If you’ve ever exaggerated on your resume, just know that Simu Liu understands why. The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star admitted to Variety that he did just that when he was cast for the movie.
“When I got the part, they asked me about my martial arts background and experience,” he explained. “which, of course, I exaggerated because I wanted the job really badly.
The interviewer was taken aback. “You bluffed your way into the part — I love it!”
“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.” He added. “Pretty much from the moment I was cast, I started working with trainers and learning how to move. 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. But what was great too is it was my first movie, going in…”
The news that Shang-Chi was Simi Liu’s first movie seems unbelievable, but it’s true. While he’s played in various TV shows, this was his big-screen debut. Most stars may start small and work their way up, but Simu Liu went big, and it will forever change his career.
While he may not be encouraging people to lie on their resumes, it is good to know that sometimes stars “fake it till they make it.”
Simu Liu did a stellar job with his role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and we can look forward to being part of his next venture.