Back in 2018, Simu Liu famously manifested his desire to play Shang-Chi in a Tweet sent to Marvel. Seven months later, he had the role of a lifetime in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, in a new interview with Variety, Liu admitted that he stretched the truth about his martial art skills during the audition process. It turns out he wasn’t the Master of Kung-Fu. But he was willing to train to make up for that. Simu Liu exaggerated.
“When I got the part, they asked me about my martial arts background and experience, which of course I exaggerated because I wanted the job really badly,” said Liu. “I had done some work as an on-again, off-again stuntman, but if we’re honest, I think I was more of a dancer than I ever was a martial artist.”
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“Pretty much from the moment I was cast, I started working with trainers and learning how to move,” continued Liu. “I had such awful flexibility. My groin and my tendons were just so stiff. A big part of that early process was just bending my body and trying to rip those legs apart.”
Fortunately, Liu’s hard work seems to have paid off. Shang-Chi was one of Marvel’s 2021 success stories, and a sequel is already on the way.
What do you think about Liu’s admission? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Shang-Chi: Master of Kung-Fu Omnibus Vol. 1
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