The future of BIPOC representation in the mainstream film and television landscape seems promising

By: Kuwarjeet Singh Arora

If you’re looking for an exciting movie to watch over the holidays, look no further than Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, already streaming on Disney Plus.

Like millions of us, I saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings during the theatrical release of the film. Having played the titular character Shang Chi, Canadian actor Simu Liu experienced the impact of representation firsthand.

At the age of five, Liu immigrated to Canada with his family. He was born in Harbin, China, and brought up by his grandparents. He was raised in Erin Mills, a neighbourhood of Mississauga, Ont., as an only child. In his early work, in 2015, he used to be a stuntman and then got cast in the OMNI Television crime series Blood and Water. Later that year, Liu played the lead in the TV adaptation of a play of the same name, Kim's Convenience, for CBC. This remains his most memorable television success, having been nominated for and winning numerous awards internationally, including Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards and Most Popular Foreign Drama at the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards.

It was back then that Liu talked a lot about Asian representation in the Hollywood landscape. He said he wanted that not only for himself but for his community as well. From there, he went mainstream in 2019.

At Comic-Con 2019, it was announced that Liu has been cast as Shang-Chi, the lead superhero in the film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Marvel's first Asian-led film, which takes place in ancient China. Upon release, the film broke the record for Labour Day openings with estimated ticket sales of $94.4 million. Additionally, it was the first Marvel film with an Asian lead and a predominantly Asian cast.

I saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings because it was the first Asian American superhero movie, which talked a lot about the lack of representation of BIPOC communities in the mainstream media.

This movie’s plot talks about the representation of Asian language and culture. In the film, Mandarin-Chinese is the first language spoken and it is present in a large amount of dialogue, showing that director Destin Daniel Cretton wished to emphasize the importance of other languages besides English. The story explores themes of identity when many Asians immigrate to America. In order to adapt to a whole new country, they have to leave a part of their true identity behind. In this film, characters are reminded to never forget their roots or those who came before them through a combination of cultural elements.

Previous Marvel movies have also touched on social issues, from the generational effects of systemic racism in the Black Panther to sexism in Captain Marvel with their first female lead. Like its fellow Marvel releases that showcased notable "firsts," Shang-Chi's release in theatres has been connected to a frustrating discussion related to box office sales, equality, and representation. The concept is that Asian-American superheroes like Shang-Chi deserve a big box office haul because they are as valid as their white rivals. It's an advantage for mainstream media and the film industry to report on major movements like #BlackLivesMatter or stories about Asian hate when they hit the mainstream news. I don't know whether the hype around Shang-Chi will be a social justice gamechanger for Asian-Americans. It is unfair to expect a movie to solve complex problems such as racism or inequality in two hours.

When it comes to Asian representation, there are a lot of times when films don't really have a full Asian cast or fail to challenge the unpleasant stereotypes of being portrayed as nerdy or negatively as some sort of villain. Most of the time we are represented through side characters helping a white protagonist. It's always great to have new representation, but at the same time, I wonder if it took too long. The reason I think this movie was late in releasing was the fact that Asian hate as a whole is on the rise. If this movie had been released before the Marvel universe, people’s perceptions of Asians might have been influenced positively. For the first time ever in history, Asians will be the main cast and the storyline will reflect and represent their culture.

As a result of exploring Chinese values and avoiding offensive jokes, the film challenges typical Hollywood stereotypes about Asians. As a result, characters are no longer merely "quiet and smart Asians" but have flaws of their own: Shang-Chi and Katy both refuse to grow up; their mothers and friends never joke about Katy's "tiger mom." situation. Despite her strong and independent personality, Shang-Chi's sister is never sexualized to the point where she seems like a "dragon lady."

Additionally, the film addresses issues of immigration and identity. With uncertainty about her identity, Katy must discover who she is and what she wants, while Shang-Chi must deal with the conflicts presented by his past as a trained killer and a new existence in the United States.

Mainstream discourse needs more BIPOC voices. Those with resources and power need to tell stories about issues like Black Lives Matter, how Asian hatred is soaring, and why BIPOC are the first ones targeted when it comes to literally anything.

It’s hard to say that BIPOC communities are fairly represented in the Hollywood landscape. As a Sikh, I don’t see someone who looks like me as a Marvel hero and I think that needs to change. This change is urgent because a lot of the hate crimes on the rise are the result of misconceptions about people's backgrounds.

We still haven't seen a Sikh superhero with a turban and a beard, and representation of my community in the mainstream Hollywood industry. This is especially true of people of colour who have a religious identity to maintain, for instance, a Sikh man like me or a woman wearing a burqa or hijab. Hollywood needs to address this issue because people who look like me are often portrayed as taxi drivers or as terrorists.

When it comes to the future of BIPOC representation in the mainstream film industry, I think there is hope that movies like Shang-Chi will inspire people to demand more BIPOC representation in mainstream media. Yet, at the same time, everyone needs to think about why BIPOC communities are misrepresented in the Hollywood landscape in the first place.

We need more diversified faces in Hollywood and more BIPOC lead roles, who are there to reflect their communities. An important fact to remember is that a considerable percentage of North America's population is composed of immigrants. But there are barely any movies that truly represent minorities’ values. Films such as Shang-Chi, starring an Asian actor, represent Asian heritage in one of the best possible ways.

I dream of living in a country that proudly tells stories of my community, as well as cultural stories that are rarely represented in the Hollywood landscape. Where it’s normal to have a person who is recognized as a BIPOC or from the LGBTQ+ community become the lead character in the mainstream entertainment industry. Where it’s normal to have a superhero with a turban or brown, Muslim women as superheroes. We need to further challenge the status quo with the power of cinema.