Lucy Liu Honoured with Réalta Award in Belfast
Actress Lucy Liu received the Réalta Award at the Belfast Film Festival for her role in the new drama Rosemead. The Charlie’s Angels star expressed deep gratitude for the recognition in a city she described as magical, remembering her earlier time filming Old Guy in Belfast two years ago.
“I was really touched to be honoured here,” she told the PA news agency. “To actually live here for that month is different than just coming to visit. I felt very connected to the community, and everyone on the crew was very warm and full of joy.”
Liu reflected on Northern Ireland’s layered history and Belfast’s remarkable transformation, saying that “there’s a story behind everything.”
Rosemead, inspired by true events, tells the story of Irene Chao, an immigrant widow battling terminal cancer while her teenage son faces mental health challenges in the Chinese American community of Rosemead, California.
“There’s still a lot of stigma around mental health in so many places around the world,” she said.
Liu was surprised to learn that the real events behind the film occurred as recently as 2015, calling the tragedy “preventable.”
“There was a lot of fear for this mother, and she loved her son so much,” Liu said. “I really tried to come from a place of love and to understand how difficult it must have been for her to make that choice.”
Author’s Summary
Lucy Liu received the Réalta Award in Belfast for her emotional role in Rosemead, reflecting on the city's warmth and the film’s deep human themes.