'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D' Actress Chloe Bennet Speaks Out About Hollywood's Discrimination Towards The Asian American Community
For many, working in Hollywood is a dream come true. However, earning the right go on the red carpet has its own drawbacks. Recent reports have revealed that "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" actress Chloe Bennet has spoken out about the discrimination she suffered, which ultimately led to her decision to change her last name. Her opinion was voiced out over an Instagram post that praised the recent decision of "Deadpool" actor Ed Skrein to step down from his role in the "Hellboy" reboot.
According to reports, the show runners behind the "Hellboy" reboot suffered a lot of backlashes after it was announced that Skrein was given a role. Many of the fans spoke up and accused them of whitewashing considering that the role that Skrein was supposed to play is originally of Asian descent in the much-loved comic. Skrein took to social media to announce his decision to step down to have the creators cast the role properly.
Bennet took a screenshot of Skrein's letter to his fans and praised his decision as it directly defied Hollywood's apparent and unnecessary discrimination directed at the Asian American community. After gaining the attention of the world with her performance in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." the post immediately spread on social media. A commenter then decided to clarify and ask the actress that if she was so set on fighting discrimination, why did she have to change her last name from Wang to Bennet? She did not hold back in her response.
"Changing my last name doesn't change the fact that my BLOOD is half Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese," Bennet replied, as reported by People.
"It means I had to pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn't cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable. I'm doing everything I can, with the platform I have, to make sure no one has to change their name again, just so they can get work."
Her response has gone viral, with many lauding her and Skrein. Fans can watch Bennet on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
