Laughing in the Rain
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a great way to give people a chance to see the AAPI community in a celebratory light. Over the last few years, it has felt like whenever something notable happens to an Asian American in the media it’s an insult, an injustice, or a tragedy. These stories are important to highlight, but they do not tell the full story. I feel that it’s important to share stories from Asian Americans that are full in their depth, representation, and celebration of how far we’ve come and the hard work and sacrifices required along the way.
On May 10, 2022, James Hong at the age of 93 got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You may not know James Hong’s name, but you have most likely seen his work. Hong is a character actor who has appeared in 469 TV shows, 149 feature films, and 22 video games. His work includes Seinfeld, Blade Runner, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the recent All-Star Asian superhero movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
I first saw him in the cult classic Big Trouble in Little China where he played the villain Lo Pan. I was 7 and completely mesmerized by his performance. Today I have a daughter around the same age and she adores Hong in his portrayal as the loveable goose dad in the film series Kung Fu Panda. I can honestly say his work has transcended generations. Fun fact: he is the only living (let alone working!) actor to have worked with Clark Gable and Groucho Marx.
Hong receiving his star was a tremendous achievement and celebrated by fans all over the world. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder why it took so long for Hong to be recognized for someone with such a prolific body of work. I started to dig into the data and was surprised by what I found.
AAPI are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. The 2020 Census revealed that 7.2% of the US population identified themselves as AAPI and the Asian population has grown by 35.5% over the past 10 years. However, when you look at the 2020 Hollywood Diversity Report, 4.8% of film leads went to Asians versus 69.1% to Whites. Asian performers make up less than 1% of the names on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
It became clearer on why it took Hong nearly 70 years to get his star.
This is not meant to be a criticism of Hollywood. Far from it. In fact, Hollywood is trying to promote more diverse and inclusive productions. The 2022 Diversity Report showed a 17% increase in Asian representation compared to 2020 along with notable increases in other minority groups. California has doubled the tax rebates by another $330M awarding productions that have a diverse workforce that is representative of the state’s population in terms of race and gender. The entertainment industry is starting to realize that representation is not just good for the community they operate in, but also great for their business.
This impact is especially felt by the AAPI community. For the first time in a long time, I see on screen folks that look like me, stories that mirror my experiences, and themes that are universal and timeless. Dave Lu wrote a great article on Asians in the media and I encourage you to read it here. Dave’s article reminded us that progress is not a straight line. At times we may take two steps forward and one step back but we are always striving to move forward.
When Hong got his star at 93, he did not mark the occasion by giving a big speech about representation. Instead he took it all in, made a couple of jokes, and danced with his friends. That’s what I want for my daughter — asking no permission to dance, to live in the moment, and to be her authentic whole self. Everything may not happen everywhere all at once, but more things are happening in more places all of the time. That’s the future I want to accelerate and one I am working hard to build.
