Lucy Liu says Her ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Role ‘Normalized Asian Identity’ for Fans

Lucy Liu spoke out about Asian representation in Hollywood in an op-ed for The Washington Post, where she looked back at her role on Charlie’s Angels.

“When I was growing up, no one on television, in movies, or on magazine covers looked like me or my family.” Liu wrote.

“Progress in advancing perceptions on race in this country is not linear; it’s not easy to shake off nearly 200 years of reductive images and condescension,” she added, while speaking on how Asian women were often “depicted as either the submissive lotus blossom or the aggressive dragon lady.”

Her role in Charlie’s Angels, was “important” as “Hollywood frequently imagines a more progressive world than our reality.”

“As part of something so iconic, my character Alex Munday normalized Asian identity for a mainstream audience and made a piece of Americana a little more inclusive,” she added.

Considering the current climate, it is important that Hollywood presents a diverse audience that includes everyone to be inclusive.