Simu Liu says the drop in Asian representation in Hollywood is “appalling”

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu recently spoke about the representation of Asian actors in Hollywood in his recent post on the social media app Threads. This isn't the first time he has done that, as the actor is vocal about these matters in the industry.

In his post, he writes that

"Put some asians in literally anything right now. the amount of backslide in our representation onscreen is f**king appalling. Studios think we’re risky."

He also mentioned some titles representing Asians that performed well at the box office while also garnering critical praise. The rest of his message read,

"Minari, Farewell, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere, Crazy Rich, Shang Chi. 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. We’re fighting a deeply prejudiced system. and most days it SUCKS."

Everything Everywhere All at Once even won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and more.

Simu Liu has appeared in a couple of blockbuster American films

Simu Liu (first from left). (Image via Getty)

The actor himself has appeared in two Hollywood blockbuster films since 2021. He was a lead in one and a supporting role.

His lead role was in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was a commercial success, making $432 million at the global box office.

Simu Liu played the titular Shang-Chi in the movie, which follows the mystical Ten Rings. Initially, his character, when young, is sent to assassinate someone responsible for his mother's death. However, this incident appeared to have traumatized him, and he ran away from his home.

While it wasn't a huge commercial success because of the budget, it did become profitable. Its fantasy elements and story were a nice blend, though some believed the story could have more depth. A sequel to the film is in development, but there's no release date for it.

Another blockbuster project involving Simu Liu was Greta Gerwig's Barbie (2023), which became a global phenomenon, earning $1.44 billion at the global box office. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were in the leads as Barbie and Ken, but they weren't the only ones.

There were entire fleets of Barbies and Kens in the film, and Simu Liu played one of the versions of Ken, called Rival Ken. The fantasy comedy film was also the reason the Barbenheimer trend started that year, along with another blockbuster, Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan. Audiences were encouraged to watch them as a double feature in theaters.

Now, Simu Liu is likely to be a part of another blockbuster film next year, Avengers: Doomsday, releasing on December 18, 2026. It is said to be the biggest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that can change within a year, as Secret Wars, its sequel, will be coming exactly a year later.

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Edited by Zainab Shaikh

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Simu Liu says the drop in Asian representation in Hollywood is “appalling” - here’s everything to know

Simu Liu has appeared in a couple of blockbuster American films

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