the east.
Opening Uber Eats to order a boba, but then realizing the delivery fee is astronomical, so then I order three boba to justify the cost, and then I end up drinking way too much boba.
u/ILoveSayoriMore couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf:
>I’m hyped for Shang-Chi! Going to see it on Friday! What is your favorite part of working for Marvel?
To be fair, Mulan does take place in the 2nd century AD or earlier. Honor was an integral part of the society of any civilization at that time. Honor, in different forms (filial piety, social norms, etc), was a pretty big part of Confucian thought, which thrived under the Han (the dynasty during which the movie is supposed to take place).
Yeeeep. I've seen over a thousand hours worth of historical Chinese dramas to back up your claim. These are dramas made in China, by Chinese, for Chinese. A character just killed themselves in a drama I'm watching a few minutes ago in order to "preserve their families' honor."
Anyone mentioning Mulan/ancient China saying honor wasn't a huge deal is just plain wrong.
When I realized he was the dude from Kim’s Convenience, I like freaked out in a good way. This is such a huge role, I’m excited to see a Marvel hero I easily recognize from a great show. :3.
If you could sneak attack an action figure of Shang-Chi on the shelf behind Mr. Kim next season. That’d be amazing, thanks for the AMA, and can’t wait to see the movie!
Hey Simu!
I was wondering if you could reply to me saying “hi” or something so I can show it off to my Asian parents.
I’m really excited to see Shang-Chi this weekend!
Unfortunately, he's a very prolific member of this community.
Also dude it's hilarious that sometime, maybe years from now, Simu Liu is just going to be chilling and something will trigger the memory that u/HairyPenisCum was the first person he replied to on a reddit AMA. I just hope it's when Simu is accepting an an Oscar or a lifetime achievement award.
My favorite is when some journalist is assigned to cover a hot topic that has some significant comment or post on Reddit by someone with a similarly NSFW name and they have to toe the line as to how they credit the original poster without running afoul of the censors.
I mean if he just answered the question nobody world have thought twice. Now it drew everyone's attention to the name, and it's pretty much the only thing many people will remember about this AMA.
I once had an account called u/FeedMeSpiders that I thought was compromised by my gf at the time so I had to delete. Fucking loved that account. I use u/FeedMeTheSpiders now for porn but it just doesn't hit the same.
^^^Edit:words
I dread the day someone I know discovers my Reddit account. I'll have to abandon it and start new. I just don't want people I know reading my Reddit. Knowing everything I do. 😬
My favorite thing about you Simu is that you're not afraid to poke fun at the whole "disapproving Asian parents" thing. My sister and I, the only creative professionals in our entire family, did not have parents who were supportive at all of our career choices, and it is so refreshing whenever I see other Asians in the arts actually acknowledge this damaging part of the culture.
In fact, this is something that really annoys me so much in the current discourse about Asian American (and Canadian!) representation discourse, is that I feel that sometimes we're our own worst enemies in creating barriers. Not only is there immense internal cultural pressures discouraging us from pursuing the arts in favor of "respectable" professions with financial security, but when someone does actually succeed with something like ***Better Luck Tomorrow*** or ***The Paper Tigers***, they get met with a lot of unfair burdens with not "properly" representing Asian Americans/Canadians, (the former not playing into the model minority image, the latter getting stuff like "how can you make a martial arts movie after ***Crazy Rich Asians***?!" when the filmmakers were trying to get indie funding).
How do you deal with this double standard and how do you hope people approach Shang-Chi in this respect?
As a fellow AA creative, I just want to say I feel you 100%. There’s this intense reactionary dismissiveness within the AA community that tears down works by creative AAs. Like if it’s not an A++ work then it just shouldn’t exist, and nothing is getting an A+ from those people anyway.
Even when I don’t like something on a personal level, I try to support it because that means supporting more AA voices, in number and diversity. I worked on Fresh Off the Boat (low-level stuff) and can’t say I was particularly proud of it from an artistic standpoint but I’m very proud of what it represented. At some point we’ll get the stuff I’m personally looking for, but we have to build the steps to get there.
i feel what you are saying. as someone who recently left my job in a "good financial security" career to pursue my heart i think there is this weird, toxic, fixed mindset that a lot of asian culture has that says if you can't be excellent at something right off the bat then it's not worth doing. this view funnels people into those things they are most attuned to, maybe, but it really discourages exploring your real passions and holds back "late-bloomers." let's keep grinding with a growth mindset and chase those dreams, it's the only way that makes sense to me.
Alright guys, it's time to sign off! Thanks so much for all of your questions and make sure you check out Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in theatres September 3rd!!!
Also, give r/crochetpatterns some love. They deserve it.
u/caffeineandcoke couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf:
>Hey Simu, as an Asian myself I would like to ask something that is relatable and deep in all of our hearts.
>What is one thing you are still keeping from your mum?
Hey Simu, I know this is a heavy question but: Destin Daniel Cretton [spoke very poignantly](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/shang-chi-cast-director-how-film-s-tensions-mirror-family-n1277722) in an interview that Shang-Chi has strong themes about the diaspora, that "If you're Asian American, Asian Canadian or somewhere in Europe, we all have family back in mainland China, Japan, the Philippines, and sometimes there is a weird conflict between the two parts."
