Boo Boo, Lucy Liu
The veteran actress is getting involved this awards season with her latest film, “Rosemead”, which explores the challenges of an immigrant struggling with a troubled teenage son. Naturally, she’s making the rounds, connecting with the press to advocate for a possible Best Actress nomination.
When it comes to the pursuit of awards, I suppose it’s fair to say that the political landscape can seem less than genuine. Liu even shared a personal story regarding her experiences in the industry with the Hollywood Reporter.
Despite having a wealth of credits—around 123 according to IMDb—Liu feels she’s underemployed, at least by her own standards.
I remember thinking, “Why isn’t more happening? I just didn’t want to participate in projects where I felt undervalued. Why am I receiving lower offers than when I first began? It felt disrespectful, and I definitely didn’t want to endorse that… I can’t change my appearance to look more white, but it seems like that would have opened more doors for me.”
While Liu’s career is certainly enviable, it doesn’t quite capture the complexities of identity politics many of her peers face. “Woe is me,” honestly, doesn’t exactly make for great acceptance speeches.
Rest for the “Evil One”
In other news, it’s all about the hype for Wicked: For Good, especially following reports of Cynthia Erivo losing her voice. Ariana Grande even canceled her appearances out of solidarity.
There’s no doubt that their initial promotional tour last year raised eyebrows. It was just… odd. The combination of their weary appearances and the overall vibe was, to put it mildly, unsettling.
Even the Free Press pointed out the duo’s weakened state. They repeated the same routines during the second phase, but thankfully, someone intervened to prevent them from appearing publicly before the theatrical release of the Bulletproof sequel on November 21st.
And let’s be honest—nobody wants to see any more of Erivo’s Freddy Krueger-like claws or Grande pretending to manage an imaginary helicopter.
Well, any publicity can be good, but only to a point…
Face for Radio
Meanwhile, John Oliver is making waves with his thoughts on NPR losing federal funding. The outrage seems to show how many are worried that without such support, critical stories might go overlooked.
But really, with the plethora of news access options out there—radio, television, and streaming—who wouldn’t find the news? I mean, you’d have to actively avoid it.
To his credit, Oliver decided to host a public auction to raise funds for NPR. His rationale? Public radio is vital, claiming, “It saves lives.” It’s an interesting stance, to say the least. Not that anyone else would necessarily go that far.
Empty and “Running”
When it comes to rising stars, Glen Powell is getting mixed messages. He seemed poised for a big break after catching attention in Top Gun: Maverick and turning a average rom-com, Anyone But You, into a significant success. But when Hollywood turned the spotlight on him for the Running Man remake, expectations ran high.
Then came the opening weekend box office figures. The $16 million-plus just didn’t quite cut it.
As for what’s next in Powell’s career? His project originally named “Huntington” has been rebranded as “How to Make a Killing.” It follows a character trying to reclaim a fortune from a wealthy family that has disowned him. The film is set to release on February 20th, which might not be an ideal time for a supposed A-lister.
Who knows, though? Maybe he’s already fading from the spotlight.
