Canadian actor Simu Liu has sharply criticized what he describes as a recent slide in Asian representation in Hollywood, arguing that studios still treat Asian performers as a financial risk despite the success of films led by Asian casts. The Shang-Chi star took to Threads and X after fans circulated an interview in which Canadian-Filipino actor Manny Jacinto described being boxed into “dad roles,” saying the industry kept trying to push him into a type that does not reflect his range.
Responding to those posts, Liu urged studios to “put some Asians in literally anything,” calling the decline in on-screen visibility “appalling” and accusing executives of clinging to the idea that Asian-led projects are risky bets. He pointed to titles such as Minari, The Farewell, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians, Past Lives and his own Marvel film as examples of movies that earned solid box office returns, arguing that these successes undercut the notion that audiences will not turn out for Asian stories.
Liu’s frustration extended to casting decisions at the franchise level. He wrote that no Asian actor has ever been responsible for a loss “anywhere near” $100 million for a studio, while white stars who have fronted multiple big-budget disappointments still move directly into new tentpole roles. For Liu, that gap reflects what he calls a “deeply prejudiced system” in which Asian performers fight for every chance at leading parts.
The remarks build on years of advocacy. Since breaking out in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Liu has frequently used interviews and social media to challenge tokenism, call out “low-status” roles offered to Asian actors, and speak against anti-Asian racism in North America’s entertainment culture.
Industry data presents a mixed picture. Research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative shows Asian characters have become more visible, rising from low single digits in 2007 to around 16–18 percent of speaking roles in top-grossing films by 2022 and 2023. At the same time, the share of movies with leads of color fell in 2024, and experts say studios have scaled back formal diversity efforts during a period of cost-cutting and political pushback.
Liu’s posts, amplified by fans rallying around Jacinto, have turned one actor’s frustration with typecasting into a fresh test of Hollywood’s willingness to sustain meaningful opportunities for Asian performers rather than treating recent gains as temporary.
