Marvel's 'Shang-Chi' Star Simu Liu Is Passionate About Rescue Dogs
In just a few days, audiences will be able to see the highly anticipated Marvel film, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." The film stars Canadian actor Simu Liu as the titular character Shang-Chi. The 32-year-old has had quite a career over the past 10 years. According to IMDb, he has appeared on popular series like “Orphan Black,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” and “Star Wars: Visions.” Before stepping into the shoes of Shang-Chi, the actor was best known for playing Jung Kim on the sitcom “Kim's Convenience.” On top of being a talented actor, Liu also happens to be a massive dog-lover.
In a 2016 video uploaded on the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society YouTube channel, Liu revealed that he adopted his beloved husky Barkley after a family needed to re-home him. He explained that they had “got him from the ASPCA” and soon realized that he “was not what they were looking for after all” due to behavior issues like “pull[ing] a bit hard on his leash.” The actor shared that he believed he could take on the dog, as he had previously “volunteered at the ASPCA and various humane societies and animal shelters across the city.”
“When I got to spend some time with him, I immediately realized that this is a wonderful, wonderful dog that with, you know, a little bit of training could be perfect,” said Liu.
He shared that during their time together the pup became “an amazing companion.”
“We do everything together and I couldn’t imagine my life without him. Adopting Barkley has easily been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat,” said the actor.
He also noted that he wanted to dispel the negative stereotypes surrounding rescue dogs and encourage others to adopt.
“I think there’s such a stigma attached to dogs that come from a shelter or from a SPCA or from a Humane Society, there’s a notion that they’re unpredictable or that they’re somehow mentally unstable and that’s just not true. I mean these are just dogs that want a family to love them and to give love back, I mean, no dog wants anything more than that,” said Liu.
Unfortunately, Barkley passed away in 2019. While the beautiful boy certainly can’t be replaced, Liu recently adopted another furry friend by the name of Chopa. The actor introduced the lovely lady on his Instagram account on August 26. The post featured numerous pictures of the rescue pup.
“Chopa has really settled into her role as the princess of the household. She loves cuddles even more than she did when I first met her in the Dominican Republic, and will not hesitate to bound onto the bed/chair/couch on a moments’ notice so that she can plop down right next to you. She’s endlessly sweet and ever watchful, picking up on my most subtle cues. All in all, one of the best decisions I have ever made,” read the caption of the post.