Hollywood

February 26, 2013

What?!! An Asian American male star in a Hollywood movie that isn't a Kung Fu film? 

Justin Chon ("Twilight"), steps into the spotlight as the lead character in the comedy 21 and Over, opening in theaters nationwide March 1.

Chon, 31, was born in Garden Grove in Orange County, California, and was raised in Irvine, California. He attended business school at the University of Southern California. At age 20, Chon began taking acting lessons, inspired by growing up watching his father in black and white films. His father is a former child actor from South Korea.

AsianConnections' Suzanne Joe Kai chatted with Justin about his new role, 
breaking stereotypes, and what's next in his fast-rising career.  (For the full interview transcript click on the blue headline link above.) 

Justin: Hey Suzanne, thank you.

Suzanne: You’re right from Orange County, California!

Justin: Yeah, Irvine. Yeah, born and raised. I was born in Garden Grove Hospital.

Suzanne: Can you describe your role in your new film 21 and Over coming out in theaters March 1, 2013?

New York City

stop. reset., a new play written and directed by Regina Taylor which has performances in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center in New York through September 29, 2013, tackles powerful questions of legacy, identity and survival in a world where the real and the virtual are more closely tied than we think.

Photo by Joan Marcus of Teagle F Bougere as Chris, LaTanya Richardson Jackson as Jan, Donald Sage Mackay as Tim and Michi Barall as Deb in Signature Theatre’s world premiere of Regina Taylor’s stop. reset.

Photo by Lia Chang of Ismael Cruz Cordova in stop. reset, written and directed by Regina Taylor. 

In stop.reset., e-books are outselling printed books, and Alex Ames (Carl Lumbly), the owner of Chicago’s oldest African American book publishing company, is faced with the task of questioning each of his employees, Deb (Michi Barall), Chris (Teagle Bougere), Jan (LaTanya Richardson Jackson) and Tim (Donald Sage MacKay), to determine who is still relevant in a rapidly changing world. When he meets J (Ismael Cruz Cordova), a mysterious youth plugged into the future, Mr. Ames is forced to discover just how far he will go to survive.

Photo by Lia Chang of castmembers LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Michi Barall starring in Regina Taylor’s stop. reset. on September 21, 2013. 

Photo of Lia Chang of Michi Barall. 

Congrats to Kristi Yamaguchi and her husband, NHL player Bret Hedican on the birth of their second daughter Emma Yoshiko.

Congrats to Kristi Yamaguchi and her husband, NHL player Bret Hedican on the birth of their second daughter Emma Yoshiko. The Olympic Gold medal figure skater gave birth on Nov. 17 in Raleigh, N.C, according to the News and Observer. Their first daughter, Keara, is 2.

Ang Lee Becomes the First Asian to Receive a Best Director Oscar for Brokeback Mountain

When Taiwanese-born filmmaker Ang Lee accepted his Best Director Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain"at the 78th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles tonight, he became the first Asian to win the coveted prize.

Making his mark on the Hollywood scene with his films "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman," he earned back-to-back Oscar nominations for foreign-language film for 1993 and 94.

Since then, Lee has spanned numerous genres including the Jane Austen costume romance "Sense and Sensibility", a best-picture nominee, "The Ice Storm", "Ride With the Devil", a Western, and the martial-arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", which won the Oscar for foreign-language film five years ago.

His Crouching Tiger follow-up was the comic-book adaptation Hulk, an unusual commercial departure for the independent-minded director.

"Brokeback Mountain" also won Oscars for best original score and best adapted screenplay.