Since the casting of Finn Jones as Danny Rand, Iron Fist has been encircled in controversy about cultural appropriation, with many accusing the show of adhering needlessly to canon when a more fitting choice would have been to cast an Asian actor in the lead role. Jessica Henwick, who plays Colleen Wing on the Marvel series, is familiar with the issue and says it gave her pause before joining. She told Entertainment Weekly: The Show: “It was a hard decision to make to join the show. Not because of the material or anything … But I’m part of the Asian community. I’m Asian. I’m an actor. If anyone understands the conversation, it’s me. I’ve lived and breathed it.” Ultimately, she was converted by Wing herself. “When I came on to Iron Fist, it was really Colleen Wing that sold it for me. I thought it was a good opportunity to see a really strong female Asian American,” she says, though she maintains, “I would love to see an Asian American superhero.”
