Simu Liu’s journey to Hollywood success came with a heavy personal cost.
The Shang Chi star has revealed that after losing his accounting job and deciding to pursue acting, he was treated as a disappointment within his family and slowly pushed out of family life.
Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Liu said the reaction was severe. He compared the level of shame to being viewed as someone living on the streets with addiction. He described it as deeply painful and isolating.
Liu explained that when he began auditioning, he became the “black sheep” of the family and was no longer invited on family trips. Over time, communication faded, and he felt completely cut off.
He recently returned to China with his family for the first time in 15 years and finally reunited with his grandmother. Liu admitted he felt guilty for staying away so long but said the emotional distance had made it difficult to return earlier.
Despite his global fame today, Liu said he never expected to be recognized in China because Shang Chi never officially released there. Still, after he posted a hotel photo, dozens of fans showed up to meet him.
“It was overwhelming and sweet,” he said, adding that his parents did not quite know how to react.
Before landing Kim’s Convenience and later Marvel stardom, Liu struggled financially and lived in credit card debt. He once said he had accepted the idea of being a starving artist before his career finally turned.
Today, Liu stars in the spy drama The Copenhagen Test on Peacock and is set to return as Shang Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December 2026.
His story has resonated with fans worldwide as a reminder that success often comes after rejection, sacrifice, and long years of doubt.
