Simu Liu speaks after director Quentin Tarantino criticized the “Marvelization of Hollywood.” saying in a podcast that those who became famous through the superhero franchise are not true movie stars.
Liu, who gained worldwide notoriety for his title role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” disputed this, saying white directors like Tarantino shouldn’t have the sole say in who gets famous.
“If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom were Tarantino and Scorsese, he would never have had the opportunity to star in a $400 million-plus movie,” Liu said. tweeted, referring to Hollywood director Martin Scorsese. “I am in awe of their cinematic genius. They are transcendent auteurs. But they can’t point fingers at me or anyone else.”
The actor also said that the “Golden Age” of Tarantino’s cinema was “white as hell.”
During an appearance on the “2 Bears, 1 Cave” podcast, the “Pulp Fiction” director opened up about his ambivalence toward Marvel movies and the impact he thinks they’re having on the industry.
“They are the complete representation of this era of movies right now, and there really isn’t a lot of room for anything else,” he said. “Part of the wonder of Hollywood is…you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters, but they’re not movie stars. Captain America is the star. Thor is the star… It’s these franchise characters that become the star.”
In Liu’s response on Twitter, the actor said that Marvel is one of the few studios that has left room for diverse stories and actors of color to shine.
“No movie studio is or will be perfect,” he said. “But I’m proud to work with one who has made sustained efforts to improve diversity on screen by creating heroes who empower and inspire people from all communities everywhere.”