The people have spoken: Simu Liu is the Action Movie Star of the Year.
The 32-year-old actor won Action Movie Star of the Year at the People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday night. He won the award for his role as Shang-Chi in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Shang-Chi was the first Marvel film to feature an Asian lead and a predominantly Asian cast. It is currently the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office of the year, NBC News reports.
In his acceptance speech, he encouraged others to pursue their dreams.
“I went to school for finance and accounting and it was because I didn’t have the courage inside me to give myself the permission to pursue what I truly wanted,” he said. “So, whatever that means for you guys, it all starts with permission to yourself.”
Liu also thanked the cast and crew of Shang-Chi.
“There’s a million and a half ways that this movie could’ve gone wrong. It was based on a 1970s comic about a Chinese guy with a dad with a Fu Manchu mustache named Fu Manchu,” he said.
“So, it took an incredible filmmaker with an incredible vision to imagine this character not as that, but as somebody who was layered, who had texture, who had insecurity.”
On Twitter, Liu joked that he was most excited to get a hug from Tom Hiddleston at the awards show.
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story, or making a contribution.