Simu Liu is going to host SNL and Toronto is here for it
Toronto stock model-turned-Hollywood heartthrob Simu Liu has been tapped to host an episode of Saturday Night Live next month, joining Kim Kardashian and Owen Wilson on an exclusive list of SNL Season 47 guests.
Liu, best known as the titular star of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (as well as Jung on the smash hit Canadian TV show Kim's Convenience), is set to make his SNL hosting debut on November 20 alongside musical guest Saweetie.
The long-running NBC sketch show announced the news on Tuesday, much to the excitement of everyone in Toronto, who, despite Liu's being born in China and raised in Mississauga, like to claim him as one of our own.
Hey, he did live here at one point.
Shoutouts to Toronto please!
— Scott Lomas 🇨🇦 (@torontoscoots) November 2, 2021
Liu himself acknowledged the gig within minutes of SNL making the news public, sharing an image from the show featuring his name on Instagram with the caption "LIVE FROM NEW YORK IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT."
Needless to say, locals are stoked for their own MCU superhero to take the stage at Studio 8H.
"OMG!!! Let's go Mississauga!!" commented one fan on Liu's IG post. "Oh my lord no one is ready," wrote another. Hundreds more are writing various iterations of "YES KING!" "OMG YES!" and "YES YES YES!!!"
I know he was literally the main character of a Marvel movie, but man I'm really happy for Simu Liu. I remember watching him on Wong Fu and JKNews only a few years ago and now he's hosting SNL. Cool stuff. https://t.co/uLS4MquxCU
— DYLAN? (@XXIchiban) November 2, 2021
The booking is another feather in Liu's cap, but far from the only one: He's had a pretty incredible few years, and not only because of his meteoric rise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Liu has been lauded repeatedly for his generous nature, insane athletic talents and genuine interactions with fans.
He's also atypically outspoken for a celebrity at his level, taking people in power to task over everything from Asian representation (or lack thereof) in film to poor working conditions for people in Canada's television industry.
It'll be interesting to see what the rising superstar says in his monologue on Saturday Night Live, but knowing the show and how much Liu seems to be willing to push the envelope, it'll probably be juicy... or at the very least, swoonworthy.
