Kill Bill star Lucy Liu will be honoured with a career achievement award at Locarno Film Festival, where she will also present the international premiere of forthcoming drama Rosemead.
Set to take place on 14 August, the award ceremony and screening will be one of the main events for the 78th edition of the Swiss film festival.
The 56-year-old star, who played the ruthless O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill and is also known for her roles in Charlie’s Angels, Why Women Kill and Ally McBeal, will lead the cast of Rosemead as a terminally ill mother who is ready to do anything to protect her son from the violent obsessions he is drawn to.
The film sheds light on the immigrant experience in America, as well as exploring themes around mental health and gun violence.
Aside from her many years of acting credits, Liu has also directed numerous projects in recent years, including four episodes of Elementary – the US adaptation of Sherlock Holmes in which she plays Dr Joan Watson – and an episode of Graceland.
In 2019, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making her the second Asian-American women to receive one after Anna May Wong.
Liu will also partake in an onstage talk about her career at Locarno on 15 August.
“Lucy Liu’s influence on both film and television is immeasurable. A master of reinvention, she has consistently delivered powerful performances that challenge the status quo,” said Locarno Artistic Director Giona A Nazzaro in a statement.
“It is a true privilege to host Lucy Liu on the Piazza Grande and to present a project as intimate and transformative as Rosemead – a testament to her ever-evolving artistry. Her fearless choices and groundbreaking performances continue to inspire audiences and redefine what it means to be an artist in the 21st century,” he added.
In 2024, Liu says she hasn’t shown her nine-year-old son either of the Charlie’s Angels films because it would be a “little too much” for him.
Haer co-host Drew Barrymore acknowledged that it might be an awkward experience, due to a racy dance scene, with Liu chiming in: ”He hasn’t seen it and I don’t think it’s the right time.”
Liu and Barrymore starred in the films, released in 2000 and 2003, alongside Cameron Diaz.
