"Ken would always bring me into his dressing area and ask how I was doing."

Simu Liu recently spoke out about the pressures involved in becoming the new face for Asian representation.

The "Shang-Chi" and "The Legend of the Ten Rings” actor talked to Vanity Fair about feeling "outsider" in Hollywood, and the pressures of being the first Asian MCU headliner.

He admitted that, despite the greater stakes following the release of Marvel's movie, he felt the weight of being a representative for the Asian diaspora through his work in Kim's Convenience.

He admitted that he was being asked a lot of questions, including "What does it mean to represent your people? Why is diversity important?" He sighed and said, "Initially it felt uncomfortable. It felt like we were being asked to address broad topics that were beyond our reach. Before I was hired by Kim's, I was a failing accountant in business school and was selling dog-food samples along the streets. I didn't major in Asian-studies. I was not prepared for anything."

The 32-year old also spoke out about a surprising ally, Ken Jeong, whose kindness made him feel at home.

Ken Jeong was the first person to reach out to me when I arrived in L.A. for the first time. Liu stated that he had met the actor via Twitter while he was filming the ABC sitcom, "Dr. Ken was the actor at the time. He said, "Look, I'm going to give you a drive on pass to the studio lot. You can come whenever you like. I accepted his offer. I would attend tapings and Ken would always bring me into his dressing area and ask me how my day was.

Liu admitted that it was the first time she felt the generosity of a ....community. That kind of kindness will stay with me forever."

Simu delved deeper into his dilemma as he tried to be a prominent Asian face in the industry and meet the demands of a diverse audience.

Liu said, "What I didn't expect was backlash from within," for people to say, "He's not our representative." It hurts, even if it's only one person saying it.

He said, "I still feel very much as an outsider in Hollywood...but it's starting to dawn on me that I don't need to prove to anyone or myself I deserve to be there." These things were much easier for me back then, when I didn’t have a place at the table. Although I was playing a different game, I believe I am slowly gaining my courage back.

Simu will release his memoir, "We Were Dreamers: A Immigrant Superhero Origin Stories" in May.

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Title: Simu Liu Tells a Ken Jeong Story That Will Melt Your Heart
Sourced From: toofab.com/2022/02/17/simu-liu-ken-jeong-outsider-in-hollywood/
Published Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2022 23:14:57 +0000

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