'Crazy Rich Asians' sequel reportedly underway

The cast of 'Crazy Rich Asians along with author Keven Kwan and director Jon M. Chu.

The log-awaited movie sequel to Crazy Rich Asians is moving forward.

It has been four years since the critically acclaimed movie busted opened the eyes of Hollywood studios. The groundbreaking movie featured an all-Asian and  Asian American cast proving that a white hero is not necessary for a film to succeed at the box office and among critics.

Director Jon M. Chu will return to helm the sequels, which he said earlier that he would shoot the second and third book at the same time.

Based on the second book of the trilogy, "China Rich Girlfriend," will bring back Constance Wu and Henry Golding whose relationship was the centerpiece of the first film.

The second book also examines on the romantic entanglements of Astrid Leong, played by Gemma Chan. 

One of the reasons for the long delay was a pay dispute wherein writer Adele Lim was reportedly earning one-tenth the salary of fellow writer Peter Chiarelli. Chiarelli offered to cut his pay in order to make the pay more equitable but Lim turned down the offer, which she called "generous."

Still miffed that the Warners didn't offer to resolve the pay disparity, even after Chu and cast members wrote in support of Lim's situation, Lim left the project and went on to write the screenplay for the animated Raya and the Last Dragon.

Finally, Anna Wang was brought in to replace Chiarelli and Lim. It will be Wang's first effort on a major feature-length film.

With the delay caused by the pay dispute, the actors went on to other projects. The first task by Chu will be to find a time when the in-demand cast members Golding, Chu, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan and others will be available to film the second and third books, "Rich China Girlfriend" and "Rich People's Problems," written by Kevin Kwan.

With the success of Crazy Rich Asians, a slew of films with Asian American leads and themes were greenlighted by Hollywood Studios, many of them starring the cast of the movie.

Roles for the cast came rolling in. In the interim, Golding was particularly busy with leading roles in Last Christmas, The Gentlemen, Snake Eyes, Monsoon, and G.I. Joe.

Awkwafina starred in Shang Chi: The Legend of the 10 Rings, The Farewell, Oceans Eight, Raya and the Last Dragon, Jumanji: the Next Level and a TV sitcom, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.  

Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Ken Jeong, Sonoya Mmizuno, Jimmy O. Yang, Harry Sum Jr., Ronny Chieng, and Nico Santos also kept busy with their numerous projects.

No date has been set for filming or a general release of the sequel has been announced.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and tips, from an AAPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

In 2022, Hollywood doors creak open for Asian American content

The commercial and artistic success of 2018's 'Crazy Rich Asians' is credited with opening Hollywood's eyes and doors to the rich potential of Asian and Asian American talent and stories.

2022 could be a landmark year for AAPI representation in the history of filmmaking and TV production.

There are signs that Hollywood* is turning the corner in recognition of the changing demographics of the movie-going audience with a handful of Asian American theme movies in various stages of production.

The surprise hit of the winter season is Fox series The Cleaning Lady. The strong audience ratings and critical acclaim may be opening some eyes and minds of Hollywood's decision makers that the US audience may be more accepting of diverse fare and actors than previously assumed.

Whether this apparent willingness to tell AAPI stories and star AAPI characters is a permanent trend or just a merely a fad is something only time will tell.

The list might appear to be a lot of shows but when you consider Hollywood churns out hundreds of projects, many of them clunkers, the recommendations below represent just a small, small fraction of the productions. Reports about Hollywood diversity by USC and UCLA still say the vast majority of Hollywood's products are still directed at a  white audience starring white leads and AAPI representation is still lacking.

Still, what we have now is a vast improvement from just four years ago when Asian August, which premiered Crazy Rich Asians, the Every Boy I Ever Loved franchise and the John Cho starrer Searching, broke open the proverbial dam for AAPI talent in front and behind the camera. With over two dozen features and series, 2022 has the potential to be a historic year in terms of Asian representation in North American pop culture.

Have AANHPI arrived in Hollywood, the world's entertainment production capitol? Well, not quite, but the studio door is creaking open.

What's noteworthy is that many of the productions are driven by AAPI creators, from Dwayne Johnson, Daniel Dae Kim, Mindy Kaling, Miranda Kwok, Dean Devlin, Dan Lin to Awkwafina. Instead of waiting around for handouts from Hollywood studios, these writers, producers and directors are taking the bull by the horns and launching their own productions.

