Shang-Chi's Simu Liu Talks Life-Changing Phone Call With Kevin Feige
Simu Liu discussed his upbringing and the life-changing phone call from Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige telling him he got the lead role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu stars as the titular hero in Marvel's upcoming martial arts-based action-adventure film, which will be the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) first film featuring a lead star of Asian descent. Shang-Chi is able to manipulate his aura/chakra in order to enhance his physical abilities including strength, stamina, and speed.
Liu talked to The Hollywood Reporter about where he was when he got the call that was about to change his life. He remembers the day like it was yesterday, detailing the exact date and time in his interview as well as his state of mind. “I had just woken up from a nap, and I was in my underwear, eating shrimp crackers... My dog was napping in my apartment, and I just remember getting a call from an unknown number in Burbank, California," he recalled.
For anybody, a call telling them that they will be playing the leading superhero in a major Hollywood Marvel Studios film would be the news of a lifetime. Marvel is known to do big box office numbers (as proven by Black Widow) and has a track record of giving actors a boost in their career in terms of opening up their audience exposure. Liu went on to talk about how he used to work at an accounting firm but had no enjoyment in it whatsoever. After being let go, he picked up anything he could get his hands on including birthday gigs, background acting work, music videos, short films, movies, and TV shows.
The one job that made him want to take acting seriously was being in Pacific Rim. After waking up for a call time at 4:30 A.M. and being covered in body paint that was incredibly hard to remove, he knew that acting is exactly what he wanted to do. Now from all of the work along the long journey, Liu is now starring in his own film that's bringing a new character to the forefront of Marvel's roster. He also went on to reveal that Feige didn't see his famous Shang-Chi tweet where he "spoke the role into existence" until after he was cast in the role.
Marvel is known for making its unpopular characters famous. It turned Iron Man from a B-list hero into the leader of the biggest superhero team. It turned the relatively unknown Guardians of the Galaxy into a comedic phenomenon that has attracted multiple amounts of fans and even led to them getting their own video game. Now Shang-Chi, who was lesser known last year, will be standing amongst the likes of Spider-Man.
Shang-Chi will debut in theaters next week and many have praised the action scenes. Marvel is known for having action films but this will be its first major martial arts film. Many point to the Iron Fist Netflix series as the "original" but since it's not a film, many don't count it on the scale that Shang-Chi will reach.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be in theaters on September 3, 2021.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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