Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Simu Liu Slams 'Gatekeeper' Quentin Tarantino For Saying Marvel Actors Are 'Not Movie Stars'

Simu Liu; Quentin Tarantino
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for LACMA; Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty Images

The 'Shang-Chi' star didn't mince words after Tarantino lamented the 'Marvel-ization of Hollywood' on the '2 Bears, 1 Cave' podcast.

On the most recent episode of 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast, guest host Quentin Tarantino made comments regarding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) actors that were not well-received by many, especially not by Shang-Chi star Simu Liu.

On Monday's podcast, Tarantino said Marvel actors are "not movie stars"—it's just the superheroes they portray who are famous.


Tarantino stated:

"Captain America is the star. Or Thor is the star."
"I mean, I'm not the first person to say that."
"I think that's been said a zillion times...but, you know...it's these franchise characters that become a star."

He also claimed he doesn't blame fans for flocking to see the films because not much else being made right now that excites them.

"...they're the only things that seem to generate any kind of excitement amongst a fan base or even like for the studio making them"
"That's what they're excited about."
"And, you know, so it's just the fact that they are the entire representation of this era of movies right now."

On Tuesday, MCU star Liu responded to Tarantino's comments on Twitter.

"If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie."
"I am in awe of their filmmaking genius. They are transcendent auteurs."
"But they don't get to point their nose at me or anyone."

In 2019, director Martin Scorsese said that Marvel movies are "not cinema," telling Empire:

"Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks."

Five minutes after his first tweet, Liu followed up:

"No movie studio is or ever will be perfect."
"But I'm proud to work with one that has made sustained efforts to improve diversity onscreen by creating heroes that empower and inspire people of all communities everywhere."
"I loved the 'Golden Age' too... but it was white as hell."

Many on Twitter agreed with Liu, especially with his "Golden Age" comment.








Some, however, agreed with Tarantino's claim Marvel actors are only associated with their characters.

Because as experts like Tarantino know, Academy Award nominees like Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johannson and the late Chadwick Bozeman are only known as Hawkeye, Black Widow, Iron Man and Black Panther.

Men on Twitter offered up their highly qualified opinions as well.





Liu previously said playing the lead in Shang-Chi was even more than "a dream come true:"

"I used to love watching Marvel movies when I was a kid, even before, pre-MCU."
"If there was a superhero, I wanted to watch it."
"That's all I've ever wanted."

Though we don't have a release date yet, it was confirmed in December Liu will reprise his role in a second Shang-Chi film.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

unidentified female Trump supporter at MAGA rally
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images

MAGA Mom Goes Viral After Revealing Her Son Refuses To Talk To Her Because She Voted For Trump

While people grapple with how to handle family members and friends who voted against their basic human rights, the people in question are dealing with the fallout from their choices.

MAGA Republican President Donald Trump and the Republican Party's embrace of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 made clear the rights of women; ethnic, racial and religious minorities; the disabled; immigrants; and the LGBTQ+ community were at risk.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mike Lee
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

GOP Senator Faces MAGA Backlash Over Plan To Sell Millions Of Acres Of Public Land

Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee is facing harsh criticism—including from Team MAGA—over his proposal to sell off millions of acres of public land in the American West owned by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to supposedly create more affordable housing.

Lee claimed in his proposal that there is an "extensive process for interested parties like States and local governments to nominate land for disposal to meet housing and community needs," noting that it specifically exempts national parks, monuments, and federally designated wilderness areas from potential land sales.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Ripped For Complaining That Americans Get 'Too Many' Federal Holidays Off Work

While it was ultimately former President Joe Biden who established Juneteenth as a federal holiday, President Donald Trump—who once campaigned on that promise—took to Truth Social on Juneteenth to whine about the number of "non-working holidays" Americans get, claiming that it costs businesses "billions of dollars."

Juneteenth is derived from June 19, 1865, when Union troops led by General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared that all enslaved African Americans in the state were free.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Carlos Barria - Pool/Getty Images

Donald Trump Called Out After Awkwardly Misspelling His Own Name In Post About Iran Attack

President Donald Trump was ripped by critics after he awkwardly misspelled his own name while praising the B-2 pilots who flew the strikes on Iran—only to later delete the post and repost it as if nothing happened.

On Saturday, Trump authorized a series of intense U.S. air and submarine strikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities, amid ongoing uncertainty about the status of Tehran’s nuclear program.

Keep ReadingShow less
A woman sitting up in bed as a man sleeps next to her.
Florida State University Researchers Find Predictors for Infidelity in New Study
(Wodicka/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

The Biggest 'They're Definitely Cheating On Me!' Signs People Ignored

When our partner commits suspicious behavior, it's easy for us to jump to conclusions.

Most of the time, the conclusions we jump to are 100% wrong and are just our imaginations playing tricks with us.

Keep ReadingShow less