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Lucy Liu's First Dramatic Lead Arrives With 'Rosemead' as She Calls Out Hollywood Stereotyping

She describes years of financing hurdles and distribution skepticism despite festival awards.

Overview

  • Rosemead marks Liu’s debut as both lead actor and producer more than three decades into her career.
  • The Eric Lin–directed indie, based on a 2017 Los Angeles Times story, casts her as Irene, a Chinese immigrant coping with her son’s schizophrenia.
  • Liu says the film took years and 16 investors to fund, and that distributors questioned its profitability even after it was finished.
  • She attributes a past career lull to typecasting, recalling being labeled a “Dragon Lady” after Kill Bill and saying she would have had more opportunities if she looked Caucasian.
  • The film earned festival prizes following its 2025 Tribeca premiere and opens in theaters Dec. 5; Liu is also slated for The Devil Wears Prada 2 on May 1, 2026.