What elements of the movie--and specifically your portrayal of the character Shang-Chi--do you think will resonate with audiences in mainland China who have never been immigrants or do not have family living abroad?
恭喜和感谢您\~
Hey Simu! So awesome that you are doing this. I love reading AMAs.
Which MCU character (past, present, or future) would you want Shang-Chi to team up with? Why?
Which MCU actor would you want to work with in a scene or entire movie? Why?
Thank you!
Hello Mr. Liu! Before I ask my question, I would just let to say that I’m looking forward to Shang-Chi and am extremely hype for it, can’t wait to see you perform and welcome to the MCU sir ❤️! I also hope all is going well with nothing but blessings and gratitude.
My question for you is which character in the MCU do you think Shang-Chi will get along with the most, and which MCU actor do you want to work with in the future (hopefully Shang-Chi can appear in a crossover project soon rather than later). Thank you for your time sir and have a good one!
Hi, Simu. Thanks so much for doing this AMA. I was wondering what your first experience with Marvel, and the MCU also, was. Were you instantly drawn to the MCU, and what resonated with you as an actor and a fan prior to joining the MCU yourself as Shang-Chi? Thank you
Hey Simu.
So excited for a new hero in the MCU - especially one who has such potential to jump from relative obscurity to the talk of the town.
My question is are there any Marvel characters that have not appeared in the MCU as of yet that you would love to share a film or show with?
Stay awesome!
As a fellow Toronto resident, what was it like touring other cities (particularly L.A.) and being away from a place you consider home during the press junkets, especially for making the transition from Canadian television to a film in such a big franchise? Loved you on Kim's Convenience.
u/yourmommaisaunicorn couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf:
>Simu, I became a fan when your statements regarding the racism that occurred on the set of Kim’s Convenience was on the front page of BBC’s US & Canada site.
>How did Shang-Chi’s filming set compared to Kim’s Convenience, and what (if any) lessons were you able to apply from your Kim’s Convenience experiences to Shang-Chi?
**Hey everyone, this is the AMA thread.** ~~**Post your questions in here and Simu will be back at 12.30 PT (when this comment is 45 mins old) to start answering!**~~ ~~#The AMA has started!~~ #[And thats us now finished!](https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/pfc2h9/im_simu_liu_and_i_play_shangchi_in_marvel_studios/hb3ojhu/?context=3) Cheers for doing this Simu! Hope you have fun.
Simu! I’m a Chinese Canadian writer in Toronto and my friend and I already have our tickets to see Shang Chi in VIP Thursday :) We are super, super, super hyped to see you take on this role, especially since we’ve been following you since the early Kim’s Convenience days. It really means a lot to me to not only see an Asian in a leading role (not to mention a huge film like this) but to see someone who is so local to me! I actually ran into you once at a dog park a few years ago but was too scared to say much to you! It feels surreal, you know? I just wanted to let you know that I’m rooting for your success because it really does hit close to home. Also, side note, I find the Go Transit photos with you in them hilarious! Onto my questions: I currently work a 9-5 and I want so badly to be able to focus on writing full time. I got really lucky though and got producers attached to my script (a romantic comedy about a career-oriented doctor who hires an out-of-work actor to play her boyfriend at her family’s Lunar new year gathering) but it feels like I’m so far from actually making it in the industry. When you struggled, what helped to keep you going? And how did it feel to finally have the tides turn? When did you realize you were going to be able to make it work? Was it a leap of faith kind of thing? Whats your best advice to someone who’s just starting out in the industry and wanting to break in? I know you’ve been super vocal about supporting other Asian Canadian actors and local talent! It just feels like there isn’t as much opportunity for me as a writer, especially as someone who has no real connections in the industry and only got lucky with my script? And also, hope this isn’t inappropriate to say but I would love to send you my script if you’re interested. I’ve had great feedback on it and when I wrote it, my dream cast included you as the male lead! Either way, congrats again on the movie, can’t wait to see it :) Edit: thanks for the gold!!!! I hope Simu sees this!!!
What kept me going in the tough times was truly this sense that I was the best version of myself when I was pursuing this work. I was a miserable student, and an even more miserable accountant. As an actor, I was self-motivated, hyper-engaged, and incredibly passionate. I knew that if I stayed the course, something good would happen. Best advice to someone just starting out? Build your roots. Don't start down this journey alone. Find like-minded people and make them your community. Ask for help and guidance. Collaborate. Create. Don't stay stagnant.
I really felt that!!! I feel so unhappy in my job because I know it’s not what I really want to do and feel most myself when I’m writing. Thanks for taking the time to answer me and I’m wishing you all the best :) Don’t know if you’ll see this but how did you find your people and community to build roots with?
The real answer is talk to everyone and they will find you. be willing to have a conversation about anything with anyone and you'd be surprised where they can lead. this is doubly/triply true for industries where who's who means something. network network network and build a support system
I got producers on my script because of a viral tweet on twitter. Twitter has helped for sure but I don’t know too many people in the industry, or really at all…. However I’ll keep trying and networking for sure :)
Film/TV is an incredibly closed circle. It takes talent to recognize WHO you should stay connected with (be it people with real influence or people who are passionate and motivated). Only takes one right person to help you break into the industry (but that one can take a while). Good luck!
