Shang-Chi's Simu Liu: Pedophilia Is 'No Different Than Being Gay'

Simu Liu, star of the superhero film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, once made comments on Reddit sympathizing with pedophiles and likening them to gay people according to a series of screenshots.

The Reddit account that made the comments and that has been linked to Liu has been deleted, but social media users have been sharing images of the comment in question.

Users connected the account NippedInTheBud to Liu through multiple touch points. In addition to the statements about pedophilia, the account posted Liu's headshot to another Subreddit to ask for feedback. In another, the account started an Ask Me Anything thread by identifying its owner as Liu.

In 2015, he wrote that he'd recently played a pedophile and that the experience had made him "much more sympathetic to anyone who is born with those urges."

"From a biological standpoint it's no different than being gay -- a small mutation in the genome that determines our sexual preferences," he continued. He allowed that "taking advantage of minors is wrong. Disgusting and vile, even." But he said the medical treatment for pedophilia is going about it the wrong way, much like conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people.

He did not say what kind of therapy he would recommend but, apparently addressing someone who is attracted to children, he advised "using throwaways" and avoiding child pornography. "It may seem innocent but even watching it is propogating [sic] the entire industry which I'm sure you agree is disgusting," he wrote.

There have also been reports of Liu "harassing women and participating in racist subreddits," according to Heroic Hollywood.

The Canadian actor, star of the TV comedy Kim's Convenience, has gained a higher profile with the recent release of Shang-Chi, a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. He also got much attention this week by appearing at the Met Gala in an elegant white suit by Fendi, and a photo of him gazing at fellow attendee Eiza Gonzalez, who wore a gorgeous red gown, has gone viral.

The Reddit comments are not the only controversial matter surrounding Liu and the film. The actor, who is of Chinese descent, once called China a "Third World" country where people "were dying of starvation." And the 1970s comic book on which the film is based featured racist stereotypes of Asians. The film's depiction of Asian characters is much more respectful, and it has become a hit in most Asian countries but has yet to be cleared by China's regulatory bodies for release there.

The Advocate has sought comment from Marvel regarding the pedophilia remarks but has so far not received a response. Liu appeared to be responding in a Twitter thread that included a 2019 tweet about staying positive and added a new one saying Twitter can be "a slanderous place," also saying that if anyone goes back far enough, they'll find a "more immature version of me who gave in to anger and hate."