Simu Liu condemns “appalling” lack of Asian representation in Hollywood
Marvel star Simu Liu has condemned the lack of representation of Asian actors in Hollywood.
The actor, who notably starred in Marvel’s hit 2021 movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which grossed more than $430 million at the box office, let his feelings be known on social media.
In response to a post about the lack of Asian males in romantic leads, he took to Threads to write, “Put some asians in literally anything right now. The amount of backslide in our representation onscreen is f**king appalling.”
Liu continued, “Studios think we’re ‘risky’.” He then highlighted the success of Asian storytelling such as Minari, The Farewell, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere All At One, Crazy Rich Asians and his own Marvel film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, to support his point .
The actor noted, “Every single one a financial success. No asian actor has ever lost a studio even close to 100 million dollars but a white dude will lose 200 million TWICE and roll right into the next tentpole lead.”
Liu has been vocal about this subject in the past.
In 2023, he hit out at an article that claimed he was securing the “bulk of Asian roles” and explained that the recent roles he’d secured weren’t initially supposed to be for an Asian character.
He shared on Facebook, “Way to attempt to put us against one another. What ‘bulk’ of roles are you referring to? Are there movies I’m in that I’m not aware of? Do you really think that there is a quota of ‘Asian male roles’ that is a zero sum game? Every thing I have taken post Shang-Chi was not written Asian. We’ve been able to reshape stories to get more representation onscreen. Get your facts straight.”
Liu is set to revive his role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, which will be released in cinemas in 2026.
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