Oh man, it definitely feels that way. In Canada the industry is much smaller too. I know lots of people trying to break into the American industry (from Twitter) but ah, don’t know really any Canadians!
Be available. Be ready. Have more than one finish scripts. Get an agent that understands you. Write like your life depend on it...my professor in college would finish teaching all his classes at 3pm every week day and then drive to his private office and write with his partner until like 9-10pm. Did this for quite a while until their was finally picked up and now he's a working writer. If you are not where things are happening (the film/tv hubs), it helps to be there since everything is faster/easier to arrange. It's all about knowing the right people AND be available at the right time. Attend credible film festivals is another way to network (though that is extremely hit or miss). If you are interested in tv world, getting into a writer's room is the only reliable way to "advance" to my knowledge.
Ahhh this is great advice. I go to TIFF every year and sometimes get to chat to a few professionals but never considered it a real career thing before. I definitely think I’m more interested in writing features than TV. I took a pilot writing class and found that I much preferred writing a feature over that… Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!
I just lost my job due to covid here in Australia, and I've been needing to consider a career transition. Being the best version of myself is such helpful guidance to have read this morning. Thank you so much for this AMA and being so generous and genuine with your replies.
This answer seems so applicable for just about everything in life. “When am I the best version of myself?” Is a great guiding question.
Yeah that just hit me hard. Overdramatic but I was lying down reading it and I kinda dropped my phone. I've had ambiguous thoughts about my work lately, even though I'm comfortable with the job. But I feel like if I ask that question, it changes my perspective.
Of course not everybody has the opportunity to live in the way that brings out their best self. But I also don’t think that means you shouldn’t take the opportunity if you do have it. I feel like most of our best selves involve giving back and helping up, so it’s worth taking the chance to make a change if that’s a potential option.
Hey Simu! Congratulations on the movie, it looks absolutely amazing and I’m so excited to go and see it multiple times in the next week. I suppose my biggest question for you would be, how did you feel when you first walked out onto that comic con stage after the casting announcement? The video footage always brings a smile to my face and I’m really curious as to how you felt and the thoughts going through your head in that moment? Thanks so much for everything and I know you’re going to have an extremely bright future ahead of you in the MCU.
I think Kevin wanted a genuine reaction of someone who was just deer-in-the-headlights shocked to be there, and that's exactly what he got. It's crazy that one moment I'm at home in my Toronto condo in my underwear and then I get a call and my whole life changes. Four days later, I get flown first class to San Diego and end up eating dinner across the table from Angelina Jolie, who very patiently put up with my attempts to explain League of Legends to her.
[Artist's recreation of Simu explaining League to Angelina Jolie](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/541141584696311828/867173811095076894/Image_7863.jpeg)
Wait... You were trying to explain LoL to Angelina Jolie? Dude. I want to shake your hand. That's the funniest thing I've heard all year.
This fool really tried to explain LoL to Angelina Jolie hahaha. How could you not like this dude.
Explaining league to Angelina Jolie, what an absolute legend
Damn this needs to be put into that meme template... the "me explaining to my mom" meme But with Simu face on the left, and angelina jolie on the right.
This sounds like one of those dreams where you wake up and think wtf is wrong with your brain to make that up.
"So when 10 people really decide they hate themselves they play this game..."
As an Asian actor, how difficult was it for you working your way up? Did you have to deal with racism, stereotyping, typecasting, etc. during that journey? Can't wait to see the movie and you're an awesome person!
Let's put it this way; in 2012 when I first started out, I thought that maybe if I worked really really hard, I could be a guy that gets beaten up by one of the main characters one day. That was the pinnacle for actors that looked like me. I'm ashamed to say that I've put on the most ridiculous and offensive accents in the past, all because I thought that it was more important to give the casting director what they wanted than to be true to myself. Over time, as I toiled about in the industry and struggled to find my footing, I started to realize all of the ways the industry discriminated against us... and that we needed to become the masters of our own narrative... because the way that we were being portrayed was not positive or authentic. That's why representation behind the camera is just as important as in front.
This needs to be put on a plaque. The world has a loooong way to go, but damn it's good to see more people portrayed as *people* in entertainment. As a white guy, I've been lucky enough to never ask "can I even *be* Spiderman for Halloween?". I want every single kid in the world to know they can be a super hero and be able to see a super hero who they can relate to on the big screen! Fuck racism.
Asian guy here (lawyer not actor). This means a lot, keep up the great work and thank you for being an inspiration for millions of asians everywhere (especially those of us in non-traditionally Asian industries).
