Washington DC, 18 Nov

Lucy Liu, 56, the actor known for her action roles in Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels, has opened up about landing her first dramatic leading role in the film Rosemead, despite more than three decades in Hollywood.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Liu said she waited over 30 years for a role that challenged her. “I started doing indies, and I was lucky enough to fall into the commercial world, but those are kind of more side salad roles,” she said.

Rosemead, directed by Eric Lin, is based on a true story and features Liu as Irene, a Chinese immigrant coping with her son’s schizophrenia diagnosis. The film has picked up multiple festival awards since its 2025 Tribeca Film Festival premiere.

Liu spoke about the biases she has faced in the industry and being typecast in stereotypical roles. “I just haven’t had any opportunities to tap into it,” she said of her performance. “To think that I’ve been in this business for over 30 years and now have the first leading role like this is kind of crazy.”

She recalled a “strange lull” following the success of her action films and her award-winning run on Ally McBeal. “Why isn’t there more happening?” she said. “I didn’t want to participate in anything where I felt like they weren’t even taking me seriously.”

Liu added that the industry’s biases limited her opportunities. “I cannot turn myself into somebody who looks Caucasian, but if I could, I would’ve had so many more opportunities,” she said.

Rosemead releases in theatres on 5 December, alongside a re-release of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. Liu will next appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2, releasing on 1 May, 2026.