'Mulan' star Tzi Ma says it's important for Asian actors to get more recognition after being overlooked during awards seasons

• In an interview with Variety, "Mulan" actor Tzi Ma said that he thinks Asian actors are consistently overlooked for awards.
• Ma plays Mulan's father, Zhou, in Disney's live-action remake of "Mulan," which was released on September 4 on Disney Plus and in some theaters worldwide.
• The Hong Kong-American actor referenced films like "Parasite" and "The Last Emperor," which have won Academy Awards, but not for acting specifically.
• "I think for the community, it's important that we do get recognized," he told Variety on Friday.

"Mulan" star Tzi Ma said that Asian actors have been historically overlooked during awards seasons.

Ma stars as Hua Mulan's father Zhou in Disney's recent remake of "Mulan," which was first released as an animated film in 1998.

The live-action "Mulan" was released on September 4 and is available to stream on Disney Plus and in select theaters worldwide.

On Friday, Ma discussed his latest role in a virtual interview with Variety, where he also brought to light Asian actors' lack of recognition at the Oscars.

—Variety (@Variety) September 4, 2020

"We've been overlooked. 'Parasite' gets six Oscars, not one for acting. How does that work?" the actor said.

Ma also referenced "The Last Emperor," which, despite winning nine Oscars, including Best Picture in 1988, but none for acting in particular.

Ma said that he's "not an awards guy" and that he'd continue to put his work out there regardless of potential accolades, but that it's important for Asian actors to be commended.

"I think for the community, it's important that we do get recognized," he told Variety.

Ma is not the first to comment on Hollywood's lack of Asian representation and long-overdue need for diversity in film.

Awkwafina, who co-starred alongside Ma in the 2019 film "The Farewell," previously told Insider's Olivia Singh that she thinks there's a long way to go until Hollywood fully represents diverse audiences.

"I think there's always going to be more representation to be had, but I think that they're definitely going to set a stage for more stories to be told, more actors like me to be featured, more directors, more writers, all that," Awkwafina told Insider.

The new live-action "Mulan" is a nod to the animated version and the ancient poem "The Ballad Of Mulan." The movie costs $29.99 to watch on Disney Plus, which doesn't include the streaming service's annual fee of $69.99 or a monthly cost of $6.99.

• Read more:
• 32 details you may have missed in Disney's live-action 'Mulan'
• The original 'Mulan' co-director breaks down how he feels about the changes made in the live-action movie
• The producer of 'Mulan' hasn't given up hope that it plays in American movie theaters one day