Avengers: Simu Liu was starstruck by Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen

Simu Liu reveals he was 'the most starstruck' he's ever been while working with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen on 'Avengers: Doomsday'. The Shang-Chi actor also described the film as a 'massive cinematic event' with an 'unfathomable' scale.

Actor Simu Liu has revealed that working alongside screen legends Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen on the sets of 'Avengers: Doomsday' left him "the most starstruck" he has ever been, according to People.

'Most starstruck I've ever been'

Speaking to People at San Diego Comic-Con, Liu opened up about sharing screen space with the actors, who reprise their iconic X-Men roles as Professor X and Magneto in the upcoming Marvel film. "For me, it's Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen ... not just for their roles in 'X-Men', which are so iconic, but I also grew up just a massive 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' super-nerd, and 'Lord of the Rings' as well," Liu said.

Stewart portrayed Jean-Luc Picard in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', while McKellen is widely known for playing Gandalf in 'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy, according to People. "So just getting to talk to them, getting to hang on set with them in between takes, it was the most starstruck I've ever been," Liu added.

'Now you're one of the action figures'

The upcoming 'Avengers: Doomsday' brings together characters from the 'Avengers', 'Fantastic Four' and 'X-Men' franchises for the first time. Liu, who returns as Shang-Chi for the first time since 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' was released in 2021, described reading the script as an unforgettable experience, according to People.

He said he felt "this overwhelming sense of joy" while discovering how his character would interact with Marvel superheroes he had "been watching as a fan for over 25 years." "It's like that feeling of being in a sandbox and playing with all these action figures when you're really young," Liu said. "It was that feeling, except now you're one of the action figures."

'A massive cinematic event'

The actor revealed that he learned he would be part of 'Avengers: Doomsday' "literally from the moment" 'Shang-Chi' was released, though the project began taking shape only early last year. Calling the film a "massive cinematic event," Liu said its scale is "unfathomable" and credited Marvel fans for building excitement around the project.

"It's just incredible, feeding off the energy of the fans," he said.

According to Marvel, 'Avengers: Doomsday' follows "beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they're set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they've ever encountered," according to People. 'Avengers: Doomsday' is scheduled to release in theatres on December 18. (ANI)

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