Shang-Chi Star Simu Liu Celebrates Making List of Rising Young Stars

As 2019 comes to an end, many websites are starting to reveal their yearly lists (and decade [...]

By Jamie Jirak

As 2019 comes to an end, many websites are starting to reveal their yearly lists (and decade lists) on various topics, including some of the up and coming actors we can expect to see more of in the near future. One such list is The Hollywood Reporter's "Next Gen Talent 2019" list, which features people such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Naomi Ackie and One Upon a Time in Hollywood's Margaret Qualley. Another person to make the list is Simu Liu, the actor best known for his role on the Canadian sitcom, Kim's Convenience. It was announced earlier this year that Liu was cast as the titular role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, so it's no surprise to see his name on such a list. The actor recently took to Twitter to celebrate the news:

"Such a dream come true for a young starlet such as myself to be chosen for @THR's #NextGen2019 list... looks like this hot new ingenue is going places!," Liu wrote.

In the article, the actor explains that after he was let go from a job, he moved back home and responded to a Craigslist ad looking for Asian extras for a movie.

"I thought it was going to be the biggest scam in the world," he explained. However, the movie ended up being Pacific Rim.

The actor then went on to tell the tale of his Marvel casting.

"I was lounging around in my underwear eating shrimp chips, when I got a call from an unknown number in Burbank," Liu explained. "A voice goes, 'Hi, this is Kevin Feige.'" Four days later, Liu was announced as the next Shang-Chi at San Diego Comic-Con.

During the interview, Liu also answered the following fun questions:

MY GO-TO KARAOKE SONG

"A Whole New World"

PERSON I'M DYING TO WORK WITH

"There are so many. Jackie Chan, J.J. Abrams, Michael B. Jordan, Steven Spielberg, Taika Waititi."

I'D LOVE TO STAR IN A REMAKE OF

"Ocean's 11, as Danny Ocean."

LAST SHOW I BINGED

"Season three of Stranger Things."

ONSCREEN CHARACTER I MOST IDENTIFIED WITH AS A KID

"There weren't many out there, I am not going to lie. I think it is that there weren't enough people that looked like me onscreen."

PERSON I'VE BEEN MOST STARSTRUCK BY

"Tom Hiddleston. He had such an aura about him I forgot how to speak words."

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be released on February 12, 2021. Other upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1, 2020, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in Fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, Spider-Man 3 on July 16, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021, and Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022. Marvel Studios Disney+ series without release dates include Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk.

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