Simu Liu felt 'repressed' as a child

Simu Liu felt "repressed" as a child.

The 33-year-old actor felt invisible as an Asian-Canadian teenager, and so he decided to transform his life when he attended university and gained independence from his family.

Simu - who was born in China, but moved to Canada as a child - shared: "I think maybe part of it was growing up feeling so repressed. It felt so different to be seen, I found that very intoxicating."

Despite this, Simu initially pursued a career in accountancy.

He told the Guardian newspaper: "I couldn't quite free myself of my parents' expectations."

However, Simu was laid off in 2012, and so he turned his focus towards finding fame and fortune in Hollywood.

The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star was initially happy to accept any roles that were offered to him.

He recalled: "I felt like I was making up for lost time. My perception was that everybody was further ahead than me, so if I stood any chance, I had to catch up."

Simu also discovered that opportunities were limited for actors with an Asian background.

He noted that Hollywood wasn't "having those political conversations" at the time.

He said: "In the beginning, if I was a stunt guy who got beaten up by one of the white male characters, I was over the moon.

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"Survival mode. Figure out a way to get on sets, figure out a way to work, that was it."

Simu is now conscious of his own standing in the film industry and his potential influence.

He explained: "I think a lot about what I can do to be a champion of our voices, because I know to some degree I'll always be a representative of my community.

"There is a responsibility that comes with all of this - otherwise it's just privilege, which is obviously terrible for the world, but I don't think makes you happy, either. I think a life led with purpose is what makes you happy."