The problem is, despite the unprecedented output by AAPI artists, we're still at the stage where projects with AAPI themes and actors can't afford any clunkers. One bad showing and Hollywood could quickly back off on their tepid effort to diversify their output.

For those AAPI viewers looking for movies or TV series that you can identify with, here are some of the current and upcoming projects** (in no particular order) that might be of interest:

Pachinko: Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Pachinko follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family through Korea, Japan, and the U.S. during the Japanese Occupation, World War II, and after. The saga presents a harrowing take on racism, imperialism, and immigration wrapped in a forbidden love story. Told in Korean, Japanese and English, the first three episodes will debut March 25, on Apple TV+ followed by weekly releases until April 29. Production company is Steven Spielberg's Amblin' Studios.

Kung Fu (Season 2): Kung Fu (not the David Carradine-led version) returns for another season. Set in present day San Francisco, it features an attractive cast, including Olivia Liang, Shannon Dang, Eddie Liu and the Tzi Ma as the father of the Shen family. As the title suggests: lots of martial arts featured and smart contemporary banter between the characters. The Shen's and allies continue to seek the magical artifacts that give great power to whoever possesses them. Season 2 premieres March 9, 9 p.m. on the CW network.

The Cleaning Lady: Fox got one of its highest-rated shows in this production with creator Miranda Kwok as executive producer along with Filipino Canadian Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars). Launched in January, the series stars Cambodian French actress Elodie Yung as a doctor who leaves her medical practice in the Philippines to seek treatment for her son who suffers from an auto-immune disease. Along the way, she seeks employment as a cleaning lady but gets involved with the Las Vegas underworld. The Cleaning Lady is precedent-setting by telling stories from the POV of the undocumented immigrants and starring Southeast Asian actors. The series airs Mondays on Fox, 9 p.m., but past episodes can be streamed on Hulu. 

Tokyo Vice: HBO Max announced that the new crime drama miniseries will debut April 7 with 2 episodes on the network. The series, a co-production with Endeavor Content and Japanese broadcaster Wowow, is based on the 2009 memoir of the same name by Jake Adelstein, an American journalist who moved to Japan to cover the Tokyo police force. Ansel Elgort stars as Adelstein, with Ken Watanabe, Rinko Kikuchi, Rachel Keller, Ella Rumpf, Hideaki Ito, Show Kasamatsu and Tomohisa Yamashita rounding out the ensemble.

Turning Red: An animated feature from Pixar Studios directed by Domine Shi (Bao), tells the rare story of growing up from the viewpoint of 13-year old Asian Canadian, brash, self-confident, who dares to pursue her own ambition of establishing girl band but still retaining the love for her elders and heritage. Some of the voice actors include veteran actors Sandra Oh and James Hong and introduces Roslie Chiang as the central character.  Turning Red premieres March 11 after which it is can be streamed  on Disney+.

Easter Sunday: Stand-up comedian Jo Koy plays a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family in this love letter to his Filipino American community. Starring in Easter Sunday are Jimmy O. Yang, Tia Carrere, Brandon Wardell, Tony nominee Eva Noblezada, Lydia Gaston, Asif Ali, Rodney To, Eugene Cordero, Jay Chandrasekhar, Tiffany Haddish and Lou Diamond Phillips. The release date was originally going to be around the Easter holiday but has been moved to August 5.

The Fabulous Filipino Brothers: This film starring the four Basco brothers and their sister has been kicking around the film festivals for over a year. The comedy gives a rare peek at the sometimes complicated and not-so-subtle (but always loving) relationships in a Filipino American family as they prepare for an upcoming wedding. The Basco siblings, Dante, Derek, Dion, Darion and Arianna, star in the fictional movie about a rollicking, raucous and loving family. It also features Liza Lapira (The Equalizer) and introduces Philippine star Solenn Hausaff to Western audiences. The feature just started streaming on Amazon Prime, Vudu, Youtube, and Apple+.

