Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi Journey: Inside His Men’s Health May Feature

Being the “other” can be an isolating experience, especially during formative years. When the media landscape – television, films, online screens – fails to reflect your identity, it’s easy to question your place in the world. The possibilities portrayed seem reserved for others, those whose faces dominate the narratives. This feeling of invisibility can lead to a rejection of one’s own identity in an attempt to fit in, altering appearances, accents, or even names. This struggle was a reality for Simu Liu, a feeling he discussed candidly, particularly in relation to his groundbreaking role and profile around the time of his Men’s Health May 2021 cover feature discussions.

Liu, the star of Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, represents a significant milestone as the first Asian lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). His casting arrived during a crucial period for Asian Americans confronting long-standing issues of racism and underrepresentation. Liu, who is Chinese Canadian, articulated the need for voices affirming belonging: “There is something missing in Asian America,” he stated. “They’re missing people to tell them, ‘It’s okay to be who you are—you belong. Just be unapologetically you; you’re not less than anybody else.’” This sentiment resonated strongly, especially as highlighted in features like his around Men’s Health May.

Simu Liu poses thoughtfully, featured in Men's Health May discussion on identity

Hollywood’s Evolving Landscape and the Weight of Representation

For decades, mainstream entertainment often presented a narrow archetype of heroism, typically excluding diverse faces from leading roles. While Hollywood has shown increasing awareness, the rise of Asian American narratives gained significant momentum following the success of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018. However, an Asian Marvel superhero carries unique weight due to the MCU’s immense cultural influence and the symbolic power of superheroes as ideals. Despite the diversity showcased in Avengers: Endgame, Asian representation was minimal. Shang-Chi marked a pivotal change, offering a different kind of “other” the chance to be the hero, a topic central to Liu’s Men’s Health May coverage.

Liu connected deeply with the character’s internal struggles. “I am that person that struggled with my identity my whole life,” he revealed. “I am that person that’s always felt like he wasn’t enough. And those [experiences] are more core to Shang-Chi’s character than his ability to punch people.”

Addressing Marvel’s Past and Reframing Shang-Chi

When Shang-Chi was announced in 2018, Liu, like many fans, initially felt conflicted. Researching the character’s comic book origins revealed problematic roots: created in the 1970s as a Bruce Lee analogue, son of the stereotypical villain Fu Manchu, and often depicted with poor English. His primary power? Kung fu. “I was almost disappointed,” Liu admitted. “It just felt kind of reductive and, you know, not true to life.”

Simu Liu discussing representation challenges relevant to his Men's Health May feature

This initial concept seemed potentially aligned with Marvel Studios’ past missteps regarding Asian characters, such as whitewashing the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 and casting Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange. Marvel head Kevin Feige acknowledged these criticisms, particularly regarding the Ancient One casting. “We thought we were being so smart and so cutting-edge,” Feige reflected. “We’re not going to do the cliché… But it was a wake-up call to say, ‘Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out?… And the answer to that, of course, is yes.’” Feige explained that Shang-Chi was always considered a compelling story about a character discovering his father’s true nature and forging his own path – a classic hero’s journey. The character’s relative obscurity allowed Marvel the freedom to reinvent him for the screen, focusing on the duality of his identity. “It’s about having a foot in both worlds,” Feige noted, “in the North American world and in China. And Simu fits that quite well.”

Simu Liu as Shang-Chi in Marvel Studios film, a role highlighted around Men's Health May

Simu Liu’s Journey: From Immigrant Roots to Leading Man

Liu’s own life story echoes themes of displacement and identity formation. Born in Harbin, China, he lived with his grandparents until nearly five, when his father, a near stranger, arrived to take him to Canada where his parents had immigrated years earlier. His name, Simu, translates to concepts of “introspection” and “longing,” reflecting the separation. Growing up in Toronto, despite its large Asian population, Liu felt like an outsider. He consumed American pop culture, idolizing heroes who didn’t look like him, leading to internalized insecurities about his appearance and background. He tried conforming, joining sports teams and even considering changing his name.

