Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu said he wasn’t reprimanded for slamming Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s comment about the movie’s release strategy being an “experiment.”
Liu told USA Today he didn’t receive any internal criticism for firing back at Chapek, stating, “I just wanted people to know that I was fired up about it.” The whole thing began when Chapek was asked during an investor’s call why Shang-Chi is debuting in theaters only and not simultaneously on Disney+ Premier Access, in light of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus delta variant. “We think it’s going to be an interesting experiment for us. It has only a 45-day window,” said Chapek.
Shortly after, Liu reacted directly to Chapek’s statement on Twitter, writing, “We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. We are the surprise.”
Liu addressed his willingness to continue speaking out against racism and discriminatory practices in Hollywood while talking to USA Today, whether it means calling out the mostly-white writers of his popular sitcom, Kim’s Convenience, for their mishandling of the show’s Asian-American characters or reacting to Chapek’s Shang-Chi comment. “If it’s true that I wouldn’t have had a career if it weren’t for these conversations about diversity, the importance of representation, then I need to continue to fight that battle for the people that come after me,” said Liu. “All around me, I saw people who were taught by their parents, as I was, to just toe the line, not ruffle the feathers, not rock the boat too much and just put your head down, do your work and that’s it. And I think that as a community, we’re reaching the limitations of that kind of thinking.”
Marvel Studios President and Marvel Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige played down the back-and-forth between Chapek and Liu at Shang-Chi‘s premiere, calling it a “misunderstanding” and assuring that Marvel spared no expense in bringing the eponymous superhero’s world to life on the big screen. “[My Twitter] will always be a roller-coaster ride. I might be tweeting a lot of things in the future, some of which will be absolute idiocy,” Liu told USA Today. “I know just how much this movie could mean to so many people.”
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now playing in U.S. theaters nationwide.
Source: USA Today
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