In a recent Instagram video, Marvel star Simu Liu shared a lesson on how to correctly pronounce his name, explaining that the Mandarin pronunciation of "Liu" can be challenging for many. "I go by 'Lee-You'," he said, "which isn't that hard." While he personally prefers this pronunciation, Simu noted that some Lius opt for "Loo" due to its simplicity. "A lot of Lius grew up in non-Asian environments and went with 'Loo' for ease," he explained. "It's even easier to say and better than nothing, right?"
However, Simu, who was born in Harbin, China and raised in Ontario, Canada, pointed out that saying the last name like "Loo" is actually closer to the Chinese last name "Lu." "So, Lu and Liu are two different Chinese last names," he said. "If you want to make an effort and get it right, that's something to consider."
While he felt that either pronunciation was fine, Simu was more specific about how to pronounce his first name. "My name is Simu, and you should definitely get that right," he joked. The Barbie star added in the caption, "If you're gonna claim to be in a Chinese era of your life, then you should learn the proper pronunciation of LIU."
Simu's lesson in names was incredibly well received by his Instagram followers. Singer Laufey commented, "It's not that hard." And Simu hasn't been the only Liu in the news lately. In fact, the Copenhagen Test star was delighted by figure skater Alysa Liu's performance and wins at the 2026 Olympics, as her last name was said many times during the Winter Games. "For absolutely not selfish reasons, I'm really loving the discourse around pronouncing Alysa's last name," he wrote on X Feb. 25. "Liu. Lieu. LEE-you."
