Once upon a time, Simu Liu was a Toronto accountant.

But he secretly dreamt of being an actor, and just a few years after leaving Bay Street, Liu is on the brink of movie stardom thanks to being cast as the first Asian superhero to lead a Marvel film.

Marvel Studios announced the news to thousands of fans at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend, when Liu took the stage to introduce himself as the kung-fu master in B次元官网网址淪hang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is just the craziest, craziest dream,B次元官网网址� Liu says in video taken at the event, which also revealed roles for Hong Kong actor Tony Leung and B次元官网网址淐razy Rich AsiansB次元官网网址� star Awkwafina.

Chatter around the cast has exploded online, with much of the focus on the relatively unknown Canadian. Marvel promises that Liu will soon become a household name, but until then, hereB次元官网网址檚 a primer on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 rising star.

WHO IS SIMU LIU?

Liu was born in northern China where he was raised by his grandparents while his parents attended QueenB次元官网网址檚 University in Kingston, Ont., he told The Canadian Press back in 2015.

His father returned to China to bring him to Canada when he was five years old: B次元官网网址淚 remember meeting my father for the first time, and then my mother after I landed at Toronto.B次元官网网址�

From there, the family bounced around the Greater Toronto Area, spending time in communities including Etobicoke and Mississauga, Ont.

When he grew older, Liu says his parents pushed him to attend the Ivey School of Business at Western University, even though he really wanted to pursue the arts.

After graduating, Liu got a job on Bay Street but was laid off in 2012 at age 23. He took that as an opportunity to switch gears: B次元官网网址淭hat kind of spiralled into a bunch of happy accidents that allowed me to have opportunities to be an actor.B次元官网网址�

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WHERE HAVE I SEEN LIU BEFORE?

Liu plays the athletic and charismatic son Jung in CBC-TVB次元官网网址檚 hit sitcom B次元官网网址淜imB次元官网网址檚 Convenience,B次元官网网址� which is also available on Netflix in the United States.

His Korean-Canadian character works at a car-rental company but harbours a rebellious past, and because of that he doesnB次元官网网址檛 get along with his father, Appa.

LiuB次元官网网址檚 first major role was in the half-hour OMNI drama B次元官网网址淏lood and Water,B次元官网网址� a unique noir that featured an all-Chinese ensemble with dialogue in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Back when the show premiered in November 2015, he touted the project for putting Asian talent in the spotlight.

B次元官网网址淎s an Asian Canadian I find itB次元官网网址檚 really hard to find content in the media that is relatable,B次元官网网址� said Liu, whose role included lines in both Mandarin and English.

Before that, Liu logged bit parts in several TV series including B次元官网网址淣ikita,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淲arehouse 13,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淏eauty and the BeastB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭aken.B次元官网网址�

LIU HAS CHAMPIONED ASIAN ROLES

Liu has also produced and directed a short film, and worked as a writer on the second season of B次元官网网址淏lood and Water.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚n order for this whole diversity thing to fly, we not only need diverse performers but we do need those writers as well,B次元官网网址� he said back in 2015.

And when the Singapore-set feature B次元官网网址淐razy Rich AsiansB次元官网网址� came out last summer, Liu urged his Twitter followers to join him at a weekend screening to support the romantic comedy.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the first movie with an all-Asian cast in 25 years and that means something,B次元官网网址� said Liu, who did not appear in the film but believed a strong box-office would push Hollywood to make more films with Asian talent.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 overstate the importance of us showing up as a community, as a crowd.B次元官网网址�

Just as MarvelB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� furthered conversations about diversity in big-budget filmmaking, Liu said he believed B次元官网网址淐razy Rich AsiansB次元官网网址� could highlight the demand and power of Asian audiences.

B次元官网网址淪hang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsB次元官网网址� is set to hit theatres Feb. 12, 2021.

B次元官网网址� With files from Victoria Ahearn

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press

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