After a brief, unfulfilling stint in accounting at Deloitte, Liu pursued acting against his parents’ wishes, leading to a period of estrangement. Early roles were often minor or stereotypical, like playing “Yakusa Koto” with an exaggerated accent, a choice he later regretted. His dream of playing a superhero persisted, even leading him to work children’s birthday parties dressed as Spider-Man – masked, because revealing his Asian face would break the “believability.” This experience fueled his creation of a short film, The Crimson Defender vs. the Slightly Racist Family, satirizing the lack of Asian superheroes.

Simu Liu (far left) in Kim's Convenience, a pivotal role before his Shang-Chi casting

A turning point came when he saw the play Kim’s Convenience, about a Korean Canadian family running a store. The story resonated deeply, helping him understand his parents’ sacrifices. He eventually landed the role of Jung in the TV adaptation, a part that proved therapeutic, mirroring his own complex relationship with his father and allowing him to reconnect with his parents. The show’s success and his interactions with fans made him realize the shared experiences within the Asian diaspora regarding identity and generational expectations.

Owning the Narrative and Embracing Responsibility

Liu recognized a generational shift among Asian Americans, moving from paths deemed “safe” by immigrant parents towards creative fields where their stories could finally be told. “When I think about my parents, they wanted to minimize all of their struggle,” Liu explained. “In a way, those stories will be lost in time if we don’t fight for them… So in a lot of ways, I feel like it’s our responsibility… to document and to expose it… and to share that story.” His role in Shang-Chi, prominently featured around Men’s Health May, amplified this responsibility. He became increasingly vocal about Asian stereotypes and anti-Asian violence. “There is a real responsibility that comes with… being the first of a community to be… a superhero,” he affirmed. Awkwafina, his Shang-Chi co-star, praised his commitment: “Simu is brave… in how he chooses to come through for his community.”

Simu Liu demonstrates fitness transformation for Shang-Chi, detailed near Men's Health May

The Making of a Superhero: Skill, Training, and Authenticity

Crucially, Liu emphasized that he was cast as Shang-Chi for his acting abilities, not pre-existing martial arts mastery. His preparation involved significant physical transformation – gaining ten pounds of muscle through rigorous training, including weightlifting, fight choreography, and intense flexibility sessions. This dedication mirrored the commitment any actor brings to a demanding role, countering the potential stereotype of casting based solely on martial arts skill. Director Destin Daniel Cretton aimed to cast an actor who could embody the character’s internal journey, even using scenes from Good Will Hunting in auditions.

Cretton described the film as fundamentally about “identity.” While martial arts feature prominently, the story explores Shang-Chi’s relationship with his father, Wenwu (the true Mandarin), and his sister, Xialing, grounding the action in relatable human drama. The film consciously aimed to portray an “distinctly Asian American” character from the outset. This allowed the predominantly Asian American creative team to infuse the film with cultural authenticity beyond action tropes. Liu pointed to the inclusion of boba tea as a small but significant detail representing Asian American culture. By embracing kung fu within this authentic context, the film aims to reclaim and celebrate a skill often reduced to a stereotype. “Kung fu is, objectively, really cool,” Liu stated.

Beyond Shang-Chi: A Future of Storytelling

Looking ahead from the Men’s Health May feature timeframe, Liu saw Shang-Chi as a beginning, not an endpoint. His responsibility extends to driving further progress for Asian representation in entertainment. He planned to move beyond martial arts roles to avoid reinforcing limitations, seeking diverse acting projects and expanding into producing, directing, and writing to create opportunities for others. His memoir was also forthcoming. “Ultimately, when it’s all said and done,” Liu concluded, “it will be more than just the roles that I took on as an actor. It’ll be what I’m able to contribute to the world in terms of stories, in terms of culture.” Having embodied a superhero, Simu Liu embraced the boundless possibilities ahead, aiming to reshape narratives and champion authentic storytelling.