Simu Liu on Diversity 劉思慕：思考族裔多樣性
Written by Simu Liu, Edited by Janice Liu
Interviewed by Jennifer J. Lau
Art Direction: Deborah Lau-Yu
Photography: Brett Ida at Idamagine
Photography Assistant: Stephanie Blaquera
Venue: fuGen Theatre, Toronto
Stylist: Ashley Galang
As Seen in Fête Chinoise Magazine Edition no.5: Dreams Take Flight
Chinese Canadian actor Simu Liu has his eyes set on Hollywood. Receiving high praise for his work on CBC’s Kim’s Convenience as well as Canadian Screen Awards Best TV Drama Series NOMINEE, Blood and Water, Liu shares with Fête Chinoise his thoughts on his Chinese heritage, his acting talent, and his dreams for diversity and of reaching the international stage.
Harbin & Canada
I want to begin with my name, Simu. It was given to me by my parents and the two characters mean thoughtfulness and envy. ‘Envy’, I interpret from the perspective that my parents left for Canada for graduate studies and had to leave me in the care of my grandparents. As a result, it was I who grew envious of other children who still had their parents around. I used to badly want to change my name, but I'm very glad I didn't. Today, it serves as a sombre reminder of the sacrifices my parents made in coming to Canada.
In Harbin, I have only the best memories of growing up as a little kid. What I loved to do more than anything else was go shopping with my grandparents. Nothing made me more excited than picking out a new book and grabbing a popsicle, then having my grandma read to me while I made a mess of my frozen dessert. We lived humbly but happily.
從哈爾濱到加拿大
我想從我的名字Simu開始講起。這是我父母給我取的名字，這兩個字意味著思念和戀慕。因為父母來到加拿大求學的緣故，從小我是由祖父母來照顧我的。因此，他們很羨慕祖父母可以天天陪伴著我。可他們不知道的是，我當時也會羨慕其他的小朋友可以有父母在身邊陪伴。我曾經非常想要改掉我的名字，但我很慶幸我最後沒有將它改變。今天，我的名字是對我的一種提醒 – 時刻提醒我，父母為了我們一家仍能夠來到加拿大生活，做出的種種犧牲。
在哈爾濱，我只有最美好的童年回憶。我最喜歡做的事情就是和我祖父母一起去購物。沒有什麼能比找到一本新書，買到一根冰棍更令我興奮的。回家後，我一邊聽我奶奶給我講故事，一邊享受著甜點。生活很簡單，很美好。
From as far back as I could remember, my grandparents told me that one day I would get to go to Canada to be with my parents, and life would be so amazing there. I wanted to meet my parents, but I also loved my grandma and grandpa and never wanted to be separated from them. If you had given me a choice, I probably would have stayed with them.
Still, knowing everything my parents went through and the odds they defied in coming to Canada gives me the courage to dare greatly. They lived through the Cultural Revolution in China and immigrated at a time when leaving the country was not as simple as buying a plane ticket. Because of their hard work and perseverance, I enjoyed all of the benefits and privileges of growing up in Canada. I owe a debt to them that I can't ever begin to repay, but I recently signed a deal with HarperCollins Canada to write the story of our family. My hope is that our story will resonate across all immigrant families in Canada and beyond.
SIMU LIU in action at our exclusive Fête Chinoise Editorial photoshoot.
從小我的祖父母常常告訴我，有一天我會去加拿大跟父母團聚，生活會變得更好。雖然我當然很想跟父母見面，但我也捨不得我的奶奶和爺爺，所以我也不想和他們分開。如果當時我有機會去選擇，我會選擇留在他們身邊。
儘管如此，父母所經歷的一切，以及他們來加拿大後的奮鬥給了我很大的鼓勵，讓我能夠勇敢地面對生活。他們曾經歷過文化大革命，所以當他們離開中國的時候，並不像現在只需購買一張機票那麼簡單。是他們辛勤的工作和堅持換取了我在加拿大享受所有福利的機會。我欠他們的債，永遠都還不完。但我最近與HarperCollins Canada簽訂了撰寫一本書，一本描寫我們家庭故事的書。我希望我們的故事可以引起加拿大及其他地區所有華裔移民家庭的共鳴。
Making Up for Lost Time
I felt directionless for so many years of my life, making decisions not because of what I wanted but because of what was deemed responsible. Once I finally figured out what my passion was, I felt like a late bloomer. Much of my drive in the acting industry stems from feeling perpetually behind and trying to play a game of catch-up. And I wouldn't say that I was naturally gifted at acting. I just had a dream and put myself into as many situations as possible to achieve opportunities, whether that was doing films for on-set experience (meaning no pay) or constantly attending classes. I am so fortunate to be in an industry where going to work is actually the coolest part of my day. I work hard because I'm living my dream life and there's nothing I would rather be doing than working.