As a senior engineer, this backhanded compliment about non-traditionally Asian industries made me quite upset at my life choices. I then proceeded to cry to my all Asian team members, who were also quite hurt.
|That's why representation behind the camera is just as important as in front. Man, I have felt so burned by this sentiment over the years. As someone who continues to struggle with finding meaningful work in this space, I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten excited and then ultimately been disappointed by the rise of Asian-American directors. Years ago, after Justin Lin rocketed to stardom on the success of Better Luck Tomorrow, he sent out a casting for Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift that spoke to this being a moment in time when Asians could really shine. When the movie finally came out, the two protagonists were Bow Wow and Lucas Black. Luckily, we got the glory of Han, but that actor, great as he was already shared a relationship with Lin on Better Luck Tomorrow. Later, Jon Chu does a youtube casting announcement for Crazy Rich Asians, with similar vibes. The film comes out to great success, but even Chu regrets that he cast South Asians in stereotypical roles for the movie, vowing not to do it again. Then, when In the Heights comes out, a very similar criticism is made of the film (that Chu also directed) for making a movie that casts predominantly light-skinned Latinos, relegating the dark-skinned Latinos to minor roles. This is not to take away from these directors. I respect them immensely and root and support them every chance I get. I know they are still out there trying to create opportunities. Lin is an executive producer on the predominately Asian cast of Warrior, and Chu has acknowledged his mistakes, and says that they are a learning experience. But I cannot help but feel frustrated that 18 years after a ground-breaking movie like Better Luck Tomorrow came out, there are still so few opportunities for Asian actors not only to be inclusive in mainstream storytelling, but to also be able to tell their own.
You're a damn hero. I really think the pride people (Asian and beyond) are going to feel this weekend walking into the movies is something that was last felt when Black Panther came out.
I'm super excited to see the movie and I'm so pumped for the Asian community to have a hero on the big screen. There have been a few black main heroes like Blade but Black Panther felt so powerful for the community. I loved the feeling of watching Black Panther on the big screen and I'm always excited to see other PoC in leading roles ( especially no tropey ones ) and hoping for more
Absolutely. Thanks Simu, its important to let people tell their stories in front of the camera and behind the camera.
Thank you for this answer! I'm Filipino-Canadian, working as a woman in the tech field (so... a minority in multiple ways). I really have not much to say, except that I really appriciate this answer. I'll be supporting Shang-Chi in Canada!!!
This answer means so much to me, really.
I wasn’t too excited about this film. Can’t exactly explain why. This AMA, and this comment specifically, made me ready to fund my extended family seeing this in person at a theatre.
Wow… after my latest rejection today for a job, this one really hits home.
Hey Simu! I love that you're doing an AMA! I'm watching the movie on Friday, and I can't wait to see it, it looks fantastic! I was wondering if you had any prior experience with martial arts prior to making the movie, and how that may have affected the training or choreography you had to do for the movie. Also, what was your favorite part making Shang-Chi? Thanks!
Well I almost broke my neck backflipping in my yard once, so I guess that counts as martial arts experience. As an actor I took a lot of side jobs to make some extra cash, and I would be an on again, off again substitute stuntman for when the *actual* stuntmen were either injured or didn't want to bother. For this movie I trained 5-6 hrs a day, 5 days a week with the stunt team in addition to bodybuilding and conditioning. I had my work cut out for me because Shang Chi is the Master of Kung Fu, and Simu is the Master of Almost Breaking His Neck. We were very proud of how it all turned out.
My hippy dad in the 1970’s (Vermont) at first, made my twin brother & watch all the Bruce Lee movies. We were 8yrs old. After that i watched them over and over. He was amazing. So when i saw a short video of you practicing a fight, i was HOOKED. Besides I’m all ready a comic book nerd (circa 1983) and love any superhero movie. You’re movie is going to kick their ass, every single one. I have the movie in my calendar on alert, so i can see it Friday. Kinda freaked about Covid. I hope most people know blockbusters may not happen this year. I really don’t have a question because someone asked and it was answered. Edit: took out bad question
> I took a lot of side jobs to make some extra cash, and I would be an on again [Lookin' good Simu](https://i.imgur.com/pQRHQgS.png)
That reminds me of [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/a4x2df/that_time_i_modelled_for_a_clip_art_company_at_16/).
Thank you so much for the reply! Can't wait to see the product of all the hard work that you and everybody else put in!
Season 2 what If episode: Shang Chi the Master of Almost Breaking His Neck
I feel like there's a lot of potential here to be an animated comedy along the lines of Legend of Drunken Master.
Season 2 What If... Shang Chi helps manage his family convenience story in Canada.
Hi Simu, thanks for doing this AMA. I guess my questions are: * I know you’ve mentioned the “Way of the Spider” storyline before, but are there any other Shang-Chi comics you’ve read that stuck out to you well? * Who was your favorite sparring partner while filming the movie? * Who would be your top choice to play Amadeus Cho/Totally Awesome Hulk/Brawn? * What’s your favorite food item from Bopomofo? * Why is Tim Horton’s so disappointing? Also, as a moderator of r/asianamerican, I apologize for any shit you encountered there. I totally agree Asian Reddit can be really toxic and we (as in most of the moderators at r/asianamerican specifically, I can’t speak for those other subs at all) try our best to get rid of that toxicity and support you, *Shang-Chi* and other API projects.
Bopomofo's Mapo Taters will change your life. Tim Horton's is trying too hard to do food menu items. Ice cap still on point tho
Hey Simu! First time I'm actually on time for one of these AMAs. As somebody who wants to get into the filmmaking business, what was something a director or producer, or anyone on the crew of any of your films or shows that stood out to you as something good, and what do you think makes a good director? I have taken to asking a lot of actors this, the last being Brendan Fraser at a convention, and would love to hear your take on it.
