Simu Liu Slams Hollywood Bias Toward Asians: ‘Studios Think We’re ‘Risky’’

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Simu Liu is joining a larger discussion about the challenges Asian actors face in Hollywood. The conversation began after Manny Jacinto shared that he often receives roles that don’t align with his personal identity or career goals.

Jacinto recently told Screen Rant that he’s been getting a lot of offers to play fathers in TV and movies. He explained that after some previous roles, industry professionals started seeing him primarily as a ‘father figure’ type.

He playfully mentioned he was starting to get cast in ‘dad’ roles, and admitted he wasn’t quite ready for them. He’d tell casting directors, ‘I don’t think that’s me just yet,’ hoping to be considered for different parts. He explained he hadn’t asked to be typecast as a father figure and felt it limited the range of roles he could play.

After his comments spread online, fans expressed their desire to see him take on more diverse and substantial roles. The conversation gained traction, and Simu Liu himself weighed in, explaining that this highlights a long-standing issue faced by Asian actors.

Liu expressed strong frustration in a lengthy message, criticizing the lack of Asian representation in media. He stated that the decline in onscreen representation is shocking, and that studios seem to view Asian actors and stories as financially risky.

He also highlighted the success of films starring Asian actors, citing examples like Minari, The Farewell, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians, and Shang-Chi, all of which performed very well at the box office. Liu argued that these results prove Asian actors can lead successful films, making Hollywood’s reluctance to cast them puzzling.

As a lifelong movie fan, it really hit me when I read this. Someone pointed out that an Asian actor has never been allowed to fail at the box office to the tune of $100 million, but white actors are given multiple chances even after films flop, losing $200 million twice and still landing the next big role. It’s a stark reminder that we’re dealing with a system riddled with prejudice, and honestly, it’s incredibly frustrating to witness.

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2025-11-24 15:44