Lucy Liu Speaks Out on More AAPI Representation in Hollywood Despite ‘Moving the Needle’

In an op-ed published in the Washington Post on April 29, Liu, 52, reveals that while she feels “fortunate to have ‘moved the needle’ a little with some mainstream success,” she said that there is “still much more to go” and that “it’ll take more to end 200 years of Asian stereotypes.”

She spoke about the sparse representation of AAPI actors and actresses on-screen and recalled that her hero as a child was Anne Miyamoto from the Calgon fabric softener commercial. Even though Liu is an award-winning actress that broke the mold for the Asian American community, she said it’s still not enough.

Liu wrote, “Asians in America have made incredible contributions, yet we’re still thought of as Other. We are still categorized and viewed as dragon ladies or new iterations of delicate, domestic geishas — modern toile. These stereotypes can be not only constricting but also deadly.”

She also revealed that she had been a fan of “Charlie’s Angels” as a child, but never dreamed she would one day star in the franchise.

“It’s one of the reasons ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was so important to me,” Liu stated. “As part of something so iconic, my character Alex Munday normalized Asian identity for a mainstream audience and made a piece of Americana a little more inclusive.”

Not only is Lucy Liu fighting to break stereotypes in Hollywood, but will also be fighting in her first superhero film.

Liu will be playing the villain Kalypso in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which is set to be released on June 2, 2023.

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