Lucy Liu Wows in Emotional 'Rosemead' Trailer: 'Audiences Have Never Seen Her in a Role Like This' (Exclusive)

Lucy Liu Shines in Emotional 'Rosemead' Trailer

The film Rosemead, starring Lucy Liu, opens in theaters on December 5. PEOPLE offers an exclusive trailer revealing Liu as Irene, a mother coping with her teenage son's schizophrenia diagnosis.

Film Background and Story

Directed by Eric Lin and adapted by Marilyn Fu from a 2017 Los Angeles Times article, Rosemead is based on a true story about a Chinese American mother and her son, portrayed by Liu and Lawrence Shou.

Plot Summary

Liu’s character, Irene, is described as an ailing woman who takes desperate actions to protect her son Joe, whose condition worsens over time. The synopsis raises difficult questions about sacrifice and the limits of a mother’s love:

“As his dark obsessions grow and time runs out, she is forced to make impossible choices: how far will she go and what is she willing to sacrifice?”

Real-Life Inspiration

The original article by Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times chronicled a mother's tragic decisions after her son's schizophrenia diagnosis, underscoring the emotional weight of the story.

Trailer Highlights

The trailer features a poignant line from a doctor:

“This isn't going to just go away like some cold. He needs to learn to live with it. You both do.”

Liu has received several film festival awards following the movie’s 2025 Tribeca Film Festival premiere, showcasing her powerful dramatic performance in a role unlike anything audiences have seen before.

Author’s summary: Lucy Liu delivers a powerful and heartfelt portrayal in Rosemead, telling a moving story of a mother’s struggle with her son’s mental illness.

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People.com People.com — 2025-11-07

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