Is Simu Liu an actual martial artist?

Simu Liu is a Canadian actor known for portraying Shang-Chi in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Simu Liu admitted that he “exaggerated” his martial arts background to nab the role of martial-arts master Shang-Chi in Marvel’s blockbuster hit, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

The Marvel actor shared the tidbit with Ariana DeBose for Variety’s Actors on Actors published in February 2022, diving into his preparation process when the topic turned to his and DeBose’s shared hip-hop dance background.

“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,” Liu said, noting that his experiences as a stuntman and dancer helped inform his training.

“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,” Liu said. “Pretty much from the moment I was cast, I started working with trainers and learning how to move.

Though he had minimal martial arts experience, Liu starred alongside the legendary Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung, both renowned for their roles in action and martial-art epics across Asia.