Marvel Actor Simu Liu Confirms He Was Never In Talks For Mass Effect: Universe Despite Striking Resemblance To Character In Leaked Trailer

After the studio shut down on October 21, a trailer for BioWare’s now-cancelled Mass Effect: Universe surfaced online. In many ways, it felt like the final blow, as it seemed BioWare was crafting something special for the fifth Mass Effect.

In the end, though, the most frustrating aspect was that, like all good trailers, it left us with more questions than answers. Questions such as “How would this have connected to the ending of Mass Effect 3?”, “Who repaired the mass relays?”, and “Holy shit, was that Simu Liu?!”

After the trailer leaked, many quickly noted that Mass Effect: Universe‘s new protagonist bore a striking resemblance to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu. The voice was obviously not his, but those chiseled cheekbones matched 1-to-1.

The fact that Simu Liu had also voiced his admiration for BioWare and his disappointment at the studio’s closure in a post on Threads, hours before the trailer leaked, only intensified fans’ suspicions. Likewise, Liu seemed somewhat puzzled by the character’s appearance in a reply to the leaked trailer on X.

… waaaaait a minute….

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) October 24, 2026

… waaaaait a minute….

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) October 24, 2026

Kotaku reached out to Liu to find out whether BioWare had contacted him about potentially starring in the game, or even just using his likeness for the protagonist’s default character model.

Funnily enough, in the statement he provided to Kotaku, Liu seemed just as puzzled about his Mass Effect: Universe facsimile as the rest of us: “Haha no, I wasn’t involved but you’re not the only one to ask!”

Given that the leaked trailer was intended solely for internal sharing as a proof-of-concept for Electronic Arts executives, Liu’s confirmation suggests two possible explanations: either the resemblance was entirely coincidental, or BioWare had plans to reach out to Liu regarding a potential partnership at a later date.

Still, considering fans have already contributed enough money to the “Save Mass Effect” crowdfunder to purchase a billboard, there may still be a chance of seeing Liu in something Mass Effect-shaped in the future.