In 2000, Lucy Liu debuted as Alex Munday in the American action comedy film Charlie’s Angels. Lucy Liu also returned for the sequel, the 2003 action comedy film Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
Casting Choices: The Road to Playing Alex Munday
Angelina Jolie and Jada Pinkett Smith were offered the role of Alex Munday, but both actresses reportedly refused to play the part. Thandiwe Newton was originally cast for the role but had to pull out as Mission: Impossible II did not finish filming in time.
Unequal Pay in Hollywood: Liu’s Salary Compared to Co-Stars
For the first film, her payment was a paltry $1 million. Drew Barrymore reportedly received a whopping $9 million, while Cameron Diaz got a paycheck of $12 million. Lucy Liu has an estimated net worth of $16 million as of 2024.
Drew Barrymore was paid $9 million to play Dylan Sanders, Cameron Diaz was paid $12 million to play Natalie Cook, and Lucy Liu was paid $1 million to play Alex Munday in the 2000 American action comedy film Charlie’s Angels (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
When her first Charlie’s Angels movie was released on November 3, 2000, Lucy Liu was 31 years old. She celebrated her 32nd birthday on December 2, 2000.
On-Set Tensions: The Feud Between Bill Murray and Lucy Liu
During the movie’s filming, Bill Murray reportedly insulted Lucy Liu, who portrayed John Bosley. He allegedly said, “I get why you’re here (Drew Barrymore), and you’ve got talent (Cameron Diaz)… but what in the hell are you doing here? You can’t act!”
Liu started throwing punches at Bill Murray, and they had to be physically pulled apart. “You know, if you confront me, I will attack and that’s exactly what happened because it was unjust and it was uncalled for and some of the language was inexcusable and unacceptable, and I was not going to just sit there and take it,” Liu said during an interview with L.A. Times’ Asian Enough podcast.
Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, and Cameron Diaz portray three women working in a private detective agency, and Bill Murray stars as their boss John Bosley (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
“So, yes, I stood up for myself, and I don’t regret it. Because no matter how low on the totem pole you may be or wherever you came from, there’s no need to condescend or to put other people down. And I would not stand down, and nor should I have and nor did I.”
Murray has blamed script problems as the reason for the feud. He explained: “We began rehearsing this scene and I said, ‘Lucy, how can you want to say these lines? These are so crazy’. She got furious with me because she thought it was a personal assault, but the reality is she hated these lines as much as I did. I feel very warmly for her now.”
For the sequel, Lucy Liu was paid $3 million. Her female co-stars, Barrymore and Diaz, received $14 and $20 million each.
Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, and Cameron Diaz attend the “Charlie’s Angels” New York City Premiere on October 24, 2000, at Ziegfeld Theater in New York City (Credit: Startraksphoto)
Lucy’s Reflections: Facing Challenges and Growth
In a 2020 interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, Lucy Liu reflected on her younger years, describing herself as feeling “bulletproof” in her 20s, indifferent to life or death. The loss of her father made her realize the significance of his protective role in her life, likening him to a roof that had suddenly been removed.
“In my 20s, I felt very bulletproof and … I didn’t really care if I lived or died. And I lost my father a few years ago, and I didn’t really recognize the levels that we have in our lives. He was a place in my life that was always a roof, and so suddenly you feel like the roof has been torn off,” Liu said.
Now, as a single parent to her son, Rockwell Lloyd Liu, born in 2015, she recognizes that she must take on that protective role, which she finds both empowering and terrifying.
“And then you recognize, ‘Oh, I am now the roof.’ And I happen to have a child, so I guess I’m the roof to that child. So now I really have to understand that I have to shelter him, and I have a responsibility, and it’s a very powerful thing. It’s also terrifying,” she said about being a single parent. Her son, Rockwell Lloyd Liu, was born in 2015.
Lucy Liu Stuns in Carolina Herrera at the 2014 Couture Council Luncheon
Lucy Liu dazzles in a sparkling navy blue Carolina Herrera dress at the 2014 Couture Council Awards Annual Benefit Luncheon in New York City on September 3, 2014 (Credit: WENN)
In September 2014, Lucy Liu joined Renee Zellweger at the 2014 Couture Council Award Luncheon Benefit at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Lucy Liu in a sparkling chiffon layered short-sleeved dress from Carolina Herrera’s Resort 2015 collection featuring silver embellishments (Credit: WENN)
The then-45-year-old actress, model, and artist donned a sparkling chiffon layered short-sleeved dress with silver embellishments from Carolina Herrera’s Resort 2015 collection.
She styled the navy dress with the black Saint Laurent “Jane” ankle-strap sandals we spotted on Jessie J earlier the same week.
Lucy Liu shows off her feet in black Saint Laurent “Jane” ankle-strap sandals (Credit: WENN)
How do you like this look on Lucy Liu? We’ve previously featured numerous celebrities wearing the Jane sandals, including Chloe Moretz, Chrissy Teigen, Jessie J, Khloe Kardashian, Ashley Madekwe, Bella Thorne, Miley Cyrus, and Angelina Jolie.
Black Studded Saint Laurent “Jane” Sandals
Blue Saint Laurent ‘Jane’ Ankle Strap Leather Sandal
Saint Laurent Black Jane Chain-Embellished Patent-Leather Sandals