If I had a million dollars, I would probably use it to help incubate other Asian Canadian/American storytellers who have not had the same opportunities to succeed in the industry. My lived experience is only a small part of the entire cultural mosaic of the Asian diaspora in North America. In what I would term “diversity squared,” there needs to be a greater level of diversity even within our diverse stories.
彌補失去的時間
曾經的我，感覺生命沒有方向，所作的決定都不是我想要的。 （是為了責任而作的。）但是我一旦知道我的目標是什麼的時候，我覺得我已經比別人慢了一大步。我在影視行業工作上大部分的動力，源於我比別人永遠遲了一步，所以我要不停地努力追趕。其實我不覺得我在演藝方面真的有多大的天賦，而我只是不斷地勇於嘗試，積極地找機會，不斷地學習。我很幸運能夠進入這樣一個我所熱愛的行業，我每天的工作都是我最期待的部分。我努力工作是因為我每天過著我夢寐以求的生活。我真的很熱愛我的工作。
如果我有一百萬，我會用它來幫助其他在北美的亞裔敘述者。他們可能沒有同樣好的機遇在這個行業裡取得成功。我的故事只是在眾多北美亞洲僑民的一小部分代表。我所說的“多樣性2”，是我們需要分享我們多元化的社會當中的更多多樣化的故事。
The Future of Breaking Bamboo Ceilings
I was very blessed to have an opportunity to perform in my mother tongue in Blood and Water and I was surprised at how natural the process was. My parents helped break down each line of dialogue I didn’t understand and made sure my pronunciation was perfect. Once I had the words in my head, they flowed right out of me, like I had been speaking it as my primary language my entire life. It made me feel very connected to my roots, and reinforced the importance of keeping my Mandarin skills sharp.
I had considered returning to Asia to become an actor, but it did not seem right. Even though the entertainment industry here was plagued with issues of representation and inclusivity, I still felt like every role that I got mattered, and every minute of screen time was another crack at the bamboo ceiling. That struggle gave me purpose, in a way. In Asia, I'd be just another actor trying to get a job. It just didn't feel the same.
突破未來
我非常幸運能夠有機會在《血與水》中用我的母語表演。我很驚訝我整個表演的過程都很自然。我的父母幫助我理解我不懂的對話，並訓練我完美的中文發音。我發現我在念對白的時候，表演的時候，都很流利，就像本地人一樣。這讓我感到我與自己的文化很親密，並加強了我保持普通話技能的重要性。
我曾考慮過回亞洲做演員，但這似乎並不合適我。儘管北美的娛樂業受到了代表性和包容性問題的困擾，但我仍然感覺到我所扮演的每一個角色，台上的每一分鐘，都是攻擊竹子天花板的一大步。那種鬥爭在某種程度上給了我一個確實的目的。如果去亞洲當演員，我只會是另一名亞裔演員。
We are different from our cousins who grew up in Asia. We consume different culture, have completely different struggles (just try having a conversation about representation with someone from Asia), and therefore view the world in a completely different way. I'll never close the door on Asia completely but I know that my battlefield is here, with my brothers and sisters who are trying to carve out a shared identity and culture for the second generation and beyond.
In 10 years, I want to be a leading man in Hollywood, and one that continues to fight for representation and continues to build out the culture for “western-raised” Asians. I want to shatter every bamboo ceiling there ever was by proving that we are not anybody's complacent, passive, model minority. We are strong, we are proud, and we will never again be reduced to stereotypes.
我們與在亞洲長大的人不一樣，我們接觸不同的文化，面對不同的考驗和問題.因此我們持有完全不一樣的看法。我不會說我永遠不會回到亞洲工作， 但是我知道我的戰場就在這裡。在北美，我的兄弟姐妹不斷地為第二代及後來的亞裔社會創造自身的身份和文化。
十年後的我想成為好萊塢的電影主角，繼續爭取代表權並，繼續為海外亞裔社會建立文化。我想證明我們不是‘他們’想像的那樣被動，和模範少數民族。我想打破每一個竹子天花板 。我們很堅強，我們很驕傲。我們永遠不會再被貶低為別人眼中刻板的印象了。