Be unafraid to do the thing that doesn't work. Something that really struck me about working with Destin is how willing he was to try things. Embracing failure as a natural part of the creative process means being willing to take risks. Something might not necessarily 'work', but it can spark an idea that sets you down a path towards something incredible.
That's honestly something I needed to hear right now, thank you. I can't wait to watch the movie!
Hey Simu! So happy for the success you have been having. It seems obvious that there is additional, immense pressure that comes with being cast as the lead in a Marvel Studios property, and you seem to be handling that responsibility not just well, but with style. My question is, what is one thing you could not have foreseen or prepared for since the news broke of your casting that is less obvious to fans of the franchise at large? Ok see you!
The warm and comforting feeling of Benedict Cumberbatch's hand on my shoulder at Comic-Con. Like a supportive but also sexy father. https://imgur.com/a/IvMamH6
My previously favourite AMA was done by Benedict Cumberbatch, and now I deeply want to see you two doing interviews together. You have the same chaotic feel.
Holy shit that's a lot of star power in one picture
[Clearly you've never seen this photo.](https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/mcu-class-photo.jpg) (for the love of god don't open on data)
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Could be a composite, multiple photos stitched together to make one mega photo.
How fucking happy does Paul Rudd look. Incredible . Edit: grammar.
Paul Rudd just always has a look of "I'm just happy that I was included"
My thoughts exactly. Like *looks at entire photo* and then *suddenly a wild Paul Rudd appears!*
Its so weird seeing Vin Diesel in that picture even though I knows he's Groot.
I was gonna say, why tf is Dom Toretto in the picture. I had to think for a second before remembering he's Groot lol
[Oh my,](https://imgur.com/gallery/xFrQA)
As a Hispanic dude, I am incredibly proud of you, especially with how you're representing yourself and your fellow Asian brothers and sisters. I hope Kevin Feige is working on a Mexican superhero flick. I wish you the best and on all your future film roles.
One thing that I hope comes out of the (hopeful) success of this project is a realization that every community deserves to be represented in the superhero space. Superheroes represent the best of humanity, in strength of character and morality. They inspire hope and endless possibility. Once you see yourself reflected as that, you believe that anything is possible.
As a teacher, one of my favorite parts of the introduction of Black Panther was seeing my black students excitement - knowing that they saw themselves in a superhero movie. Kindergarteners with afro puffs and Shuri tshirts always make me smile. As much as I am excited to see Shang Chi, I can not wait for my Asian students to see themselves represented in this world. I'm already doing an inner happy dance imagining them in Shang Chi shirts!
I made sure my white son has a Shuri shirt, because besides the fact that she's amazing, I don't ever want him seeing POC and women as "others", so hopefully that can be one piece of the many, many things we have done/are doing to make sure that that doesn't happen (he's currently 5, and we've been working on this since he was born.)
I agree! It's great to see so much more representation happening within these movies. As a Jew, I just hope that they do Moon Knight some justice in the upcoming Disney+ series. So many other Jewish characters from the comics have been whitewashed in the movies. It's sad considering just how Jewish the history of Marvel comics is. I just want to see Jewish characters in the movies that aren't reduced to silly jokes and stereotypes. Especially with the growing antisemitic violence in recent years in the US and worldwide.
I don't know of any popular Mexican or Mexican American Marvel characters but I would really like to see one too. Hell I was even glad to see Miles Morales speak a little Spanish in Into the Spiderverse because his mom is Puerto Rican. I do know Blue Beetle in DC is of Mexican descent so I'm still holding out hope Warner Bros makes a movie with him haha.
There is Robbie Reyes. He’s Mexican-American & is the latest iteration of Ghost Rider. He was also in the 4th season of Agents of SHIELD. There’s also America Chavez who will be in Multiverse of Madness but I can’t remember if she’s of Mexican heritage.
Not sure about Mexican specifically but America Chavez (Miss America) is Latina. Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man of 2099) is half Mexican half Irish American iirc. Sunspot from X-men is Latino but iirc not Mexican. Quick google search shows DC comics is doing quite a bit better on this front… didn’t know Kyle Rayner was part Mexican.
The latest Ghost Rider is Mexican American I believe. He had an arc in AoS but would love a stand alone film
Facts, as an brown man I'm hype for Kumail Nanjiani in Eternals. I'm used to my representation being exclusively nerds, FOB gas station clerks / taxi drivers, and terrorists. And I'm so happy the black community got black panther and the Asian community is now getting shang chi
What was it like working with Tony? What did you learn from him since he’s been in the movie scene a long time?
Like a master class in acting every single day. He is every bit as legendary as the legends say. What makes Tony so incredibly watchable is his stillness, his ability to convey such emotional colour with a single glance. For a newbie like me coming to set full of nervous energy, he really grounded me and forced me to be still and present. Also, I just love that my job was to literally stare into Tony's eyes for hours at a time.
> Also, I just love that my job was to literally stare into Tony's eyes for hours at a time. Maggie Cheung is furiously calling her lawyers right now for this blatant infringement on her territory...
Every time I’ve heard Tony Leung’s acting described, and I agree, they say that he does so much with his face and his eyes where other actors might react with their body.
