May 21, 2023
Written by AC Team
View our highlight reel at the end of this article!
The Asia Society of Southern California's gala in Los Angeles was a spectacular showcase of veteran and new generations of Asian American stars in Hollywood, Sports, and Business.
Actress, Writer, Producer Awkwafina was honored in the "Cultural Visionary" category. Awkwafina can be seen in her Comedy Central Show Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens which she created and stars in, Disney's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Jumanji: The Next Level, and MGM's Breaking News in Yuba County. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for her role in The Farewell.
Photo courtesy: Asia Society S CA Gala 2023.
Honorees sister and brother Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani are Olympic medalists. This yer they were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. They are the first ice dancers of Asian decent and first team of color to medal at the Winter Olympic Games. They are also the first sibling duo to win two Olympic medals in Ice Dance.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Lisa Ling, renowned journalist, writer, and host of This is the Life on CNN. She shared her perspective on Hollywood and Asian American representation in modern media: "...I would like to see more stories about all aspects of our lives... And not ones that are stereotypical. I mean the reality is we're not all 'crazy rich'" (Ling, with...
By Suzanne Joe Kai and Martha Shaw
Hollywood
March 12, 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once wins Best Picture!
Nominated for an astounding 11 awards and taking home 7 that night, this film and its historic implications are epic.
Michelle Yeoh is the first Asian actress to win the Best Actress award for her role in the most nominated film "Everything, Everywhere All At Once."
A film industry veteran, Yeoh, 60, received great praise for her role and during her acceptance speech she called the moment "history in the making - This is proof to dream big, that dreams do come true."
“I hope I did right by you. I care deeply about every one of you” says Paul Rogers during the acceptance of his Best Film Editing Award. “I know I’m standing up here by myself, but I am not, I am hundreds of people. I’m hundreds of people… "We just won an Oscar” Jamie Lee Curtis exclaims in gratitude for her Best Supporting Actress Oscar to the community who made these wins possible.
“This. This! Is the American dream!” Ke Huy Quan’s powerful words accepting his Best Supporting Actor award resonate with anyone with a dream, and especially immigrants and minorities around the world. “My Mom is 84 years old, and she’s at home watching. Mom! I just won an Oscar!”. Unable to contain his emotions, Quan begins his tearful acceptance speech. “My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp. But somehow, I ended up here, on...
Los Angeles
October 30, 2022
By Taylor Yukiko Sato and Suzanne Joe Kai
The 2022 U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit was a historic event that brought leaders from Hollywood and the Asian entertainment industry to Los Angeles.
Janet Yang, Chair of U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit, was honored with the 2022 Career Achievement Award.
Janet made history as the first Asian American, and fourth woman to become the President of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Actress and emcee of the evening’s gala, Kara Wang said “I am particularly honored to be here as we honor Janet with the Career Achievement Award."
"We call her the Asian godmother of the industry because she has had a hand in so many of our careers. And I am just very very happy that I get to be here with this moment as we shower her with love… She has done so much for us.”
CEO and Co-Founder of Gold House and AU Holdings, Bing Chen led a Fireside Chat with Janet Yang as she reflected on her career.
This was the 13th U.S.-Asia Entertainent Summit with panels spotlighting top talent in the Asian and Asian American entertainment industry.
How Asia Markets Have Changed and What It means for Hollywood panel moderated by Patrick Frater, Asia Editor, Variety
Apoorva Bakshi, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Golden Karavan, Awedacious Originals Lindsay Conner, Partner, O'Melveny & Myers LLP Erika North, Head of Asia-Pacific Originals, Amazon Studios Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President,...October 13, 2022
Hollywood
By Suzanne Joe Kai
TIME MAGAZINE WORLD'S 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF 2022 includes actor Simu Liu. In fact he is ON the cover of Time Magazine - one of different cover images Time publishes for this annual list. Another first.
Emmy nominated actor Sandra Oh writes in TIME magazine about her fellow Canadian actor from Ontario: "As a fellow Ontarioan, I was already excited about Simu Liu when he was having "Canada success" on Kim's Convenience."
"But since then, he's been on a path that no Chinese Canadian has walked before. He's part of the first generation of Asian Americans and Canadians to reach true stardom."
"It's been amazing to see how beautifully he's balancing representing our community and staying true to himself. I saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings three times."
"I was so pleased to see Simu exercise his comedy chops, his fighting skills, his gravitas. I love his ability to poke fun at himself. And, of course, the guy looks great in a suit."
"Simu has been working hard to get through closed doors, and now he wants to hold those doors open for others. You see him doing that through the way he speaks out against hateful violence, his openness about his own experiences of isolation and discrimination, his professional choices. He's our superhero."
As a look back at 2022 so far, this year is marking some major historic events for Asians and Asian Americans.
We need much more progress of course, but these achievements...
October 12, 2022
Hollywood
By Suzanne Joe Kai
2022 is year of great firsts for Asian Americans in Hollywood. Veteran actor, producer and director James Hong finally has received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Los Angeles.
Congratulations to James Hong!
Co-starring in the 2022 movie Everything Everywhere All At Once Hong has acted in 149 feature films, 32 short films and 22 video games spanning nearly seven decades!
The ceremony on May 10, 2022 was joined by actor Daniel Dae Kim who raised funds to pay for Hong's star in four days in 2020.
Hong was also joined by Everything Everywhere All At Once co-star Jamie Lee Curtis.
At age 93, Hong becomes the oldest person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
Daniel Dae Kim said Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are less than 1% of the names on the Walk Of Fame. Hong's name joins Anna May Wong, Mako, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu.
On the crowdfunding page, Daniel Dae Kim writes that Hong "epitomizes the term "working actor" and that's not even taking into account all he's done to help further representation for actors of color."
We still have a long road ahead to create parity in diversity, equity and inclusion. This is a good step forward.
Click here to AsianConnections.com