‘Shang-Chi’ Star Simu Liu Calls Out Hollywood For “F***ing Appalling” Backslide Of Asian Representation: “Studios Think We Are ‘Risky'”

Chinese born Canadian actor Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi & The Legend of the Rings,” “Barbie”) is calling out Hollywood for its “backsliding” on Asian representation in film/TV, taking to his account on Threads to publicly voice his displeasure and the double standards when it comes to white peers in the acting profession being able to fail upwards after losing studios heaps of money.

Responding to another post pleading Hollywood to cast more Asian male actors as romantic leads, Liu said, “Put some Asians in literally anything right now. The amount of backslide in our representation onscreen is f***ing appalling. Studios think we’re ‘risky.’ ‘Minari,’ ‘Farewell,’ ‘Past Lives,’ ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once,’ ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ and ‘Shang-Chi.’ Every single one a financial success. No asian actor has ever lost a studio even close to [$100 million], 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.”

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This sentiment shared by Liu isn’t coming out of nowhere either. In the wake of Donald Trump’s election win last year, there has been a huge rollback on various diversity programs and initiatives, which most likely has also harmed Hollywood’s strides toward a more inclusive workplace, as this knuckle-dragging stance that “DEI” is a “bad thing” (an endless talking point from the world of Trump/MAGA) that needs to be combated has become the latest culture war no-nothing wedge issue being used to amplify bigoted white nationalist opinions. Sadly, these DEI attacks have impacted the growing job losses as the U.S. economy seems to be heading over a cliff (black working women are being cited as the biggest group being fired or laid off, at least 300,000 in 2025, a possible red flag that a national recession is looming).

Liu has previously shared his own frustrations with getting “Shang-Chi 2” in front of cameras (the first installment from 2021 earned $432.2 million, when audiences were slowly seeing movies again), but Marvel Studios needed director Destin Daniel Cretton to helm one of their other big event projects first. Cretton had been hired to make “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” before pivoting to “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” leading to further delays on Liu’s anticipated MCU sequel.

Thankfully, audiences won’t have to wait too much longer before the Marvel hero’s return to the big screen as he’s part of the cast of The Russo Brothers‘ “Avengers: Doomsday” coming out in May (a first-look trailer has long been expected to be attached to Disney‘s “Avatar: Fire & Ash“), and could also appear in “Avengers: Secret Wars” (we’re still waiting on the official cast lineup for that sixth installment).

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Another big project on the horizon for Liu is a lead role opposite “Scream” franchise actress Melissa Barrera in a new Peacock sci-fi spy series, “The Copenhagen Test,” produced by James Wan via his production banner Atomic Monster, and is set to debut on December 27.