‘You’d have the white actors tape up their eyes’: James Hong recalls Hollywood racism
‘You’d have the white actors tape up their eyes’: James Hong recalls Hollywood racism
AAPI celebrities featured in People’s 2022 Sexiest Man Alive issue
“Almost half of all Asian roles serve as a punchline, study finds.”
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🏆 The Headlines
‘You’d have the white actors tape up their eyes’: James Hong recalls Hollywood racism — With last Friday’s inaugural Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television fresh in his mind, veteran actor James Hong took the opportunity to look back at how far representation and inclusivity in entertainment have come.
With last Friday’s inaugural Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television fresh in his mind, veteran actor James Hong took the opportunity to look back at how far representation and inclusivity in entertainment have come.
The 93-year-old Hollywood veteran, who received the celebration’s Icon Award, recounted his experiences with racism during the beginning of his decades-long acting career.
“I started in 1953, so at that time, the industry didn’t take us seriously. They just said, ‘Oh, Asians are not qualified to be the top actors,’” Hong told Variety. “You’d have the white actors tape up their eyes.”
According to Hong, today’s entertainment landscape stands in stark contrast to that of his youth, and he is in awe of the multiplicity of pathways young Asian creatives can take.
“And now look where we are. We’re in Hollywood, and there’s people receiving Academy Awards — and even ‘Squid Game,’” said Hong. “So there’s a lot of avenues we can take now.”
Many younger awardees reflected his sentiment and expressed that they were glad that their diverse creative voices are finally being recognized and embraced.
“I think it’s incredible that the Critics Choice Association is putting this on. But there’s also a part of me that’s like, I wish we had this 20 years ago. I wish we had this 40 years ago,” said Frank Chi, recipient of the Documentary Short Award for the film “38 at the Garden.” “There’s been so much incredible talent for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that has not been highlighted throughout Hollywood’s history, and now that we’re finally doing it, it feels like we’re a part of the culture.”
AAPI celebrities featured in People’s 2022 Sexiest Man Alive issue — People magazine released a sneak peek at some of the celebrities featured in this year’s Sexiest Man Alive issue.
People magazine released a sneak peek at some of the celebrities featured in this year’s Sexiest Man Alive issue, and Asian American and Pacific Islander stars have proven they deserve to be on the list.
AAPI male celebrities who made the cut include Ke Huy Quan and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who won the title of sexiest man in 2016.
Quan, 51, made his triumphant return to acting after two decades in the 2022 Daniels-directed multiverse film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
“For many, many years people recognized me only as a child [actor] because that was pretty much the last time they saw me up on the screen,” Quan told the magazine. “I’m hoping when people see me now they go, ‘Oh my God! You’re Waymond from ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ — and you were also in ‘Indiana Jones’ [and] ‘oonies!’'”
Filipino American stand-up comedian Jo Koy, 51, is also featured in People’s list. He last appeared in the semi-autobiographical film “Easter Sunday,” which follows a fictionalized version of Koy as he returns to the Bay Area with his son to celebrate Easter with his family.
“Coming up as a kid, we didn’t have anything like this to get inspired by. When I was watching movies, you had to wait for the credits to find out if anyone was Filipino,” Koy previously told Entertainment Weekly. “When I saw Dante Basco in ‘Hook,’ going through the credits, I’m like, ‘Oh, he’s definitely Filipino.’ But that was our way of being inspired indirectly when I was a kid. And now I have that opportunity to provide this inspiration and this opening.”
Simu Liu Opens Up About Modelling For Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show: ‘That Was A Wild Phone Call To Get’ — Simu Liu recently walked the runway for the fourth edition of Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show, and discussed the experience during a red carpet interview with Variety at the LACMA gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov. 5.
Simu Liu recently walked the runway for the fourth edition of Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show, and discussed the experience during a red carpet interview with Variety at the LACMA gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov. 5.
“That was a wild phone call to get, by the way,” the “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star said of being contacted about the show.
“It’s not everyday that one receives a phone call and it’s like, ‘Would you like to walk for Rihanna’s fashion label?'” he recalled.
While the Canadian actor has done some modelling in his day, it certainly can’t compare to appearing onstage for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4.
🎬 Industry Insider
Netflix cancels ‘Partner Track’ starring Arden Cho after one season (NextShark)
HBO’s Post-Vietnam War Series ‘The Sympathizer’ Sets Main Cast (The Hollywood Reporter)
‘Agatha: Coven Of Chaos’: Ali Ahn & Maria Dizzia Cast In ‘WandaVision’ Marvel Spinoff For Disney+ (Deadline)
🗄 Industry Job Board
Content Director | WarnerMedia
Event Lead, Global Brand Studio | TikTok
Program Manager, New York Administration | SAG-AFTRA
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👋, Lea @ Crushing the Myth