We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

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Simu Liu ( / ˈ s iː m uː ˈ l iː juː/ SEE-moo LEE-yoo; [2] Chinese: 刘思慕; born 19 April 1989) is a Canadian actor and singer. He is known for portraying Shang-Chi in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also played Jung Kim in the CBC Television sitcom Kim's Convenience [3] and a Ken in Barbie. He received nominations at the ACTRA Awards and Canadian Screen Awards for his work in Blood and Water. [4] Films offered an escape as well as a place to escape to: going to the cinema would get him out of the house, which didn’t feel like a safe place. He loved Star Wars and Harry Potter films where there was “always a kid who didn’t come from the best family environment, but was told he was meant for great things and had to embrace his destiny”. Cai, Delia (21 April 2022). " "Let's Just Be Funny. Let's Not Teach People Anything": Ronny Chieng Will Use His Platform However He Sees Fit, Thank You". Vanity Fair . Retrieved 30 July 2022. So he convinced Jeremy Lin and Simu Liu to appear in the video as caricatures of their public personas. Resentment, acceptance, gratitude: The paradox facing Australian children of 'tiger' parents". TheGuardian.com. 2 July 2022.

With us, it's different because we grew up here. This is our home and we deserve to be here every bit as much as anybody else, you know? And so with all of the reverence in the world for everything that my parents went through, I demand more for myself. For us, in our generation, we do not deserve the prejudice. I mean, nor do our parents. But we do not deserve the prejudice and discrimination that's been levied upon us. We need to carve out a path for us. We need to build out a home. And we need to show the world that we belong. - Simu Liu on sharing his story to stardomIn his memoir, We Were Dreamers, he wrote of the deprivation and trauma his parents had experienced growing up in China's Cultural Revolution, [7] and their subsequent " tiger parenting" style, saying he felt they "wanted to rid [his] life of joy or happiness", and recalling "the weight of what he describes as impossible expectations, 'to be the star child, the studious academic, the obedient son'", being "belittled and physically punished" for perceived failings. [10] Liu's parents "hothoused him in maths at the age of five and set 'homework' that included reading biographies of scientists and studying algebra". [7] He attended University of Toronto Schools and studied business administration at the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario. [11] A 'Shang-Chi' sequel is officially in the works". NBC News. 7 December 2021 . Retrieved 23 February 2022. On April 7, 2023, Liu released his debut single, titled Don't. [38] [39] Other work and public image [ edit ] Del Rosario, Alexandra (12 December 2021). " Shang-Chi 's Simu Liu Talks "Super Power" Of Being "Unapologetically Asian" At Unforgettable Gala; Sandra Oh, John Cho & More Receive Honors". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 . Retrieved 6 September 2022. Wiseman, Andreas (22 February 2022). " 'Shang-Chi' Star Simu Liu Joins Sam Worthington, Jordana Brewster, Robbie Amell & Alicia Sanz In Thriller 'Hello Stranger' ". Deadline Hollywood.

In this honest, inspiring and relatable memoir, Simu Liu chronicles his family's journey from China to the bright lights of Hollywood with wit and humour. Lenker, Maureen Lee (27 October 2021). "Here are the nominees for the 2021 People's Choice Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021 . Retrieved 7 December 2021. Vlessing, Etan (11 March 2018). "Canadian Screen Awards: 'Alias Grace,' 'Maudie,' 'Anne With an E' Dominate". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 16 March 2018. The cultural gap between Liu and his parents is huge. Whereas his teenage years were spent worrying about girls and whether he would ever be in an ‘NSync-style boy band, his parents had grown up during China’s Cultural Revolution. His mother, as the eldest child, had been a brilliant student but was sent away to work in rural camps for two years along with millions of other “intellectual” urban teenagers. When the universities reopened, Liu’s parents both took the entrance exams – his father cramming for a few weeks, his mother studying by torchlight after a day working in the fields – and against huge competition, both passed. They met at university in Beijing, where they both studied engineering.

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Ahsan, Sadaf (10 June 2021). "Simu Liu offers sneak peek at upcoming memoir". Etalk . Retrieved 12 September 2021. Simu Liu is an actor and writer best known for his work on Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the CBC sitcom Kim's Convenience. He lives in Los Angeles and Toronto. We Were Dreamers is his first book. Why Simu Liu wrote We Were Dreamers Canada's 25 Hottest Bachelors of 2017". Hello! Canada. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021 . Retrieved 20 March 2018. In 2017, Liu appeared in the second season of Slasher as well as the CityTV miniseries Bad Blood, both as recurring characters. [20]