Simu Liu celebrated the anniversary of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings with a social media post about mental health. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premiered on September 3, 2021, and catapulted Liu into international fames the MCU's newest hero. Prior to the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Liu was best known for starring in several TV serie, including Kim's Convenience, Blood and Water, and Yappie. However, he had not quite broken out into super stardom until he took on the lead role of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) Shang-Chi.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings received high praise from critics, especially for Liu's performance as Shang-Chi and the exploration of Chinese culture and mythology. Liu, a Chinese immigrant, is an avid proponent for the accurate representation of Chinese culture in film. He even criticized Moon Knight for butchering the Mandarin language when the character Harrow (Ethan Hawke) briefly attempted to say a Mandarin phrase. Liu has since been able to represent his community to a greater extent, as he went on to star in three more film within a year of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' release. However, the success hasn't come without costs.
Liu took to Instagram to celebrate the anniversary of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings with a post about mental health. In his post, he got candid about the toll that being propelled into fame has had on him. In the short year since the film's release, he has shot almost five more films, as well as written a memoir. However, in his eagerness to succeed and represent his community, he neglected his own needs and experienced exhaustion. Hence, on this anniversary, he is celebrating that he is in therapy and is now prioritizing his mental health effectively. Check out his post below:
Liu's honest post encourages others to prioritize their mental health, even above success and achievement. No one can deny that Liu has been on a roll since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. His upcoming projects include Barbie with Margot Robbi and Ryan Gosling, Arthur the King, and One True Loves. In addition to this, he published a memoir titled We Were Dreamers, which told the inspiring tale of his journey from being a Chinese immigrant facing racial stereotypes, to being a Hollywood star. While the work he is doing is nothing short of inspiring and a huge victory for the Chinese community, it is difficult to even begin to imagine the amount of work and pressure that comes with his achievements.
Fortunately, Liu is also open about how he is learning to prioritize his health and working towards healing. Worker burnout is an increasing global concern as employees in all industries face heightened job-related stress due to the pandemic and economy. Hence, it is becoming more and more important for individuals to advocate for self-care. Liu recognizes that his success and work is making a huge impact, but he cannot keep making an impact and inspiring others if he loses track of himself in the process. Liu's mental health post on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' anniversary helps to normalize the idea of self-care and prioritizing mental health.
Source: Simu Liu