Simu Liu warns of online ‘bad actors’ as he defends Hudson Williams over resurfaced swastika photo
Image: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images
Simu Liu has defended actor Hudson Williams after an old photo showing Williams with a swastika drawn on his forehead resurfaced online, warning about “bad actors” and internet hate campaigns in a Threads post.
The image, which appears to show Williams as a teenager, has circulated on social media in recent days. Liu wrote that the backlash brought up his own experiences of being targeted online after he became well known.
“Soo I have this very specific trauma attached to people on the internet fabricating things about me and twisting things into a massive hate campaign when I first broke out,” Liu wrote. “I began to recognize patterns whenever people of colour specifically had a moment of visibility. It happened like clockwork and I see it happening now. The internet is insane. Bad actors are everywhere. If you’re here, be careful. Be smart.”
In a separate Threads post, Liu also criticised BuzzFeed’s coverage, writing: “for an organization that has become synonymous with clickbait to never grow, never evolve, never have a moment of self awareness, and just carry on publishing vile sensationalist bullshit like this is just sad. stop picking on people of colour for absolutely nothing. no wonder your IPO failed so miserably. You’re on par with TMZ at this point”
What’s been said about the photo
Williams has not publicly commented on the photograph.
Claims about the context have been attributed to people close to him. It has been reported that sources close to Williams said he had “no idea” the hate symbol had been drawn on him when the photo was taken.
It has also been reported that the image came from a “campout” tradition in his Canadian hometown where teens would cover each other with Sharpie drawings, and that Williams “knows there’s nothing comical about it”.
A friend of Williams said: “The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson’s beliefs, values, or character.”
Who Simu Liu and Hudson Williams are
Liu is the Canadian actor best known for starring as Shang-Chi in Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and for playing Jung Kim in Kim’s Convenience. He has spoken publicly about racism and representation in entertainment, and published the memoir We Were Dreamers.
Williams’ profile has risen recently following the breakout success of Heated Rivalry. The recently resurfaced photo has caused a storm online in recent days, with further context about Hudson Williams and the photo being shared by people close to him.
