"Crazy Rich Asians" was a standout cinematic and commercial success, but a rare one. Asian representation on screen may have improved in recent years, but to capitalize on growing audiences, we need to be behind the cameras as well. Ignoring this market means potentially writing off billions of dollars in lost revenue, but also, importantly, neglecting genuine storylines.
The industry is losing out at a time when it can ill-afford to do so. Betting on Asian talent would help. Global cinema revenue is on track to recover from the COVID-19 downturn, but not as fast as executives would like. It’s only in 2026 that sales are expected to surpass 2019 levels, which were peaking in 2018 when "Crazy Rich Asians" appeared.
Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu, who starred in Marvel’s "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," is acutely aware of the mismatch between talent and plum projects. He’s the studio’s first Asian superhero, and yet despite his success is struggling to break through with more meaningful roles. At the Milken Asia Summit in Singapore last month, he bemoaned the lack of available scripts for actors like him.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.