New spy thriller, ‘The Copenhagen Test’, hit the ground running, and people can’t stop talking about it. A big part of the buzz? Simu Liu. Remember the superhero from ‘Shang-Chi’? It’s him; only here, he takes things up a notch, throwing himself into wild stunts and gritty fight scenes that feel all too real.‘The Copenhagen Test’ dropped its first season on December 27, 2025, bringing an interesting mix of classic spy drama with a dose of sci-fi weirdness. The result? Fans can’t look away.
High stakes and a sci-fi edge
Simu Liu steps into the role of Alexander Hale — a first-generation Chinese-American intelligence analyst who suddenly finds his brain hacked. Now, some shadowy enemy can tap into his senses and thoughts. He’s got to act normal, hunt down his enemies, and prove where he stands, all while basically being a prisoner in his own head.‘The Copenhagen Test’ doesn’t just play with spy tropes. It mashes up old-school espionage with today’s fears about surveillance and privacy, so the tension never lets up. Showrunners say they borrowed from classic spy novels, but you can feel the modern paranoia all over this thing. For Liu, that means every scene calls for both serious acting chops and full-on physical commitment.
Simu Liu gets real with the action
If you’re expecting just some clever dialogue, think again. ‘The Copenhagen Test’ is packed with brawls, wild chases, and edge-of-your-seat stunts. Liu actually did a bunch of his own stunt work, even when things got rough. “I got kicked in the face. Yeah — many, many, many times,” he joked, showing off a few bruises from sprinting down hallways and getting into tight fight scenes.ID@undefined Caption not available.ID@undefined Caption not available.ID@undefined Caption not available.But Liu didn’t just do these stunts for bragging rights. He explained that when he’s in the thick of the action, editors get way more options for how to shoot and splice together scenes. That’s why the action feels so raw and up-close. Stunt pros James and Chris Mark worked right alongside him, but even with all the safety checks, bumps and bruises just came with the territory.
Fight choreography that tells a story
One of the show’s most jaw-dropping moments comes in Episode 7. Liu and Melissa Barrera (who also handles her own stunts) face off in a brutal fight that’s both technically sharp and emotionally charged. It’s not just fists flying — they trained together for weeks, building a physical back-and-forth that you can really feel on screen. Every move means something, revealing history between their characters and raising the stakes.Liu’s experience from ‘Shang-Chi’ gave him an edge here. He gets that fight scenes shouldn’t just be filler. As he puts it, pointless brawls are just “people fighting on screen.” ‘The Copenhagen Test’ works hard to make every punch and kick matter for the story.The behind-the-scenes details show how much Liu has grown as both an actor and an action star. By throwing himself into the stunt work, digging into the character, and keeping the fights honest, he helps the series rise above your usual spy show. Whether you’re hooked on the plot twists, the emotional push-and-pull, or just want to watch Liu take a beating and keep going, ‘The Copenhagen Test’ delivers. If you’re lining it up on Peacock, knowing everything that went into making those scenes just makes it all the more impressive.
