Simu Liu on Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings: This is more than just a role

Only a few days are left for the release of Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The upcoming superhero flick features Simu Liu in the titular role and it's his debut in the world of MCU. Now, during a recent interaction, the Canadian-Chinese actor spoke about the responsibility of representation on the screen and it's not just a role for him.

Simu told PTI, "It feels like an incredible honour like we are giving the world something that I never had as a kid, which is the ability to see myself reflected on screen, in a meaningful, aspirational, heroic way."

Liu said he doesn't want to call it pressure but a sense that this is more than just a role one takes, goes to work, says lines and goes back home. 

The actor added, "This is a moment in culture, a moment in history and hopefully, it will be followed by many more just like it."

On talking about the pressure from the film, Simu further said that sometimes it gives him a little bit of anxiety knowing that there is stuff that is resting on his shoulders. However, it feels incredibly empowering for him. The actor said, "I would have given anything to have had somebody, when I was younger, to look up to and show me what was possible."

The Kim Convenience actor added, "I hope that it doesn’t matter if you are six years old or 16 or 26, Shang-Chi will be a movie that people will be able to watch and understand that anything is possible for them."

Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and co-written by David Callaham and Andrew Lanham.

The film which is releasing on September 3, 2021, also features Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng in supporting roles.