Lucy Liu Recalls It Was ‘Lonely’ as an Asian Trailblazer in Hollywood

Lucy Liu is being honored as a trailblazer in Hollywood.

The actress, 55, was named a Gold Legend on the 2024 Gold Gala on Saturday, Might 11, in Los Angeles. The gala, organized by Gold House, celebrates Asian/Pacific Islander excellence in leisure, sports activities, enterprise and extra.

Regina King — who directed Liu within the Netflix sequence A Man in Full, which debuted earlier this month — introduced her with the award, introducing Liu as “an actress, artist, director and advocate.”

“Her breakout function was the fierce and crafty Ling Woo in Ally McBeal … adopted by her changing into a Charlie’s Angel, making her the primary Asian American girl to play a number one function in a significant Hollywood Asian movie,” King mentioned, itemizing only a few of Liu’s accomplishments.

Liu starred within the 2000 blockbuster Charlie’s Angels, getting prime billing alongside Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore. In 2021, Liu mentioned the significance of her character. “As a part of one thing so iconic, my character Alex Munday normalized Asian id for a mainstream viewers and made a chunk of Americana a little bit extra inclusive,” she wrote in a 2021 op-ed for the Washington Submit.

Looking over the various sea of attendees, Liu mentioned, “I like that we’re all right here tonight as a result of there isn’t a ceiling. And I’ve by no means seen that for myself and I wish to all collectively to know how particular this second is that we’re as a group.”

“I share this award with you as a result of you will have lifted me up, given me energy. You’ve gotten made me so proud,” she added.

Liu additionally mirrored on how far illustration has come because the late ’90s/early ’00s when she was one of many few Asian leads in community TV and studio movies.

“I really feel prefer it’s been very lonely and I want a lot that there was extra encouragement from my household, as a result of just a bit bit goes so lengthy in the place you are going, in your journey,” she admitted. “It is exhausting whenever you’re the primary individual within the room; whenever you’re the one individual that’s totally different.”

“And we’re right here now and we’re collectively particular due to that,” she added, noting the progress that Asian/Pacific Islanders have made in entrance of and behind the cameras.

“I mentioned no to the award initially as a result of it was in all probability childhood trauma, like you do not deserve it [or] you did not earn it,” Liu mentioned half-jokingly. “However I am right here due to this group.”

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Liu is constant her advocacy work, telling PEOPLE completely on the crimson carpet that she’s heading to Washington, D.C., to fulfill President Biden and communicate on a panel. She’ll be reuniting along with her 8-year-old son Rockwell there to have fun Mom’s Day.

Different Gold Legend honorees this yr embrace former Prime Chef host/writer Padma Lakshmi and HYBE founder and chairman Bang Si-Hyuk.