Simu Liu Criticizes Studios for Decline in Asian Representation in Hollywood: "Absolutely Disgraceful"

Simu Liu has openly voiced his concerns about what he sees as a regression in Asian representation in Hollywood. The actor expressed his thoughts on Threads on Friday, reacting to a post urging Hollywood to cast more Asian men in romantic lead roles.

Cast Asians in literally anything right now, Liu wrote. The level of backslide in our onscreen presence is shocking. Studios still see us as 'risky.'

Liu highlighted several successful films that center on Asian stories, including Minari, The Farewell, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the latter of which he starred in. Every single one was a financial success, he noted.

He added, No Asian actor has ever cost a studio nearly $100 million, yet a white lead can lose $200 million twice and still land the next blockbuster role. Were battling a deeply biased system, and most days its exhausting.

The Threads conversation also featured comments from Manny Jacinto, recently seen as Lindsay Lohans love interest in Freakier Friday. Despite fan interest in seeing him in more romantic roles, Jacinto shared with ScreenRant that Hollywood has largely steered him toward dad roles or dad auditions.

While Asian representation in films increased between 2007 and 2024, the gains were reversed between 2023 and 2024. According to the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiatives 2025 report, the percentage of speaking Asian characters dropped from 18.4% in 2023 to 13.5% in 2024. Meanwhile, white characters grew from 55.7% to 63.6% over the same period.

Liu also addressed remarks by producer Rachel Tan about casting challenges on Worth The Wait. Tan stated that she was given a list of white actors to consider, with funding contingent on casting them, adding that no Asian names were included despite efforts to diversify.

Ive spoken to countless directors who confirmed this, Liu said. Studios hand out lists dominated by white actors with maybe one BIPOC name to cover themselves, and that token is never Asian.

Analysis

From my perspective, Simu Liu’s statements reflect a broader structural issue rather than isolated casting decisions. His comments are supported by industry data and by consistent accounts from actors and producers working within the system.

The financial argument presented is factual: films led by Asian casts such as Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings were commercially successful. There is no documented case of an Asian lead causing losses comparable to major box-office failures led by white actors who continue to receive leading roles.

Recent data from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative confirms a measurable decline in Asian representation between 2023 and 2024, reversing gains made over the previous decade. At the same time, the proportion of white speaking characters increased significantly.

Comments from Manny Jacinto and producer Rachel Tan align with Liu’s claims about casting constraints tied to financing. These accounts indicate that decision-making power remains concentrated, with predefined actor lists that limit Asian inclusion regardless of audience demand or past performance.

Sources:

• Simu Liu Slams Studios for the “Backslide” of Asian Representation in Hollywood: “F***ing Appalling”