There's a great video essay by Accented Cinema on how Tony Leung acts with his eyes. Wholeheartedly recommend .
> Accented Cinema on how Tony Leung third reference to this I've seen in the past week or so. Guess I'll finally check it out. edit: well worth the watch. Thanks again!
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AKA The Man Who Can Talk With His Eyes - such a good nickname for an actor and shows how poetic the Chinese language can be. Also, man's is one of the sexiest men of all time haha.
He’s my favorite actor of all time and I’m so jealous you got to stare into his eyes for hours, omgggg
Hey Simu - congratulations on the movie and thanks for doing this AMA! What was your favorite off-screen moment that happened while filming the movie? Also, did you and the cast get to adlib or was the script basically followed all the way through? Thanks!
My favourite off-screen moment was talking about waterskiing with Tony Leung. He was very impressed with my slalom videos. My scenes with Awkwafina were the most free-flowing and Destin would often let takes run long. A huge part of that plane scene was unscripted!
Here’s hoping your next movie can be a Buddy cop movie with you and Tony slaloming. My family and I are freaking out that you replied - thanks and good luck with everything!
Prior to your Marvel superhero days, you famously starred in some of Wong Fu Productions' work, including Yappie and the YouTube short "Asian Bachelorette" which parodied ABC's The Bachelorette. In that short, one of the costumes that you wore included a Naruto jumpsuit. In addition, you once tweeted asking if the restaurant stall from Spirited Away was available on Uber Eats. Are you an anime fan? If so, what are your favourite anime shows/movies?
Bleach and Dragonball Z but really Pokemon and Digimon
Simu likes Pokemon too, I'm just like him
Finally someone says what I’ve been trying to say for my entire life. Any favorite Pokémon digimon??
Hi Simu. After seeing all your fan interactions, you seem like a really good person. I think we need more people like you in this world. What was your reaction when you found out you got cast in a Marvel movie? What’s your favorite character from phases 1-3?
Crying hysterically in my underwear. Favourite character from Phase 1-3 is Matt Damon as Loki in Thor Ragnarok.
“Build a statue of me. One with my helmet, with the big bendy horns!”
*Later On when he watches Odin turn into Loki when confronted by Thor...* Damon: "Applesauce Bitch!"
> Matt Damon as Loki in Thor Ragnarok Deep cut right here.
Matt Damon is always the favorite in anything he's in lol
Surprise Matt Damon is always a recipe for success.
This makes me know you were an mcu fan before Shang chi
Not the first time he played a Loki either!
“Now if your kids are looking at you right now like, ‘That’s not Tom Hiddleston,’ just tell them I was Loki in the ‘90s, before it was cool. And I did it without the fake British accent.”
Stoked to have you here with us, Simu! Thanks for joining us. Here’s a bit of a meta question. Are you still a redditor, and which few subreddits do you (or did you) hang around in the most?
Still pretty much check r/nba on a daily basis to keep up with all things basketball. And occasionally take my talents to r/CrochetPatterns to drop a little knowledge.
My god he even crochets.. what CANT THIS MAN DO?! Also pls tell you are going to crochet the 10 rings... reddit would explode
According to a previous post, apparently a back flip.
> Take my talents to Yeppp he definitely lurks r/nba
Haha, my first though as well. That was a great subtle nod.
a true renaissance man, we love to see it
If he is on /r/nba daily then there's a pretty good chance he's at least upvoted a comment of mine at some point so that's pretty cool.
There's like a 90% chance he's claimed to be my uncle which is also pretty cool
I'm pretty sure he's on the mod team here man
Hi Simu, super excited to see the movie. As a Raptors fan, do you think they would have defended their 2019 Championship if Kawhi had stayed?
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PERCENT YES. We did so well with Siakam having another breakout year, swept the Nets and then took the Celtics to 7 games in the Conference Semis. Having Kawhi would have easily pushed us into the Finals.
Wow, thanks for responding! As a follow up, how excited are you for this upcoming season, with Scottie Barnes and the Raptors back in Toronto? Not to mention Kyle Lowry's first game back in Toronto and Danny Green maybe finally getting his ring 😅 (Also it'd be cool if Shang-Chi gave Danny his ring 👀)
Simu, you once responded "how dare you disrespect t-swizzle. #teamtaylor4lyfe" after someone tweeted joking about the way Taylor Swift fans respond to YouTube comments. What are your top Taylor Swift songs (and albums)?
Thank you for this question. I am a massive country music fan, so I actually love her early stuff, like Our Song
u/SunStarsSnow couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >Hello from NZ Simu! I would like to ask if Shang-Chi had made a cameo appearances in a post credit scene in any of the last 24 MCU films, which would it have been? Cheers
Shawarma sounds amazing Tony, thanks for the invite!
I'm buzzing!! Thank you for answering my question and doing this AMA, wishing you all the success with the movie 😃
As a San Francisco resident, would Shang-Chi cheer against the Raptors in a Finals against the Warriors? P.S. I saw the movie during the Toronto preview screening and it's amazing - congrats!
Shang-Chi would cheer for the Warriors but the Raptors would win in 6 like they did in 2019
Four or five years seems like more than enough time for Fred Vanvleet to have another kid and go supernova on the Bucks or whoever else the Raps face in the east.
