Simu Liu Trades Blockbusters for Paddle Ball and a New Animated Role
A growing obsession with the racket sport is how the actor spends his downtime, alongside costars like Woody Harrelson and James Marsden.
Simu Liu, the star of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie, is finding rejuvenation off-screen through a surprising new hobby: paddle ball. The 36-year-old actor revealed in an exclusive interview that his ideal day off centers around spending time with friends engaged in activities far removed from the world of filmmaking.
“It’s definitely days spent with friends doing something not even remotely related to movies or movie-making,” Liu stated. He’s increasingly drawn to racket sports, with paddle ball quickly becoming a passion.
The actor’s enthusiasm isn’t a solitary one. Liu explained that his European film shoots have introduced him to the sport through his colleagues. “I’ve done a lot of filming in Europe these past few years, and everyone that I’ve worked with — whether it’s Woody Harrelson or James Marsden — a lot of people coming in and out of these productions are like, ‘Have you heard of paddle? You’re gonna play,’ ” he recalled. “They’ll drag me to the courts, and I’ll just have the best time.”
Liu recently shared the screen with Harrelson, 64, in Last Breath, released this year. He is also slated to appear alongside Marsden, 52, in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, reprising his role as Shang-Chi while Marsden portrays Cyclops.
Beyond the courts, Liu has also been lending his voice to animation. He joined an ensemble cast—including Cristin Milioti, Craig Robinson, Omid Djalili, and Gia Carides—in In Your Dreams, a new animated film directed by Alex Woo that premiered on Netflix on November 14.
Liu’s diverse projects demonstrate a commitment to both action-packed blockbusters and engaging animated storytelling. However, it’s the simple pleasure of a paddle ball game with friends that seems to define his perfect day off, offering a welcome escape from the demands of Hollywood.