Ms. Marvel: Ms. Marvel is an upcoming American web television series, based on the Marvel Comics superheroine of the same name, not to be confused with Captain Marvel, a different superheroine altogether. It is the 20th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It stars newcomer, Indian American actress Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan and Ms. Marvel. With a strong Indian American influene, it also stars Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Naki, Azher Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha. The series is produced by Marvel Studios and will be released on Disney+ this summer.

Josep: A half-hour sitcom starring the busiest Asian American comedian in Hollywood, Jo Koy (See "Easter Sunday" above.) Koy will play a divorced single-father nurse navigating the dating the world with the assistance of his wacky Filipino American family and friends. The series has deep AAPI roots: The sitcom will be penned by Steve Joe (Doogie Kamealoha M.D.,Young Sheldon), while Kourtney Kang (Fresh Off The Boat), Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar (Jumanji: The Next Level), and actor Randall Park (WandaVision) will executive produce alongside Koy. Set to premiere on ABC sometimes later this year.

Concepción: FilAm actor Reggie Lee (Grimm) is one of the first "name" actors signed onto this underworld crime series that takes place in Los Angeles' Historic Filipinotown over a 28-year span, 1992-2020. It seeks to examine the world of an Asian American "godfather"-like figure, a world of drugs and money, but also heritage and pride, viewed through origins, history, choices and consequences. Filipino American fingerprints all over this series, still in pre-production, with Yellow Rose and Lingua Franca co-producer Jeremiah Abraham and ABS-CBN and from creator Craig Obligación Wilson. No debut date announced yet.

Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (Season 2): Starring the now acclaimed actress Awkwafina, aka Nora Lum, the sitcom is loosely based on the actress' real live in Queens, NYC before she became famous and an in-demand. Besides Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell), the series cast includes the rest of her TV family, SNL's Bowen Yang, Broadway's BD Wong and Lori Tan Chinn, who as the grandmother, is a scene stealer. The series has also been an opportunity for AAPI guest stars including Margaret Cho, Simu Liu, Harry Shum, Jr., and Ross Butler. A third season has not. been announced but, in the meantime, the first two seasons of the highly rated series is available on Comedy Central.

Everything, Everywhere All At Once: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the feature film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman played by Michelle Yeoh, who can't seem to finish her taxes while being hurtled through multiple dimensions, some dominated by Asians. Cast includes Harry Shum Jr. (“Shadowhunters”), Stephanie Hsu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), Ke Huy Quan (“The Goonies”) and James Hong (“Blade Runner” and a host of other films). The film is set to debut on March 25.

Almost Paradise (Season 2): FilAm producer Dean Devlin announced that his fledgling crime series has been picked up for a second season. Shot entirely in Cebu, Philippines, Almost Paradise follows Alex Walker (Christian Kane), a former U.S. DEA agent who, after his partner’s betrayal and a life-threatening battle with hypertension, is forced into early retirement and relocates to a Cebu, Philippines. Besides its exotic locale, the series also stars Filipino talent Samantha Richelle and Arthur Acuña, as his partners in crime0fighting. After production halts because of COVID-19, the series' return to Amazon (Prime) has not been announced.

Sour. Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u: Can we get enough of Olivia Rodrigo? The Filipino American singer, songwriter is featured in a documentary about the making of her debut album "Sour." Olivia takes audiences on a familiar road trip from Salt Lake City, where she began writing her triple-platinum Geffen Records debut album “SOUR,” to Los Angeles. Along the way, Rodrigo recounts the memories of writing and creating her record-breaking debut album and shares her feelings as a young woman navigating a specific time in her life. Through new live arrangements of her songs, intimate interviews and never-before-seen footage, audiences will follow her along on a cinematic journey exploring the story of “SOUR.” The doc debuts March 25 on Disney+.

Fistful of Vengeance: The movie released this month is the followup to the 2020 TV series Wu Assassins. Iko Uwais returns as Kai Jin, the last Wu Assassin. He is joined by Lewis Tan and Jason Tobin. The locale moves from San Francisco to Bangkok as the trio of crime fighters battle the Chinese Triad for the pursuit of ancient powers. Lots of martial arts, spectacular fight choreography. The movie is currently available on Netflix.