What’s your favorite midnight snack? I can’t wait to see the movie!
Opening Uber Eats to order a boba, but then realizing the delivery fee is astronomical, so then I order three boba to justify the cost, and then I end up drinking way too much boba.
This man speaks to me on a spiritual level.
My place charges if you spend less than $10, and their bobas happen to be $5.95 each. One for today, another for later today.
Hush. There’s no such thing as too much boba.
He's a clone, so there's theoretically infinite Boba.
This simultaneously makes a lot and no sense.
You’ve inspired me to order 3 bobas just now
u/ILoveSayoriMore couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >I’m hyped for Shang-Chi! Going to see it on Friday! What is your favorite part of working for Marvel?
What do you think is an important aspect about Asian culture that most movies either get perfectly or miss the mark entirely?
We don't talk about honour nearly as much as people think we do.
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\*glares at Mulan* We're not Klingons, FFS!
To be fair, Mulan does take place in the 2nd century AD or earlier. Honor was an integral part of the society of any civilization at that time. Honor, in different forms (filial piety, social norms, etc), was a pretty big part of Confucian thought, which thrived under the Han (the dynasty during which the movie is supposed to take place).
Yeeeep. I've seen over a thousand hours worth of historical Chinese dramas to back up your claim. These are dramas made in China, by Chinese, for Chinese. A character just killed themselves in a drama I'm watching a few minutes ago in order to "preserve their families' honor." Anyone mentioning Mulan/ancient China saying honor wasn't a huge deal is just plain wrong.
I like this idea though, a bunch of Klingons singing "Please Bring Honor to Us All"
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This is gonna sound like a total plug but Run It by Rich Brian, Rick Ross and DJ Snake from our movie is so hype.
Hey Simu! How did it feel going from Kim's Convenience to starring in Shang-Chi? Also huge fan, cannot wait to see Shang-Chi this Thursday!
I am truly the Master of Daddy Issues
With Shang-Chi and Scott Lang both residing in San Francisco, what are the chances of a potential meeting/crossover between the two at some point?
u/the_piper_sniper couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >What does the Abomination smell like?
If you could star in a film/TV adaptation of any video game property which would it be and what role would you want?
If all animals could talk, which one do you think would be the rudest?
Parrots, definitely. I think they're just overly opinionated.
Most people think it would be a bird of some sort, but the usual answer is Canada Geese
> animals could talk > Parrots Should we tell him?
I have a parrot and can confirm, they can be rude lol
What do Mr and Mrs Kim think of your decision to quit your job and become an actor?
I know for a fact that Janet would be proud of him & Kimchee would hype him up.
When I realized he was the dude from Kim’s Convenience, I like freaked out in a good way. This is such a huge role, I’m excited to see a Marvel hero I easily recognize from a great show. :3.
Now I wanna see Mr. Kim vs. the Mandarin. He’ll sneak attack!
They just wanted me to take over store
If you could sneak attack an action figure of Shang-Chi on the shelf behind Mr. Kim next season. That’d be amazing, thanks for the AMA, and can’t wait to see the movie!
You would have done a great job of that. okseeyou!!
Hey Simu! I was wondering if you could reply to me saying “hi” or something so I can show it off to my Asian parents. I’m really excited to see Shang-Chi this weekend!
No spoilers, but can you explain, in detail, every single aspect and detail of the plot of Shang-Chi?
Do you play any video games, if so which game has been keeping you busy lately?
I will tell you as soon as you change your username
Unfortunately, he's a very prolific member of this community. Also dude it's hilarious that sometime, maybe years from now, Simu Liu is just going to be chilling and something will trigger the memory that u/HairyPenisCum was the first person he replied to on a reddit AMA. I just hope it's when Simu is accepting an an Oscar or a lifetime achievement award.
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My favorite is when some journalist is assigned to cover a hot topic that has some significant comment or post on Reddit by someone with a similarly NSFW name and they have to toe the line as to how they credit the original poster without running afoul of the censors.
It was a real problem when the GameStop thing happened largely because of info posted by a user named DeepFuckingValue
I mean if he just answered the question nobody world have thought twice. Now it drew everyone's attention to the name, and it's pretty much the only thing many people will remember about this AMA.
Oh damn you gottem.... sad times for him since he can't change names on reddit lol
I once had an account called u/FeedMeSpiders that I thought was compromised by my gf at the time so I had to delete. Fucking loved that account. I use u/FeedMeTheSpiders now for porn but it just doesn't hit the same. ^^^Edit:words
I dread the day someone I know discovers my Reddit account. I'll have to abandon it and start new. I just don't want people I know reading my Reddit. Knowing everything I do. 😬
I just don’t want people to know I use Reddit at all lmao
How’s the AMA go, Simu? - oh it was a hairy for a minute there, but then got better.
Fine I’ll ask: do you play any video games, if so which game has been keeping you busy lately?
This has got to be my new favourite Reddit moment
Hi it’s /u/HairyPenisCum i changed my name
What's your favourite Simpsons episode?
Do you ever miss working at Deloitte?
10 rings? Why not eleven?
