Hollywood loves to portray itself as the voice of the voiceless, highlighting the struggles of marginalized people everywhere. But when giving a voice to the voiceless would entail acting against a one-party autocracy actively committing genocide, many of the most vocal stars balk.
Case in point, on Sunday night, Star Wars actor Donnie Yen was given the honor of presenting an award at the Academy Awards. Yen currently sits on the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a consortium of representatives from various sectors of Chinese society that advises Chinese-government officials and intelligence officers (among others). Yen has also called the 2019–2020 protests against the Chinese Communist Party’s encroachment upon his native Hong Kong’s autonomy a “riot.”
Yen’s ties to the CCP and criticism of the Hong Kong democracy movement should be condemned. Instead, the Academy gave him the honor of pronouncing a winner at the Oscars. It’s further evidence that much of Hollywood has been compromised by studios’ desire to tap into the Chinese market. Until that changes (and perhaps to help facilitate a change), American moviegoers should support the parts that are not.