Simu Liu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simu Liu
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Liu in 2024
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| Born | 19 April 1989 Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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| Citizenship | Canada | ||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Western Ontario | ||||||||||||||
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| Years active | 2012–present | ||||||||||||||
| Partner(s) | Allison Hsu (2022–present; engaged) | ||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 刘思慕 | ||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 劉思慕 | ||||||||||||||
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Simu Liu (/ˈsiːmuː ˈliːjuː/ see-MOO-_-LEE-yoo; simplified Chinese: 刘思慕; traditional Chinese: 劉思慕; born 19 April 1989) is a Canadian actor. He became very well-known for playing the superhero Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Liu was born in Harbin, China, and grew up in Ontario, Canada. He has also starred as Paul Xie in the TV show Blood and Water. He played Jung Kim in the popular sitcom Kim's Convenience (2016–2021). More recently, he was one of the Ken dolls in the fun movie Barbie (2023). In 2022, Liu wrote a book about his life called We Were Dreamers. He was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Career Start
Liu was born in Harbin, China, on April 19, 1989. His parents, Zhenning and Zheng Liu, were both engineers. When he was young, Liu lived with his grandparents in Harbin until he was five years old. He then moved to Canada to join his parents. They had moved there to study and later became successful aerospace engineers. Liu grew up in Mississauga, Ontario.
In his book, We Were Dreamers, Liu shared that his parents had high expectations for him. He felt a lot of pressure to be a perfect student and son. He studied business administration at the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.
Liu first worked as an accountant. However, he was laid off from his job in April 2012. After this, he decided to try acting and stunt work. At first, his parents were not happy with his career choice. But after they talked things through, they became closer as a family.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Roles and TV Success
Liu started his acting journey as an extra and stuntman. He appeared in movies like Pacific Rim and TV shows such as Nikita.
In 2015, Liu got a bigger role in the crime drama Blood and Water. He was even nominated for awards for this role. Later that year, he landed his most famous TV role as Jung Kim in the sitcom Kim's Convenience. This show was very successful and won many awards. Liu starred in it until it ended in 2021.
He also had a recurring role in the TV series Taken in 2016. Liu continued to appear in other shows like Orphan Black and Dark Matter. In 2018, he was in The Expanse.
Becoming a Marvel Superhero
In 2019, Liu made a guest appearance in the 100th episode of ABC's Fresh Off the Boat.
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Disney announced that Liu would play the main superhero, Shang-Chi. This role was for the movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This film was Marvel's first movie with an Asian lead actor. The movie was released on September 3, 2021. It received great reviews and was a big success. A sequel is planned, and Liu is set to return as Shang-Chi in the upcoming MCU movie Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
In 2022, Liu joined the cast of Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie. He also starred in the thriller film Simulant. Both movies were released in 2023. Barbie was very popular and broke box office records.
Liu also had a guest appearance in the Netflix short Ronny Chieng Takes Chinatown (2022). In April 2023, Liu released his first song, "Don't." He was also a guest "dragon" on the Canadian TV show Dragons' Den in 2024.
As of July 2025, Liu is working to bring a film adaptation of the video game Sleeping Dogs to life. He is set to produce and star as the main character, Wei Shen. Pre-production for this film has begun.
Awards and Recognition
Liu has received several awards and nominations for his acting. In 2017, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award and an ACTRA Award for his role in Blood and Water. He and his castmates from Kim's Convenience won the ACTRA Award for Outstanding Ensemble in 2017.
In 2021, for his role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Liu won the People's Choice Award for The Action Movie Star of 2021. He also received the Breakout Actor on Film award at the Unforgettable Gala. In 2022, he won the Game Changer Award at the Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards.
In January 2023, Liu was honored with the Radius Award at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards. He also won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Host for hosting the 2022 Juno Awards.
Personal Life
Simu Liu started dating digital marketing manager Allison Hsu in 2022. In May 2025, the couple announced that they were engaged.
Film and Television Roles
Simu Liu has appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of his notable roles:
Films
- 2013: Pacific Rim (Extra)
- 2021: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Shaun / Shang-Chi)
- 2021: Bright: Samurai Soul (Izno - voice, English dub)
- 2023: Simulant (Casey)
- 2023: Barbie (Rival Ken)
- 2024: Arthur the King (Leo)
- 2024: Atlas (Harlan Shepherd)
- 2026: Avengers: Doomsday (Shang-Chi)
Television Shows
- 2015: Blood and Water (Paul Xie)
- 2016–2021: Kim's Convenience (Jung Kim)
- 2016: Taken (Faaron)
- 2019: Fresh Off the Boat (Willie)
- 2020: Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (Garbage Boy)
- 2021: Saturday Night Live (Himself - host)
- 2022: The Simpsons (Adult Hubert Wong - voice)
- 2024: Dragons' Den (Himself)
- 2024: What If...? (Shang-Chi - voice)
Music
Simu Liu has also released music.
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Anxious-Avoidant (Released: November 17, 2023)
Singles
- "Don't" (2023)
- "If It's Time" (2023)
Images for kids
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Liu in 2024
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Liu in 2016
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Liu at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
See also
In Spanish: Simu Liu para niños
