Some in Hollywood are apparently making very sure that actor Simu Liu’s name isn’t mispronounced.
The Chinese Canadian star of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” tweeted a photo of the 94th Academy Awards’ teleprompter that used the phonetic spelling of his name.
The teleprompter, which was meant for Oscars co-host Regina Hall, included the proper names of celebrities such as Bradley Cooper, Timothée Chalamet, Tyler Perry and Javier Bardem. But when it came to the Marvel star’s name, the teleprompter displayed “See-moo Lee-you.”
“Every talk show host, every awards show, anytime someone has to read my name off a prompter LOL,” Liu tweeted on Thursday.
Every talk show host, every awards show, anytime someone has to read my name off a prompter LOL pic.twitter.com/I2u6qwnO1T
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) April 14, 2022
When a Twitter user wondered how the hosts would have pronounced Liu’s name if it were written properly, the actor replied with “Adele Nazeem,” comically referencing John Travolta’s mispronunciation of Idina Menzel’s name while introducing her before her performance of “Let It Go” at the 2014 Oscars.
Adele Nazeem
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) April 14, 2022
Celebrities such as Japanese American actor George Takei have also experienced something similar.
“They have to write mine as George Ta-Kay (rhymes with Gay),” he wrote in a reply to Liu’s tweet.
They have to write mine as George Ta-Kay (rhymes with Gay)
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 14, 2022
Another Twitter user tried to explain the need for the phonetic spelling of Liu’s name and then suggested that it’s better to educate than shame. Liu replied to their tweet, saying, “Bro I’m shaming a TV for fun relax yourself.”
Bro I’m shaming a TV for fun relax yourself
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) April 15, 2022
A few users mentioned French American actor Timothée Chalamet and wondered why teleprompters don’t use the phonetic spelling of his name.
“But they can pronounce Timothy Chevrolet just fine?,” one user tweeted.
“They can get the é in Timothée but pull this?” another user said.
Canadian Indian writer and actor Sugith Varughese also poked fun at Hollywood by tweeting, “Can only imagine what they’d have to do if it was me.”
Can only imagine what they’d have to do if it was me.
— Sugith Varughese (@SugithVarughese) April 15, 2022
Featured Image via @Simuliu/Twitter (left), Saturday Night Live (right)
