Lord of the RINGS

After a star turn on Kim's Convenience, SIMU LIU is Marvel's latest superhero

Vanities / Opening Act

Although his aerospace-engineer parents raised him to pursue a career in STEM—they immigrated to Ontario from China, where he was born—actor Simu Liu couldn't shake his passion for performing. When he was laid off from his accounting job, he says, "I basically had nothing left to lose." His big break came in the form of Kim's Convenience, the Canadian sitcom that charmed audiences for five seasons before its controversial ending this spring. Though Liu has expressed frustration with how the show ended, he's moving on to big things: In September, he becomes the first Asian actor to carry a Marvel superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

STARTING OUT, Liu leaned on stunt work and performed at children's birthday parties for extra cash. "I'd dress up as Spider-Man. I'd be sure to keep my mask on, because I was Asian and Spider-Man wasn't Asian."

DURING THE AUDITION PROCESS for ShangChi, Liu started doubting his luck: "Wouldn't they want that first Asian superhero to be somebody who looked the part a little bit more? What I've always really appreciated about MCU superheroes versus elsewhere is that they are trying to disrupt the idea of what a superhero can be."

FOUR DAYS AFTER Liu booked the role, he was flown to San Diego Comic-Con. "Angelina Jolie walked in with kids and a five-person team, and she's looking around, and there's no empty seats anywhere except at my table. The 8,000 fans were fantastic, but having dinner with Angelina Jolie is the mind-blowing, unfathomable Cinderella story."

EVEN WITH AN arsenal of superhero tricks, Liu has mortal moments. "There was a cute girl on the crew that I was trying to impress during a very elaborate stunt. I winked at her and, when I started running, proceeded to lose my balance, fall, banged my knee, and ended up sprawled out 12 feet in the air."

HE DIDN'T ALWAYS see himself as a role model. "But 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? Who's going to speak for us when we need somebody out there? I want to be outspoken."

BRITT HENNEMUTH