Lucy Liu Is 'Excited' for 'Everything Everywhere' Success: But Asian Representation Has a 'Long Way to Go'

After spending much of her prolific career rewriting the rules of Asian inclusion in Hollywood, Lucy Liu says she's "1000 percent" cheering on the similarly game-changing film Everything Everywhere All at Once as the awards darling and box office success story closes in on a possible Best Picture win at the Oscars.

"I love that it was done as an independent film and that it has had so much success, because those are the ones that you root for — the underdog," Liu, who plays the angry goddess Kalypso in Shazam: Fury of the Gods, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.

Liu is certainly familiar with the role of underdog in the entertainment industry as she fought for and found richer, non-stereotypical roles for Asian women onscreen. That began with her breakout role as Ling Wu on Ally McBeal 25 years ago, on through mega-hit films like Charlie's Angels and Kill Bill, plus a reimagined, contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes' Dr. Watson in the series Elementary.

"I've always had to fight for roles," she says. "I've always had to go in against all odds."

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As more and more Asian actors and creators find greater opportunity and visibility in today's Hollywood, many have credited Liu — often in person — for helping pave the way for them.

"I feel a great sense of pride that something that I loved doing has helped them realize that it's possible for them," she reveals. "I never in my wildest dreams would've thought that, but I'm glad that I have had some impact in a positive way. That makes me feel like I've accomplished something."

She explains that her initial intention was all about finding the greatest array of artistic challenges for herself by defying established but outdated norms.

"To me, the world was always so open and I never saw a ceiling," she says. "And I felt like that was something that a lot of people unfortunately hit quite a bit, but it didn't deter me. To me it was just a bump in the road and I just did not have a limit. I felt like the world was limitless and I was going to continue on and there was nothing that was going to stop me."

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She doesn't see the success and popularity of Everything Everywhere as a culmination, rather the latest breakthrough in an ongoing evolution.

"I think it's the beginning," she says. "I understand that a lot of places have a check box and they have to meet a certain percentage, and sometimes that has to happen before it becomes the norm. So I still think we have a long way to go, but it is creating a space and hopefully some sense of normalcy to see that as it activates itself in hopefully a more natural way."

Liu also expresses her admiration for the film's ambitious, imaginative storytelling, as much as its largely Asian cast.

"It's interesting, and it's also scary, that studios are looking for the dollar sign oftentimes, right? And [the Everything Everywhere filmmakers] were doing something out of love and passion," she says. "I don't know that they thought, 'Oh, this is what we're doing, something incredibly creative, and we hope that we just break even.' That's so spectacular about the success of this movie."

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is in theaters March 17.

For more on Lucy Liu, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.