Simu Liu, Canadian actor, opened up about the lack of major roles for Asian actors in Hollywood, saying they are still seen as “risky” even though films with Asian leads often succeed.
The Shang-Chi star pointed to hits like Crazy Rich Asians, Minari, The Farewell and Everything Everywhere All at Once as proof.
“I feel like because of who I am and because of the faces that we have, we’re inherently seen as more risky, even though that’s not the case,” Liu said while promoting his new show The Copenhagen Test.
The 36-year-old star explained that studios often stick to what they know, making it harder for Asian actors to get top roles.
However, a recent study showed that speaking roles for Asian characters in Hollywood dropped from 18.4% in 2023 to 13.5% in 2024, while white roles increased.
In The Copenhagen Test, Liu plays Alexander Hale, a Chinese-American intelligence agent whose mind is hacked.
The show highlighted newcomer experiences, showing how Hale is treated as a “risk” because of his background.
Moreover, the actor went on saying that this reflects on the reality that many actors face today.
Even with these challenges, Simu Liu keeps himself busy, as he will return in the Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday and make his Broadway debut in Oh, Mary! next year.
