Credit: Marvel StudiosAfter HuffPost published an article about seven other Asian actors who could have appeared in the upcoming film Barbie (2023) other than Simu Liu, the actor clapped back at the publication, claiming they were trying to pit Asian actors against one another.
Simu Liu began acting in 2012 as an extra and stuntman in various Hollywood projects, including Beauty and the Beast (2014) and Pacific Rim (2013), before landing his first recurring role in the Canadian crime drama series Blood and Water (2015-2016).
Liu’s breakthrough performance came in the Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience (2016-2021) as the estranged son Jung Kim. It was during this run that he was cast as the titular hero in Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
Since then, Liu has earned other roles, including Bright: Samurai Souls (2021), Simulant (2022), and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. That latter role has earned criticism from HuffPost, claiming that Liu’s presence was less about representation and more about tokenism.
Simu Liu is “Not The Only Talented Asian Thirst Trap In Hollywood”
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On April 11, 2023, HuffPost published an article from guest writer Ian Kumamoto titled, “We Love Simu Liu, But He’s Not The Only Talented Asian Thirst Trap In Hollywood.” It questioned the motivation behind casting Simu Liu as one of the Ken dolls.
“Don’t get us wrong — we love Liu, and we’re all for an Asian king thriving. But when a single actor appears to be getting the bulk of Asian male roles in Hollywood, it starts to feel a little less like representation and a lot more like tokenism.”
The article continued, “All we’re saying is, we don’t want a predominantly white Hollywood to gatekeep sexy Asian male representation like it has for decades when there are so many other attractive and talented Asian men who deserve to be seen and appreciated by the general public.”
The author went on to list seven other actors who could have filled the role, including Steven Yeun, Justin H. Min, and Manny Jacinto.
Simu Liu: “Way to attempt to put us against one another.”
Although the article was written around a month ago, Simu Liu responded to it recently, commenting on the Facebook post for the article.
“Way to attempt to put us against one another. What “bulk” of roles are you referring to? Are there movies I’m in that I’m not aware of? Do you really think that there is a quota of “Asian male roles” that is a zero-sum game? Everything I have taken post Shang-Chi was not written Asian. We’ve been able to reshape stories to get more representation onscreen. Get your facts straight.”
Liu continued in a post on his Facebook page, saying that the article was “the trashest take by HuffPo,” following up with, “Also I’m not a ‘thirst trap’ I’m a f****** actor.”
Related: MCU ‘Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu Called Out for Being “Privileged”
Simu Liu has since remained quiet on the article and has taken the post down from his Facebook account. However, this hasn’t stopped fans from rallying around the actor.
One fan asked, “Seriously tho, why can’t people of color be successful and have it relate to the job and not the need to fill some diversity quota?” Another commented, “So they objectify you then dismiss you for pointing out lack of representation, hope they enjoy the reaction.”
What’s your favorite Simu Liu role? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!