Meghan Markle, in her recently resumed Archetypes podcast on Spotify, criticized the film Kill Bill and other movies for their depiction of Asian women.
She argued that Hollywood perpetuates toxic stereotypes of Asian women as over-sexualized and aggressive.
Markle expressed her concern about this issue, stating, “If we only see them in these roles, then how are we going to break through this?”
She was joined by American sociologist Nancy Wang Yuan, who has also written extensively about stereotyping.
However, Lucy Liu, the star of Kill Bill and the actress who played the character O-Ren Ishii, a violent Yakuza leader, has previously refuted the criticism against the film.
Liu has spoken out against labeling such characters as “dragon ladies.”
In an op-ed for the Washington Post, she argued that other characters have been written similarly to O-Ren Ishii without facing the same backlash.
Liu wrote, “I don’t want to be cast only in typically Asian roles because they reinforce stereotypes.”
While discussing Markle’s podcast, some experts criticized her for not paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth, especially since the episodes were recorded before the Queen’s death.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield stated that it would have been nice for Markle to acknowledge the Queen’s contributions and remember her for the things she did.
Schofield also pointed out that the Queen paved the way for feminism in Britain and performed her duties independently from Prince Philip.
On the other hand, royal expert Neil Sean claimed that Markle is working closely with the producers of Archetypes to ensure that upcoming episodes do not contain any offensive statements towards the Royal Family.
He revealed that there is extensive scrutiny being applied to the remaining podcasts to avoid any derogatory or hurtful content.
Sean suggested two possible interpretations of this move: either Markle is trying to reconcile with the family she left behind, or she wants to avoid causing further trouble.
As Markle continues her podcast journey, addressing misconceptions and labels on women that hinder their progress, it is evident that her focus is on empowering women and promoting feminism.
However, it is important to note that paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth, who played a significant role in advancing feminism, could have added depth and appreciation to her podcast episodes.
The ongoing efforts to ensure a respectful approach in future episodes demonstrate Markle’s desire to avoid controversy and maintain a positive relationship with the Royal Family.