Marvel hero Simu Liu used to be a stock model and fans can't get enough of his old photos
Marvel's new superhero joint Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring the GTA's own Simu Liu, is a bonafide hit, pulling in an estimated $71.4 million over the Labour Day weekend alone.
And it's not only bringing in big bucks through ticket sales, but earning widespread acclaim from reviewers and movie buffs alike: To wit, the film currently boasts and absolutely unheard-of 98 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes — the highest rating ever for a Marvel Studios film.
As the face of the franchise, Liu is obviously in the spotlight now more than he has ever been before, but pictures circulating on Twitter this week prove that he's no stranger to the flashbulb.
Good morning to these stock images Simu Liu modeled for back in the day pic.twitter.com/JNuDiYXQt8
— Slayerfest 98 (@slayerfestx98) September 7, 2021
Long before he made history as MCU's first Chinese superhero, and even before was making Canadian TV fans swoon as the handsome Jung on Kim's Convenience, Liu was making bank off his bright smile as a model for stock image producers.
Simu Liu being a stock photo actor is a hilarious discovery I never saw coming! lol https://t.co/KYQCjDXnKq
— Langley M(aster SNAP Denier! Stark Lied!!) Neely (@LangleyMNeely) September 6, 2021
Fans are getting a kick out of old photos featuring Liu as everything from an office employee to a dance class participant.
Aside from starring as Shang-Chi, Simu Liu managed all the marketing and distribution for the movie (or maybe these are old stock photos, who can say?). pic.twitter.com/e0KwczTCol
— ComicTropes (@CTropes) September 6, 2021
The actor himself even got in on the fun, using the meme to shade critics who said that Shang-Chi wouldn't be successful.
Me laughing at the people who thought we’d flop pic.twitter.com/7UoLqRXlCJ
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) September 6, 2021
This isn't the first time stock images featuring Liu have made the rounds on Twitter, though it is by far the largest and farthest-reaching collection we've seen to date.
The stock photo agency that owns Simu Liu’s images after seeing #ShangChi pic.twitter.com/Ru1hJRsUoB
— BLURAYANGEL (@blurayangel) September 6, 2021
Back in 2018, Liu told one fan on Twitter that he had done a stock photo shoot in 2014 for just $120.
100% me but from 4 years ago when I did a stock photo shoot for $120!!!
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) March 14, 2018
He obviously commands a much prettier penny these days, and people are loving to see hard evidence of his career glow-up.
simu liu and john boyega from stock photos to leads of big franchises WE LOVE TO SEE IT pic.twitter.com/qtD2ssTTnf
— amanda (@pwrsphone) September 5, 2021
"Seeing @SimuLiu go from posing for generic stock photos to becoming a Marvel superhero and having a record breaking box office performance is inspiring," wrote one fan on Twitter.
"Shows that even from humble beginnings anything is possible."
babe wake up new simu liu stock photos just dropped pic.twitter.com/BfGhn2nlv3
— ivy ⚢ (@lesbianmlean) September 7, 2021
More and more images are surfacing on social media and making the rounds as people deep-creep stock websites for photos of Liu, to the point where people are "collecting" them.
me collecting simu liu stock photos like they're infinity stones pic.twitter.com/6fNR6Gk9bq
— kt ♡ twd s5e14 (@lokiiisupremacy) September 6, 2021
You love to see it.
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