'Sorry ma, please don't kill me': Shang-Chi star Simu Liu goes blond

Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu celebrated Chinese New Year with a new look — by dyeing his hair blond.

On Wednesday (Feb 2), the 32-year-old posted on Instagram a shirtless selfie with his new hairdo, flashing the peace sign and joking in the caption: "Sorry ma, pls don't kill me".

The actor, who played Marvel Cinematic Universe's first Asian superhero in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021), had earlier previewed his new look on Instagram Stories with a photo showing his hair wrapped in plastic and the words "Sorry mom".

While it was not known what his mother really thought about his new hairstyle, actress Fala Chen, who played his mum Ying Li in Shang-Chi, reacted by writing: "I'm disappointed, son."

The reply has received more than 7,000 likes and led to 96 replies by Friday afternoon, with many netizens tickled and some saying Liu was going to be disciplined by his "mum".

A fan even hoped for his father's reaction and tagged Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, who played Shang-Chi's father Wenwu in the movie.

Malaysian comedian Ronny Chieng, who played an assistant of Shang-Chi's sister Xialing at her underground fighting club, wrote: "Looks like s***".

The day before, Liu had wished his fans a happy Chinese New Year before adding jokingly: "Unless you or one of your loved ones is @RonnyChieng. Eff that guy."

Shang-Chi is set to get a sequel, with Destin Daniel Cretton returning as writer and director.

Soon after Shang-Chi was released in September 2021, Liu was accused of insulting China after an interview he did in 2017 went viral on the Chinese Internet.

Liu, who migrated from Harbin city in China's Heilongjiang province to Canada with his parents when he was five years old, had reportedly characterised China as a "third-world country" with "people dying of starvation" based on stories told by his parents.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.