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Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu has said that she feels 'very connected to the community' in Belfast after winning an award at the Northern Irish capital's Film Festival. The New Yorker said that she was 'touched' to receive the Réalta Award in Belfast for her performance in the new film Rosemead, having previously fallen in love with the city. Lucy previously spent a month living in the city whilst filming Old Guy two years ago. The star gushed about the experience, calling Belfast 'magical.' 'I was really touched to be honoured here,' Lucy told the PA news agency. 'To actually live here for that month is different from just coming to visit. I felt very connected to the community, and everyone on the crew was very warm and full of joy.' The 56-year-old received the honour for her new role in Rosemead, based in the Chinese American community in California of the same name. The harrowing flick follows Lucy as Irene Chao, an immigrant widow who is suffering from terminal cancer. Irene's teenage son is struggling with serious mental health challenges, which play out throughout the film. Rosemead is based on a real event that happened in 2015, with Lucy pointing out how shocking it is for the 'preventable' tragedy to have occurred. 'I hope viewers don’t even see me in this role. I hope they just see this woman and the love she has for her son. It’s a discussion point. I hope that’s what people take away from it,' Lucy explained. 'Everyone has a story of somebody they know who has struggled. It’s a reminder that you’re not alone. There are people who are suffering, and people who are caring for them - and sometimes that’s even harder,' Lucy said.
