Marvel released the trailer for Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie has an impressive cast, but it is not one that has a lot of people mainstream fans might recognize. Among the group are some top Asian stars, but it might take a reach to where you saw them from.
There are some top Asian martial arts movie actors, including one of the biggest names in Hong Kong action cinema. There is also one actress who was in a recent massive Hollywood blockbuster, but the rest of the cast are smaller names that should become big names thanks to their appearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) - Kim's Convenience
The main lead actor is Chinese-born Simu Liu. He stars as Shang-Chi, the next major superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He isn't someone who has had many movie appearances, but he is known to television viewers. He starred in the CBC sitcom Kim's Convenience, where he was in one of the primary roles as Jung Kim, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kim in the series. He also starred in the 2015 series Blood and Water, where he picked up an acting nomination at the ACTRA Awards.
Awkwafina (Katy) - Jumanji: The Next Level
The one face that most American audiences will recognize is Awkwafina thanks to more than one major recent movie release. Most fans will Awkwafina from her role in Jumanji: The Next Level where she made her debut as a new avatar. She was a thief in the game with skills in all sort of thievery and is who was Spencer's new avatar after he was Dr. Bravestone in the first movie.
Awkwafina (Katy) - Crazy Rich Asians
Those who might not have seen Jumanji: The Next Level likely will Awkwafina from her role in the 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians. This movie was about a Chinese-American professor who travels to meet her boyfriend's family, only to discover in shock that they are one of the wealthiest families in Singapore. Awkwafina starred in the movie as Goh Peik Lin, Rachel's (Constance Wu) best friend. She picked up a Teen Choice Award nomination for her performance.
Fala Chen (Jiang Li) - The Undoing
Fala Chen stars in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as Jiang Li. She appears in the movie as Shang-Chi's girlfriend. As an actress, Fala Chen starred in several Hong Kong drama television series and films.
When it comes to American audiences, fans might Fala Chen from the HBO series The Undoing in 2020. This was her first ever American role. The series starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in a series about a therapist whose life falls apart. Fala Chen is Jolene McCall in the series.
Tony Leung (Mandarin) - Hard Boiled
The Mandarin is finally coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After a twist in Iron Man 3 where The Mandarin was a fake, the real Mandarin is finally coming in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Fans of classic Hong Kong action movies will recognize Tony Leung instantly from his role in John Woo's Hard Boiled. Chow-Yun-fat was the lead as Inspector Yeun and Tony Leung was Alan, an undercover officer.
Tony Leung (Mandarin) - Chungking Express
Tony Leung was also one of the main characters in the critically-acclaimed 1994 Hong Kong romantic crime drama, Chungking Express. The movie was one that Quentin Tarantino points to as an inspiration for his own filmmaking and helped introduce it to American movie fans. Chungking Express had two stories, each about a Hong Kong police officer and his relationship with a woman. Tony Leung was in the second story as the police officer who met a snack bar worker (Faye Wong).
Michelle Yeoh (Jiang Nan) - Star Trek: Discovery
Michelle Yeoh is a legend in Hong Kong cinema and made a move to the United States for some major Hollywood roles. She was in the James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, but her biggest appearance in recent years for geek-friendly fans was in Star Trek: Discovery.
In Star Trek: Discovery, she was Captain Philippa Georgiou and appeared in 16 episodes. She has picked up a role for hte character in an spinoff based on Section 31.
Michelle Yeoh (Jiang Nan) - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Michelle Yeoh's biggest claim to fame when it comes to American audiences was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Ang Lee-directed movie picked up 10 Oscar nominations, the most ever at the time for a foreign language movie. She played Yu Shu Lien in the movie, who heads a private security company. She is involved in some of the most breathtaking fight scenes in the movie. Yeoh picked up seven different awards nominations for her performance.
Florian Munteanu (Razor Fist) - Creed II
Florian Munteanu stars in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as one of hte villains, Razor Fist. His character lost his hands and had them replaced with laser weapons for hands. However, his biggest movie role people would recognize him from was a man who used his hands for a living. Munteanu starred as Viktor Drago, the son of Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago, who fought Adonis Creed in Creed II.
Ronny Chieng (Jon Jon) - The Daily Show
Ronny Chieng appears in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as the mysterious character Jon Jon. The thought is that Jon Jon will be a comedic presence in the movie, which makes sense because Chieng is a comedian in real life. Most fans will Chieng from his television appearances on The Daily Show. Chieng is a Malaysian comedian who is a senior correspondent on The Daily Show who is starting to get more movie roles, previously appearing in a minor role in Godzilla vs. Kong.