Umma: If you're a Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, The Chair) fan (OK, I confess.) or into the horror genre, this is one film you can't miss. "Umma" is Korean for mother. Amanda (Sandra Oh) and her daughter are living a quiet life on an American farm, but when the remains of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother. Written and directed by Iris Shim. The movie is distributed by Sony and release is slated for March 18.

Nope: A horror/science fiction flick starring Steven Yuen (Minari, The Walking Dead), along with Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer. Caretakers at a California horse ranch encounter a mysterious force that affects human and animal behaviour. Written and directed by Jordan Peele (Get Out). Nope is set to be released in theaters July 22 from Universal Pictures.

Moonshot: Lana Condor (To All The Boys I Ever Loved) leads the cast of this romantic comedy with a sci-fi twist, is set in a future where Mars is terraformed and colonized by the best humanity has to offer two very different college students wind up joining forces and sneak onboard a space shuttle to the red planet in order to be united with their significant others. Condor's co-star is Riverdale's Cole Sprouse. Release date is March 31 on HBO Max.

Bridgerton will be more colorful in Season 2.

Bridgerton (Season 2): The surprise hit of 2020, Bridgerton is a romantic period piece with a change of focus. Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton will take the lead alongside potential love interest Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley. The Sharma's is an Indian Brit family that shakes up London high society, thus fulfilling Shonda Rhimes' vow to diversify casting. Bridgerton returns March 25 on Netflix.

Mythic Quest (Season 2): I include this Apple+ series in its second season solely on the sterling performance of lead actress Charlotte Nicdao, a Filipino Austrialian who steals every scene she's in. She's proving to be an outstanding comedic actress in a well-written series that doesn't get enough attention and credit from the AAPI entertainment establishment because the series is not on a broadcast network. Her racial heritage is not a central focus of the series but when she sings a Tagalog lullaby in Episode 8, well I almost fell out of my seat. Seasons 1 & 2 are available for binging on Apple+.

Killing Eve (Season 4): This will be the final season for  the critically acclaimed Killing Eve, which has garnered Emmy nominations for its stars, Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. Comer won the Best Actress Emmy in 2020. Oh was nominated (and should have won) in 2019. The cat-and-mouse game and complicated relationship between the driven British Inspector Eve Polastri (Oh) and the mentally unbalanced Russian assassin Villanelle  (Comer) has captivated audiences for four years. The series premieres Feb. 27 on BBC America and available for streaming on AMC+.

PEN15: The coming-of-age storyline is about two friends played by Anna Konkle and Emma Erskine, who also the serie's creators and writers. The actresses play two middle-school students who maneuver their way through the pitfalls that befall students at that awkward age. Even though they are much older than the characters they play, they are able to pull it off. A lot of Asian Americans will recognize the touchy issues faced by the lead teen characters. Some of the episodes confront the racism directed at Erskine's Japanese American character. Unfortunately, this is the last season for the series. It is bingeable on Hulu.

Young Rock (Season 2). The NBC sitcom follows the adventures of a young Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a Samoan Black American and one of the most popular stars in the world. It follows the young Rock as a pre-teen, a teenager and a young adult during his time as a professional football player. One of the most fun aspects of the show is bringing in stories about some of WWF's old guard including Andre the Giant, The Iron Sheik and Randy Savage. As of Feb. 22, NBC announced the third season will premiere in January, 2023. The first two seasons can be streamed on Amazon Prime.

NCIS: Hawaii: The TV series stars a host of AAPI actors including lead, Filipino American Vanessa Manillo Lachkey, Yasmine al-bustami, Alex Tarrant, Jason Antoon and Noah Mills. As the title suggests, the setting is Hawaii with strong references to the local culture and the racial origins of each of the characters. Lachkey plays team leader Jane Tennant, who is also a single mom of two hapa children, who she helps navigate through the current era of anti-Asianism. The first season airs on Mondays, 9 p.m. on CBS; also available on Paramount for you bingers. Although it has performed strongly in its time slot, a second season has not been announced. Binge on Paramount.

Never Have I Ever (Season 3), Netflix renewed the sitcom  created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher and why not? It is one of Netflix's most successful series around the world. The series is loosely based on the experiences that Kaling had in her own youth. Will Devi pick hapa jock Paxton Hall-Yoshida played. by Darren Barnet or brainy white guy Ben Gross played by Jaren Lewison? Oh, the tribulations of high school from an AAPI POV. Filming Season 3 just wrapped this month. Netflix hopes to launch the hit show's third season in late Spring or early Fall of 2022.