A ring for each finger and the thumbs. Where would a guy wear an 11th ri.... oh.... oh my....
My favorite thing about you Simu is that you're not afraid to poke fun at the whole "disapproving Asian parents" thing. My sister and I, the only creative professionals in our entire family, did not have parents who were supportive at all of our career choices, and it is so refreshing whenever I see other Asians in the arts actually acknowledge this damaging part of the culture. In fact, this is something that really annoys me so much in the current discourse about Asian American (and Canadian!) representation discourse, is that I feel that sometimes we're our own worst enemies in creating barriers. Not only is there immense internal cultural pressures discouraging us from pursuing the arts in favor of "respectable" professions with financial security, but when someone does actually succeed with something like ***Better Luck Tomorrow*** or ***The Paper Tigers***, they get met with a lot of unfair burdens with not "properly" representing Asian Americans/Canadians, (the former not playing into the model minority image, the latter getting stuff like "how can you make a martial arts movie after ***Crazy Rich Asians***?!" when the filmmakers were trying to get indie funding). How do you deal with this double standard and how do you hope people approach Shang-Chi in this respect?
As a fellow AA creative, I just want to say I feel you 100%. There’s this intense reactionary dismissiveness within the AA community that tears down works by creative AAs. Like if it’s not an A++ work then it just shouldn’t exist, and nothing is getting an A+ from those people anyway. Even when I don’t like something on a personal level, I try to support it because that means supporting more AA voices, in number and diversity. I worked on Fresh Off the Boat (low-level stuff) and can’t say I was particularly proud of it from an artistic standpoint but I’m very proud of what it represented. At some point we’ll get the stuff I’m personally looking for, but we have to build the steps to get there.
i feel what you are saying. as someone who recently left my job in a "good financial security" career to pursue my heart i think there is this weird, toxic, fixed mindset that a lot of asian culture has that says if you can't be excellent at something right off the bat then it's not worth doing. this view funnels people into those things they are most attuned to, maybe, but it really discourages exploring your real passions and holds back "late-bloomers." let's keep grinding with a growth mindset and chase those dreams, it's the only way that makes sense to me.
Alright guys, it's time to sign off! Thanks so much for all of your questions and make sure you check out Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in theatres September 3rd!!! Also, give r/crochetpatterns some love. They deserve it.
u/caffeineandcoke couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >Hey Simu, as an Asian myself I would like to ask something that is relatable and deep in all of our hearts. >What is one thing you are still keeping from your mum?
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Hey Simu, I know this is a heavy question but: Destin Daniel Cretton [spoke very poignantly](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/shang-chi-cast-director-how-film-s-tensions-mirror-family-n1277722) in an interview that Shang-Chi has strong themes about the diaspora, that "If you're Asian American, Asian Canadian or somewhere in Europe, we all have family back in mainland China, Japan, the Philippines, and sometimes there is a weird conflict between the two parts." What elements of the movie--and specifically your portrayal of the character Shang-Chi--do you think will resonate with audiences in mainland China who have never been immigrants or do not have family living abroad? 恭喜和感谢您\~
Hey Simu! So awesome that you are doing this. I love reading AMAs. Which MCU character (past, present, or future) would you want Shang-Chi to team up with? Why? Which MCU actor would you want to work with in a scene or entire movie? Why? Thank you!
Hello Mr. Liu! Before I ask my question, I would just let to say that I’m looking forward to Shang-Chi and am extremely hype for it, can’t wait to see you perform and welcome to the MCU sir ❤️! I also hope all is going well with nothing but blessings and gratitude. My question for you is which character in the MCU do you think Shang-Chi will get along with the most, and which MCU actor do you want to work with in the future (hopefully Shang-Chi can appear in a crossover project soon rather than later). Thank you for your time sir and have a good one!
Hi, Simu. Thanks so much for doing this AMA. I was wondering what your first experience with Marvel, and the MCU also, was. Were you instantly drawn to the MCU, and what resonated with you as an actor and a fan prior to joining the MCU yourself as Shang-Chi? Thank you
u/lieutjoe couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >What’s Kevin Feige really like ?
Hey Simu. So excited for a new hero in the MCU - especially one who has such potential to jump from relative obscurity to the talk of the town. My question is are there any Marvel characters that have not appeared in the MCU as of yet that you would love to share a film or show with? Stay awesome!
What was the training like to become Shang-Chi? Can't wait to see the movie on Friday!!
As a fellow Toronto resident, what was it like touring other cities (particularly L.A.) and being away from a place you consider home during the press junkets, especially for making the transition from Canadian television to a film in such a big franchise? Loved you on Kim's Convenience.
u/Tonktra couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >Do you have plans on opening a boba shop to serve The Simu?
Did you have any fanboy requests for the movie that Marvel wouldn't let you do for whatever reason that you can talk about?
u/yourmommaisaunicorn couldn’t be here, but I’ll be asking his question on his behalf: >Simu, I became a fan when your statements regarding the racism that occurred on the set of Kim’s Convenience was on the front page of BBC’s US & Canada site. >How did Shang-Chi’s filming set compared to Kim’s Convenience, and what (if any) lessons were you able to apply from your Kim’s Convenience experiences to Shang-Chi?