Actor Simu Liu spoke about his dreams of bringing the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first Asian superhero into existence — and it happened.
He sent a tweet to the Marvel Twitter account jokingly saying: 'Are we gonna talk or what #ShangChi.'
A year later, he was announced as Marvel's first Asian superhero, playing the central role in the film based on the comic he referenced, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
"It is such an incredible dream come true. I wake up in disbelief literally every single day," Liu told ABC News Breakfast.
Liu said he forgot he sent that tweet, and was only reminded after the announcement of his role when it went viral on the platform.
"Do I think anyone from Marvel actually read the tweet? No. But I think there is power in giving yourself the permission to vocalise what you want into the universe," he said,
He said people often killed their hopes and dreams before they had an opportunity to grow.
"Because we judge them, we think they're stupid, or we think they're childish," he said.
Asia's answer to Pitt, Damon and DiCaprio?
Tony Leung has been described as one of Asia's best and most successful actors over the past few decades.
Liu said working with Leung was like a daily "masterclass" in acting. Leung is as big as it gets in Asia, for him.
He had nerves and anxiety building up prior to meeting Leung, but it all washed away when the two greeted each other with a smile and a handshake.
"He really just kind of blew me away," Liu said.
Liu was full of questions for the decorated actor. He asked him about working on the film Grandmaster and acting opposite Jet Lee.
"Just constantly pestering him, and he answered all of my questions with a smile," he said.
Leung described meeting the director of the film, Destin Daniel Cretton, as reassuring. It's in part why he decided to take on his role as the Mandarin in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
"I really wanted to do something different from what I did in the past 39 years," Leung told ABC News Breakfast.
"I think Marvel is trying to to create new characters, new villains that don't have any relations to the character before."
Filming in Sydney, amid 'flourishing' Asian Australian communities
The movie was filmed in Sydney, which meant it allowed Liu to explore some of the city's Asian Australian communities.
He said it meant visiting a number of different restaurants representing Asian diaspora communities.
"I was in Chinatown all the time. I made my way out to Parramatta, to Chatswood," he said.
"I mean, they're all these like incredible little suburbs and each had their own amazing restaurants.
"It was an exploration for sure. Very, very difficult if you're trying to adhere to a diet."
