Shang-Chi might be banned in China after star Simu Liu insulted his parent’s home country.
Despite having opened successfully in the west, breaking Labor Day Weekend records, Disney’s latest blockbuster might not make it to China’s market.
Marvel’s all-Asian cast has been praised for its inclusivity and Chinese representation, but Liu’s remarks about China may have tarred its praise.
“When I was young, my parents would tell me these stories about growing up in Communist China where you had people dying of starvation,” Liu reportedly said in a 2017 interview celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday.
The 32-year-old actor was born in China but grew up in Canada after his family moved when he was 5-years-old.
“They lived in the third world. They thought of Canada as this pipe dream, as this place where they could go to be free and to create a better life for their kid.”
His remarks have been deemed as insulting by some in the Chinese market, which could lead to the film being banned.
China has yet to approve the film’s release.
In other news, Nomadland director Chloe Zhao has been named as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People Of 2021.
To read our reviews of Shang-Chi click here and here.
