‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Simu Liu Slams Hollywood for Backsliding on Asian Representation

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Simu Liu has criticized the recent decrease in Asian representation in Hollywood films and television. After gaining recognition for his role in the series Kim’s Convenience, he became a major star playing the lead in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and is set to reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday. He’s also appeared in popular films like Barbie, Jackpot!, and the new Netflix animated movie, In Your Dreams.

On Sunday, November 23, 2025, Simu Liu used the platform Threads to discuss the lack of leading roles for Asian men in Hollywood. He shared examples of other Asian actors like Manny Jacinto, John Chu, and Daniel Dae Kim facing similar struggles, and urged the industry to cast more Asian men in romantic lead roles. Liu expressed frustration with the recent decline in Asian representation on screen, calling it “appalling.” He then highlighted the success of films like Minari, The Farewell, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crazy Rich Asians, and his own film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as proof that audiences will support movies with Asian leads. He also pointed out that white male actors are often given multiple chances after a film fails, while Asian actors don’t receive the same opportunities.

Asian actors haven’t been given the opportunity to fail on a large scale – even a loss of $100 million would be unprecedented. However, white actors are often given multiple chances even after films lose $200 million, and are quickly cast in the next big blockbuster.

Simu Liu’s Comments Highlight a Significant Problem in the Film Industry

Post by @simuliu
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I’ve been really impressed with Simu Liu’s willingness to speak up about the need for better representation in movies and TV. He recently called out a 2023 article in the Huffington Post for trying to create drama between Asian actors, suggesting they were falsely claiming he was taking all the roles. And he’s right – white actors often get second, third, and even fourth chances, even after starring in movies that don’t do well. Like, Jared Leto’s Morbius wasn’t a hit, but he still got to lead Tron: Ares, which also flopped. And now he’s even lined up to play Skeletor in the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie! It’s just frustrating to see that double standard.

There’s a clear double standard in Hollywood when it comes to Asian actors and stories. For example, Manny Jacinto’s entire performance was cut from Top Gun: Maverick. While Crazy Rich Asians was a huge success in 2018, a sequel has been stuck in development for seven years with no movement. Perhaps the most telling case is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Despite being a critical and commercial success during the pandemic, Marvel hasn’t prioritized a sequel. Although Shang-Chi will have a significant part in Avengers: Doomsday, his standalone sequel is likely years away – if it happens at all.

It’s notable that Marvel didn’t immediately capitalize on their new popular character with a starring actor, unlike what they did with Captain America, Thor, and even Ant-Man. Despite some progress in Hollywood regarding representation – which has unfortunately drawn criticism from some conservative sources – it’s clear there’s still a long way to go to achieve truly inclusive and equitable representation in film.

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2025-11-26 22:26