Shang-Chi star Simu Liu admits he 'exaggerated' martial arts background to nab Marvel role

Even Marvel stars fib on their résumés.

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 West Side Story breakout Ariana DeBose for Variety's Actors on Actors published Friday, 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. I had such awful flexibility. . . A big part of that early process was just bending my body and trying to rip those legs apart."

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. Liu reflected on working with the stars, calling Leung "the GOAT" and Yeoh a "goofball."

"Very different people, but an aura of warmth and friendliness," Liu said. "Tony is famously shy, and very, very soft spoken. You would never know his stature and his fame just by looking at him, because he is just such a well-mannered individual. And then the camera rolls, and then you see the intensity in his eyes, and you're like, 'Holy crap. I'm literally watching mastery unfold.'"

He added, "Michelle, too, really surprised me with how goofy she is, because she plays these bad asses that don't take crap from anyone, they're very serious. But then you meet her, and — first of all, she's every bit as badass in real life — but she's also kind of a goofball. We'll be rolling camera, and then she'll just be like [waves hands at the camera] [or] she'll just make a funny face...It was her wonderful way of telling me to relax and just settle in."

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