The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has finally released Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and fans can’t get enough of Simu Liu’s portrayal of the titular superhero. At the same time, critics have also praised Nora Lum, a.k.a. Awkwafina, for her performance as Shang-Chi’s best friend, Katy (whereas fans have mixed feelings towards the actress due to recent ‘blaccent’ accusations).
From the looks of it, the film is destined to be a box office hit. It also seems that Marvel intends to keep both Liu and Awkwafina around for the foreseeable future. This only makes fans more intrigued about the relationship between the two actors behind the scenes.
Simu Liu Supported Awkwafina Before Marvel
Long before joining Marvel, Awkwafina was already an established movie star, having done films such as Ocean’s Eight, Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, and Jumanji: The Next Level. As for Liu, he was hard at work on the Canadian comedy series Kim’s Convenience prior to joining Marvel. And when he wasn’t doing on set, Liu was actively supporting movies by Asian talent.
In fact, back in 2019, Liu readily organized a “Gold Open” screening in Toronto for The Farewell. The event saw a massive turnout. Following the screening, Liu posted a heartfelt message on Instagram saying, “I can’t describe to you how amazing this film is; the emotional truth of the story cut through to my very core, propelled by the amazing work of @awkwafina and @thumbelulu!” Interestingly, Marvel had just announced Liu’s casting as Shang-Chi around this time. And so, fans were also aware that Awkwafina and Liu would share the screen soon enough.
Awkwafina Was Around For His Audition
The story Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings may revolve around Liu’s character. But long before Marvel had cast for the part, the studio already had Awkwafina onboard. For the actress, director Destin Daniel Cretton’s pitch was just too interesting to pass up. While speaking with Who What Wear, Lum recalled, “I remember just hearing his pitch on what he wanted to do with this movie and this new superhero. And by the end of the meeting, I was like, 'I absolutely have to do this. It's so cool.'”
As the first actor officially cast in the film, Awkwafina took part in several chemistry reads as Marvel Studios searched for its Shang-Chi. It was a responsibility that the actress never took lightly. “All I knew on that day was that I was a part of finding Shang-Chi. So I just wanted to do just that,” Lum told The Hollywood Reporter. “I wanted to come in, do my part, not be distracting and let these actors give probably one of the most important auditions of their lives at that point.”
As expected, one of the actors who came in was Liu. “I remember testing with Simu that day, and he was nervous,” Awkwafina said. “I was nervous, too. I was like, ‘I hope I don’t get fired in the process of chemistry reading…’” Needless to say, Liu nailed his audition despite his nerves. Lum even said, “It was apparent that he was Shang-Chi from the jump.”
Meanwhile, Liu credits Awkwafina for helping him deliver a good audition. “She did such like a wonderful job of putting me at ease,” Liu explained during an interview with Sarah Scoop. “Just, you know, being in the moment with me...”
Their Chemistry Is ‘Natural’
Lum and Liu may have never worked together prior to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings but the two actors certainly hit it off from day one. In fact, it almost feels like the two actors have been friends for a long time even though, it seems they only met while making the Marvel film. “We have such a natural chemistry,” Liu even told Awkwafina while shooting a promotional video for the film. “I feel like when we bicker, it's really like two best friends bickering.” At the same time, Liu also once remarked that he and his co-star shared a “bickery old couple chemistry like right from the get-go.”
To be clear, however, the relationship between the two actors is strictly platonic, much like their Marvel characters. “Platonic friendships like theirs are totally doable,” Lum remarked. “I’ve had tons of friends that are guys, and some of my best friends in real life are guys. So in that way, it was really easy to approach.” And while Awkwafina doesn’t believe that Shang-Chi needs a love interest at the moment, she’s certainly open to exploring the possibility in a future MCU storyline. “So I think it makes perfect sense where they’re at,” the actress explained. “And even if their relationship were to extend into a romantic one, it would still be rooted in the strength of their friendship.”
Fans can catch Liu and Awkwafina in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at the moment. Disney is also expected to make this Marvel film available on Disney+ after its 45-day theatrical release.