Simu Liu, new Marvel superhero & Kim's Convenience star, writing a memoir
Simu Liu, who was recently cast to play the superhero Shang-Chi in a Marvel Studios film, is publishing a memoir.
The book, which does not yet have a title, is planned for 2021, just as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres.
Liu currently portrays Jung on the CBC sitcom Kim's Convenience. The show's cast won the ACTRA Award for outstanding ensemble performance in 2017 and won the prize for best comedy series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards.
The actor immigrated to Canada from China when he was five years old. His memoir will tell the story of his family's move to Canada and the difficult prospect of setting down new roots.
Liu said he was approached about writing this memoir two years ago.
"I never thought that I would be writing a memoir this young. After thinking about it, I realized that the story I had to share went beyond my own life — rather, it extended decades back to the lives of my parents as they grew up in China and then ultimately made the decision to immigrate to Canada," said Liu in a press release.
"Their hard work and sacrifice gave me a great life and allowed me to pursue my own dreams. I'm so excited to share my family's story with the world, including all of the bumps and bruises we experienced along the way."
Liu was an accountant on Bay Street before becoming an actor. He's been vocal about issues of representation in film and television, calling out white-washing and stereotypical portrayals of Asians.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be Marvel's first film centred on an Asian superhero.
"For me, my journey in this industry has always been about fighting for representation, fighting for the right to belong," he said in a recent interview with CBC News.