Lucy Liu made headlines in 2021 when she appeared on an episode of the Los Angeles Occasions’ “Asian Sufficient” podcast and revealed that Invoice Murray allegedly made “unacceptable” and “inexcusable” insults to her on the “Charlie’s Angels” set. 4 years later, the actor was now requested by The Guardian why she determined to talk out about Murray’s conduct on set. The 2 filmed “Charlie’s Angels” alongside Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore in 1999. The film opened in theaters the next 12 months.

“I actually didn’t give it some thought,” Liu mentioned about talking out. “I might have completed that in any state of affairs. I feel after I sense one thing shouldn’t be proper, I’m going to guard myself. It’s an innate factor to do should you really feel there’s injustice, and I all the time really feel that approach.”

Liu acknowledged that she shouldn’t be somebody who stays quiet and performs the everyday Hollywood sport, including: “If I used to be, it will have been a a lot simpler highway. However as a result of I’ve by no means been that particular person, we needed to discover a approach. I feel there has by no means been a simple highway, for me and for [other Asian American actors] – I actually suppose it’s a gaggle effort. I might by no means take credit score. My profession has not been paved on my own.”

Not counting the alleged Murray incident, Liu mentioned she was principally in a position to keep away from poisonous conditions as an actor rising via Hollywood within the Nineties as a result of she was “conscious that some conditions weren’t protected” and selected “to not get entangled in that. I feel having that sense of self saved me from a number of in all probability unhealthy conditions of both being taken benefit of, or what individuals would suppose is quid professional quo…Everybody has an intuition, and I don’t know that everybody listens to it, however that’s one factor that I’ve all the time been in a position to channel and join with.”

Throughout her 2021 interview on the “Asian Sufficient” podcast, Liu mentioned that Murray hurled insults at her on set at some point.

“I gained’t get into the specifics, however it saved happening and on,” Liu recalled. “I used to be, like, ‘Wow, he looks like he’s trying straight at me.’ I couldn’t imagine that [the comments] might be in the direction of me, as a result of what do I’ve to do with something majorly essential at the moment? I actually do the go searching my shoulder factor, like, who’s he speaking to behind me? I say, ‘I’m so sorry. Are you speaking to me?’ And clearly he was, as a result of then it began to develop into a one-on-one communication.”

“Among the language was inexcusable and unacceptable, and I used to be not going to only sit there and take it,” she continued. “So, sure, I stood up for myself, and I don’t remorse it. As a result of irrespective of how low on the totem pole it’s possible you’ll be or wherever you got here from, there’s no have to condescend or to place different individuals down. And I might not stand down, and nor ought to I’ve.”

Shortly after the podcast interview went viral, Barrymore got here ahead on her daytime speak present to reward Liu for talking out. She defined that “comedians could be a little darkish typically” and Murray confirmed up on the “Charlie’ Angels” set “in a foul temper.”

“What you must know is how a lot Lucy stood up for herself and that was the good factor that got here out of an unlucky circumstance,” Barrymore mentioned. “She actually mentioned, ‘I don’t settle for that type of conduct from you.’ And all of us supported her and backed her up and we moved ahead.”

“Within the office, it’s so essential that we respect one another, and should you don’t really feel you’re being revered to talk up for your self and to have individuals round you say, ‘I again this particular person,’” Barrymore continued. “I revered her then, I respect her now. I’m happy with us as a workforce and an organization that we didn’t tiptoe on the eggshells. We handled it proper then and there, we have been sturdy, and we moved ahead and we didn’t settle for something much less shifting ahead.”

Liu’s 2021 feedback initially resurfaced a 12 months later when Searchlight Photos suspended manufacturing on Aziz Ansari’s function directorial debut in April 2022 over complaints about Murray’s inappropriate conduct on set. The movie by no means went again into manufacturing. A couple of months later, Geena Davis revealed in her memoir, “Dying of Politeness,” that Murray allegedly harassed her in the course of the making of their 1990 crime comedy “Fast Change.” Davis wrote that Murray tried to make use of a therapeutic massage machine on her in a resort room after which berated her on set.