Shang-Chi Star Simu Liu Thankful That Asian Stereotypes Have Been “Rebooted” Onscreen

Simu Liu keeps grabbing people's attention on social media! Within the last couple of weeks, the [...]

By Jamie Jirak

Simu Liu keeps grabbing people's attention on social media! Within the last couple of weeks, the actor who will soon be playing the titular role in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sweetly congratulated his future co-star Awkwafina for her Golden Globes win and also had a hilarious response to Sharon Stone getting blocked from Bumble. Most recently, Liu made a Twitter Moment for his comment on the "reboot" of Asian stereotypes in cinema. The actor said he was "thankful" that things have started to change for Asian characters onscreen, who often used to be played quite offensively by white actors.

"Of all of the reboots in the last 10 years I'm most thankful that we rebooted Asian," Liu wrote.

Although he did make a quick edit about one of the images:

"*that cartoon is a criticism of racist depictions drawn by @geneluenyang! my bad," he added.

"Nah. Not your bad at all. Chin-Kee is supposed to reflect all the other images you have in that post. Looking at him is supposed to hurt," @geneluenyang replied.

Many people praised Liu for his tweet:

"I've been waiting my whole 3rd generation Canadian Asian life for the current 'rebooted Asian.' Thank you @SimuLiu @bitterasiandude @jean_yoon @GeorgeTakei and others," @micropainter replied.

"CANNOT retweet this fast enough," @the404bobapapi wrote.

However, some people chimed in to point out that the problem hasn't been completely solved.

In 2021, Liu could be "changing the world" when he plays the titular character in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film. In the comics, Shang-Chi is raised to become a deadly assassin, and his life gets turned upside down when he discovers nefarious details about his father. Shang-Chi then sets out to right his father's wrongs, becoming Marvel's "Master of Kung Fu" and serves as a member of Heroes for Hire and the Avengers.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12, The Glass Castle) on a script by Wonder Woman 1984's David Callaham. Awkwafina and Tony Chiu-Wai Leung have also been confirmed for the film, with the latter playing The Mandarin.

Upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1st, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in the Fall, The Eternals on November 6th, WandaVision in 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, Spider-Man 3 on July 16, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021, and Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022. Marvel Studios Disney+ series without release dates include Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk.

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