Actor Donnie Yen, who starred in the John Wick franchise, has been invited to present at the 2023 Oscars. However, his past comments in support of the Chinese Communist Party and their crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have sparked a backlash.
Over 20,000 people have signed a Change.org petition calling for Yen to be removed from the event. The petition was created by a group from Hong Kong who argue that Yen’s remarks violate the spirit of freedom of speech and deny the rights of Hong Kong citizens to fight for democracy.
Yen has previously expressed support for controversial Chinese President Xi Jinping and drew criticism in 2019 for speaking out against the Hong Kong protests. In a recent interview with GQ, he doubled down on his position, referring to the demonstrations as a riot.
The actor also faced backlash in 2020 for making a Facebook post commemorating the anniversary of Hong Kong’s incorporation into China and recalling playing the piano in front of President Xi.
The petition creators argue that selecting Yen as a presenter would condone his support for the Chinese government’s violation of human rights. They assert that the Oscars should represent respect for human rights and moral values, rather than support actions that violate them.
They also claim that inviting Yen to speak shows contempt for Hong Kong and undermines its people from a global perspective. The letter calls for the Oscars Committee to reconsider the decision and cancel Yen’s invitation.
During the Hong Kong protests, demonstrators marched against oppressive laws enacted by the Hong Kong and Chinese government. The protests were met with violent suppression by China, leading to the arrests of thousands.
Yen’s past comments and actions have drawn criticism for supporting the oppressive regime. In the GQ interview, he spoke from his own experience and refused to comment on how to change people’s feelings about the protests.
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