Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu says Avengers: Doomsday role 'means everything'

Simu Liu's role in the upcoming ensemble film Avengers: Doomsday "means everything". The 36-year-old actor will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for the first time since his titular role in 2021's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings and he is delighted to be sharing the screen with stars he "grew up idolising".

He told People magazine: “It means everything. It’s such a privilege to have played a character that resonated with so many different people."

Liu praised MCU fans and noted he is “always gonna be beyond grateful” for their support, which has propelled his career.

He added: “And part of that is like getting to put the suit back on again, except with these incredible legendary actors, many of whom I grew up idolising and worshipping. Now, I get to call them my co-workers.”

Fans have been disappointed not to see Liu's character Shang-Chi in any other Marvel movies since his 2021 film and he admitted he hears their laments on a regular basis.

He said: “You’re not the only one that's kind of felt that absence.

"Somebody tells me in some way, shape or form – I’m not kidding you, I’m not being hyperbolic – every single day of my life and oftentimes multiple times in a day.”

And while four years have passed since the release of the film, Liu is still in touch with his Shang-Chi co-stars.

He said: “I would say the Shang-Chi group text is still very active just because it was such a unique experience, what we went through.

“So is something like [Avengers: Doomsday], which is just a gargantuan production, and the scale and the bigness of it is something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

“[Shang-Chi has] given me absolutely everything in my life … I would go as far as to say that I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.”

As well as the Barbie actor, Avengers: Doomsday will also feature Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Rudd and Letitia Wright.

Robert Downey Jr – whose Iron Man character was killed off in Avengers: Endgame – will return to the franchise as main villain Doctor Doom.

And in addition to Hemsworth (Thor), Hiddleston (Loki), Rudd (Ant-Man) and Wright (Black Panther), other cast members to feature included MCU) stars Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Sebastian Stan (The Winter Soldier), Wyatt Russell (US Agent), Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Danny Ramirez (The Falcon) and Winston Duke (M’Baku).

The Avengers: Doomsday cast also features the return of stars from 2000's X-Men – the movie which kicked off the modern superhero era – including Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), as well as Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) from X2: X-Men United and Kelsey Grammer (Beast) from X-Men: The Last Stand.