We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

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Later in 2015, Liu was cast in his first main role as Jung Kim in the CBC Television sitcom Kim's Convenience, [18] a TV adaptation of the play of the same name. It remains his most notable television success to date, with the series being nominated for and winning multiple awards internationally, including Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards and "Most Popular Foreign Drama" at the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards. Liu starred in the series until its conclusion in 2021. Released Monday, the first trailer for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” gives fans a sneak peek at Marvel’s first superhero of Asian descent. In October 2020, Liu became a UNICEF Canada Ambassador [56] and has since appeared in every Youth Advocacy Summit hosted by UNICEF Canada. In 2023, Liu made an appearance despite having torn his Achilles tendon [57]. Nominations Announced for the 2nd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards". Critics Choice Association. 22 February 2022. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022 . Retrieved 6 September 2022.

Del Rosario, Alexandra (12 December 2021). " Shang-Chi 's Simu Liu Talks "Super Power" Of Being "Unapologetically Asian" At Unforgettable Gala; Sandra Oh, John Cho & More Receive Honors". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 . Retrieved 6 September 2022. In September 2021, it was revealed that Liu will lead the English-language voice cast of Bright: Samurai Soul, a Netflix anime film which premiered on 12 October. [32] In February 2022, Liu joined the cast of Greta Gerwig's Barbie film for Warner Bros. [33] and thriller film Hello Stranger directed by April Mullen. [34]He also found that roles for actors with Asian heritage were limited, and some of those he was getting reinforced racist typecasting. People weren’t “having those political conversations” in the way they are now. “In the beginning, if I was a stunt guy who got beaten up by one of the white male characters, I was over the moon.” It was, he says, probably similar to what his parents felt arriving in Canada. “Survival mode. Figure out a way to get on sets, figure out a way to work, that was it.” In this honest, inspiring and relatable memoir, Simu Liu chronicles his family's journey from China to the bright lights of Hollywood with wit and humour. The entirety of the experience helped me express the passion that I, prior to this project, could not properly articulate: pride,” Liu told Vanity Fair.

The cultural gap between Liu and his parents is huge. Whereas his teenage years were spent worrying about girls and whether he would ever be in an ‘NSync-style boy band, his parents had grown up during China’s Cultural Revolution. His mother, as the eldest child, had been a brilliant student but was sent away to work in rural camps for two years along with millions of other “intellectual” urban teenagers. When the universities reopened, Liu’s parents both took the entrance exams – his father cramming for a few weeks, his mother studying by torchlight after a day working in the fields – and against huge competition, both passed. They met at university in Beijing, where they both studied engineering.

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Yang, Rachel (11 March 2023). " 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens' K-drama episode wants to showcase 'hot Asian masculinity' ". EW.com . Retrieved 21 November 2023. We Were Dreamers is a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance. Ultimately, it is Simu's singular determination to make his dreams come true that not only leads him to succeed as an actor but also opens the door to reconciliation with his parents. For by the time he is thirty—the same age his parents were when they immigrated—he recognizes that he and his parents have much in common, most notably their courage to dream, and to dream big. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

The star of Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, tells his own origin story of being a Chinese immigrant, his battles with cultural stereotypes and his own identity, becoming a TV star, and landing the role of a lifetime. Grygiel, JiaYing (4 April 2023). "Marvel actor joins Bellevue dumpling company". The Seattle Times . Retrieved 19 October 2023. Ansari, Sadiya (19 August 2021). "Simu Liu is on the cusp of superstardom. But that isn't his end game". Maclean's. a b c d "Marvel star Simu Liu: 'I felt like my parents wanted to rid my life of joy or happiness' ". TheGuardian.com. 21 May 2022.

Simu Liu, Luciano Casimiri, Leonard Chan, Julie Kim and Kristeen Von Hagen, Juno Awards of 2022 (as writer) In early 2019, Liu guest-starred in the 100th episode of ABC's Fresh Off the Boat as a noodle vendor named Willie. [24] He also guest-starred in an episode of the TV series Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens as Garbage Boy. [25] Liu is decidedly closer to his parents these days, as evidenced by their countless appearances on his social media feed. In addition to recounting his experiences of breaking into Hollywood, Liu spent time talking to his parents about their journey, which informed entire passages of the book.

Shafer, Ellise (11 November 2021). "Simu Liu, Jude Hill, Greig Fraser Among Honorees at Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021 . Retrieved 6 September 2022.Canada's 25 Hottest Bachelors of 2017". Hello! Canada. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021 . Retrieved 20 March 2018. Ahsan, Sadaf (10 June 2021). "Simu Liu offers sneak peek at upcoming memoir". Etalk . Retrieved 12 September 2021.