Lucy Liu on being a trailblazer in Hollywood: ‘I never saw a ceiling’
By Iris Jung
Lucy Liu revealed her take on Asian representation in Hollywood and her support for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (“EEAAO”) in a new interview published on Thursday.
Liu — who is known for her iconic roles in “Charlie’s Angels,” “Kill Bill” and “Kung Fu Panda” — spoke about her role as an “underdog” in the entertainment industry with People.
“I’ve always had to fight for roles,” the 54-year-old actor confessed. “I‘ve always had to go in against all odds.”
To me, the world was always so open and I never saw a ceiling. And I felt like that was something that a lot of people unfortunately hit quite a bit, but it didn’t deter me. To me it was just a bump in the road and I just did not have a limit. I felt like the world was limitless and I was going to continue on and there was nothing that was going to stop me.
Liu, who is often credited for helping to pave the way for Asian American actors in Hollywood, also commented on being considered a pioneer in her field of work.
“I feel a great sense of pride that something that I loved doing has helped them realize that it’s possible for them,” Liu expressed. “I’m glad that I have had some impact in a positive way.”
When asked about the Oscar-nominated “EEAAO,” Liu revealed to People that she is “1,000 percent” cheering on the breakthrough film.
“I love that it was done as an independent film and that is has had so much success, because those are the ones that you root for — the underdog … And [the “EEAAO” filmmakers] were doing something out of love and passion,” she said.
However, Liu doesn’t simply see the heavily awarded film as a culmination of increased Asian representation in the entertainment industry.
I think it’s the beginning. I understand that a lot of places have a check box and they have to meet a certain percentage, and sometimes that has to happen before it becomes the norm. So I still think we have a long way to go, but it is creating a space and hopefully some sense of normalcy to see that as it activates itself in hopefully a more natural way.
Fans can look forward to seeing Liu in her upcoming film “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” set to release on March 17.
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