Canadian actor Simu Liu, known for his role as Marvel’s Shang-Chi, is reflecting on fatherhood as he stars in Netflix’s upcoming animated film In Your Dreams, streaming November 14. In the movie, Liu voices a father of two, and the experience has prompted him to consider the type of parent he hopes to be in the future.
“This movie, and this role in particular, has made me think a lot about how I want to show up as a dad and a parent,” Liu told PEOPLE.
Playing a Dad Sparks Personal Reflection
In Your Dreams, directed by Alex Woo (Incredibles 2), follows siblings Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Elliot (Elias Janssen) as they embark on a surreal adventure through their dreams. Accompanied by a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods, and the queen of nightmares, the siblings try to secure their ultimate wish: a perfect family.
Liu voices the guitar-playing dad, opposite Cristin Milioti’s mother, portraying a family dynamic that is far from perfect but full of love.
“The overwhelming thing that drew me to this film is its embrace of imperfection,” Liu said. “I love the statement that families don’t look like this picture-perfect nuclear family — always smiling, never fighting. No family actually looks like that, divorced or not.”
The role has made Liu reflect on the complexities of family life and his own upbringing.
Learning from His Childhood
Born in China and raised in Canada, Liu experienced a childhood shaped by “tiger parenting” from his parents, Zhenning and Zheng. In his 2022 memoir, We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story, he detailed the pressures of impossible expectations and the trauma of strict discipline.
“I resolved from a very young age not to repeat the mistakes of my parents,” Liu told PEOPLE. “I’ve been very open speaking about that with them. We talk a lot about what was going through their head at the time, and I think it’s really important to realize how much growth they’ve done as well since that moment.”
Liu has maintained a close relationship with his mother, Zheng, considering her one of his “closest friends,” and even presented her with an eight-page letter for her 60th birthday.
Simu Liu on Marriage and Family Dreams
Engaged to marketing director Allison Hsu, 28, since May 2025, Liu is now focused on planning their wedding and dreaming about future family life.
“I’m very excited about getting married and all the steps along that process,” Liu said. “Being able to grow up in a place where I’m not feeling constantly anxious about making ends meet or not having any sort of safety net is something my parents never had.”
Liu also shared his aspirations for fatherhood:
“I would be leading from a place of joy, leading from a place of dreams and nurturing. I want to help my future children figure out what their dreams are and to pursue them to the best of their ability. At the end of the day, that’s what life is all about.”
“I’ve always felt like I was destined to be a dad,” he added. “And so, hopefully, I get to at some point in the future.”
The Takeaway
Simu Liu’s role in In Your Dreams has offered him a unique lens on parenthood, emphasizing imperfection, resilience, and the importance of nurturing dreams within a family. Drawing from his own upbringing, Liu aims to break generational patterns and foster a loving, supportive household when he becomes a father.
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