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American Born Chinese coming to Disney+ in 2023

Posted by Suzanne Kai - on Sunday, 14 August 2022

American Born Chinese coming to Disney+ in 2023
"American Born Chinese", an exciting, groundbreaking series is slated to premiere in 2023. The Disney+ series was introduced to the Asian American Journalists Association's National Convention this summer. The convention was attended by more than 1,500 journalists from all over the world.  The Disney+ series is based on Gene Luen Yang's award-winning graphic novel. The main character, Jin Wang, played by actor Ben Wang, navigates supernatural action-comedy adventures between his...

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James Hong, Veteran Actor Receives His Star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame! 2022 is a Year of Great Firsts for Asian Americans in Hollywood

Posted by Suzanne Kai on Wednesday, 12 October 2022

James Hong, Veteran Actor Receives His Star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame! 2022 is a Year of Great Firsts for Asian Americans in Hollywood

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." 

American Born Chinese coming to Disney+ in 2023

Posted by Suzanne Kai on Sunday, 14 August 2022

American Born Chinese coming to Disney+ in 2023

"American Born Chinese", an exciting, groundbreaking series is slated to premiere in 2023. The Disney+ series was introduced to the Asian American Journalists Association's National Convention this summer. The convention was attended by more than 1,500 journalists from all over the world. 

The Disney+ series is based on Gene Luen Yang's award-winning graphic novel. The main character, Jin Wang, played by actor Ben Wang, navigates supernatural action-comedy adventures between his immigrant family life and teenage life at school. His journey is propelled into a realm of Chinese mythological gods and creatures when he meets a new foreign exchange student.

Cast announcements include Ben Wang (MacGyver), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once/Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), and Poppy Liu (Better Call Saul). This Disney cast will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who also helmed Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. 

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Invites 397 Members

Posted by Suzanne Kai on Monday, 05 September 2022

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Invites 397 Members

By Suzanne Kai

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their 2022 invitations to distinguished artists and executives from across the globe.

As part of their Academy Aperture 2025 plan to diversify, the Academy reports among the 397 invitees “44 percent are women, 37 percent are from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 50 percent are from 53 different countries and territories outside the United States.” Prospective members are selected based on professional qualifications, with the Academy continuing its commitment to expanding representation, inclusion and equity.

 The short films/feature animation, documentary, and actors branches were among the longest lists of invitees, gathering 27 percent of the invitations among all branches.  

Drive My Car’s Ryusuke Hamaguchi was nominated in four award categories during the 2022 Oscars. Ryusuke Hamaguchi accepted the award for "Drive My Car," from Japan, for best international feature film at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022.  Hamaguchi was invited to two branches, the Directors branch and Writers branch. Under Academy guidelines, he will be able to choose one branch. This year's class of invitees includes 71 Oscar nominees, including 15 winners.

A few names among the invitees include Paul Tazewell (West Side Story) to Costume Designers, Andrew Ahn (Fire Island) to Directors, and Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh (Writing With Fire) to Documentary.

Janet Yang is Elected President of Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

Posted by Suzanne Kai on Sunday, 09 October 2022

Janet Yang is Elected President of Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

August 2, 2022

Hollywood

by Suzanne Joe Kai

 

Janet Yang has been elected President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences by its Board of Governors!

This is an epic, historic moment recognizing the first Asian American to become President of the Academy in its 95 year history.

She is only the second person of color and the fourth female elected as the Academy's President. 

Ms. Yang began her first term as president August 2, 2022, and continues in her second term as a Govenor-at-Large of the Academy.

From Oscars.org is this statement by Academy CEO Bill Kramer: 

“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy. 

She has been instrumental in launching and elevating several Academy initiatives on membership recruitment, governance, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.”  

“I am thrilled that she is taking on the esteemed role of Academy President and look forward to working closely with her on our shared vision to serve our membership, celebrate the collaborative arts and sciences of motion pictures, and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”

2022-2021-2020-2019 - New Diversity Rules for Oscars

Posted by AC Team on Monday, 07 February 2022

2022-2021-2020-2019 - New Diversity Rules for Oscars

February 7, 2022

Hollywood

by Suzanne Joe Kai

Progress continues with our society's push for more "diversity, equity and inclusion." 

If you search online for the term Diversity, Equity and Inclusion you will find the term "DEI" is now a standard term. 

Its on many people's drawing boards in corporate America, and most importantly in Hollywood on how mainstream media, movies, and TV shows are made.

If filmmakers aspire to win awards at the Oscar level, the Academy now has guidelines on "DEI", and in recent years has initiated its own initiative called "Academy Aperture 2025" with the goal that Oscars.org released in this statement on September 8, 2020: 

“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them. 

The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality,” said Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  

“We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”

Here are some resources we've been writing about, and also from other outlets:

July 1, 2021 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Invites 395 Members for 2021. https://asianconnections.com/arts-and-entertainment/item/the-ampas-2021-class-of-invitees-continues-to-be-more-inclusive

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