Doogie Kamealoha, MD: A fresh take on the old Doogie Howser, MD series. Lahela "Doogie" Kamealoha is a teenaged wunderkind juggling her high school life with an early medical career. There are strong bones to this series.The sit-com was created by Kourtney Kang, who executive produced Fresh Off the Boat. It stars Disney veteran Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack), who plays the title character, who struggles being a normal teenager and a super-smart physician. Some of the AAPI supporting cast include Comedy Central's Ronnie Chieng, Randall Park, and Jason Scott Lee and a host of cameo appearances of veteran actors, including Amy Hill and Margaret Cho. Doogie is available on Disney+.

Squid Games (Season 2): The second season of Netflix's most watched series, the science fiction/horror story about the deadly game of paying off huge debts hasn't even begun taping yet and was originally scheduled for a 2023 release. However, with its recently won three SAG acting awards, pressure may be on to hurry up production for a late 2022 release.

* I use "Hollywood" as a generic term for entertainment production, which could originate in London, Toronto, Vancouver, New York or Atlanta)

**In compiling this list, I stuck to those projects premiering or underway in 2022, staying away from productions set in 2023 or finished in 2021. I also stayed away from products where AAPI actors are secondary characters. I tried to stay away fro foreign productions, but Bridgerton and Squid Games are just too big to ignore. It is not meant to be a complete list. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Feb. 25, added 'Killing Eve,' and "Umma" to the list. On March 7, added "Kung Fu" and "Turning Red." On March 22, "Moonshot" waa added. For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd. on Twitter 

Nielsen Report: Marketers, its time to engage the Asian American market

As the nation climbs out of the era of the coronavirus, a new age is dawning in the US and Asian Americans will be at the leading edge, according to a new report by Nielsen.

"The Asian American community is at an inflection point, which has created a ripe opportunity for marketers to drive business growth," stated Mariko Carpenter, Nielsen's Vice President of Strategic Community Alliances. 

The report released during Asian Pacific Americans Heritage Month explores Asian American consumer behaviors that are setting the pace for two important industry trends: 

First, the media platforms that are winning among Asian Americans amid the streaming wars and the content that is capturing their attention. 

Second is the gaming industry that is breaking boundaries as entertainment, and how Asian Americans are integral to its ecosystem as gamers, spectators, and content creators.

As the streaming wars continue, the battle for audiences will only intensify. As early adopters of technology, Asian Americans are more digitally connected and trying new platforms and services, making them a valuable audience segment to content creators and distributors alike.

Nielsen also found Asian influence is particularly strong in the US gaming industry, which is experiencing exponential growth as so many Americans are sheltered in place, hungry for sports and entertainment. The US saw a 45% increase in time spent playing video games over a week in late March 2020 when most of the country was shut down. With uncertainty about spectator sports, esports presents an opportunity for sports leagues to engage with their fans, opening up new opportunities for advertising sponsors.

Historically, the complex diversity of the community and the lack of wide-reaching pan-Asian media have created barriers for US brands and marketers. However, the mass adoption of new digital platforms and the popularity of inclusive content have helped attract and galvanize a national Asian American audience.

The report sees that now, more than ever before, Asian Americans are a galvanized group (the fastest-growing multicultural group in the USA with a buying power of $1.2 trillion), presenting more opportunities for brands to build trust and an emotional connection with them.

Asian Americans have always led the way with digital adoption. According to Nielsen's latest Total Audience Report, 90% of all Asian American households own internet-connected TV devices, compared with 76% of the total U.S. population. While this trend is not new, the sheer amount of streamed content and the use of internet-connected devices among Asian American homes continues to grow. 

Today, more than ever, marketers are relying on digital platforms to sell their products. As early digital adopters, Asian American consumers can help deliver an immediate sales boost for those digitally savvy brands who make the effort to target them where they are.

But simply owning an internet-connected device doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s being used to stream content. Within Asian American households, however, subscription video on-demand (SVOD) services are almost essential, as 84% subscribe to at least one streaming service, 10 percentage points higher than the total population. 

Marketers that include content marketing in their marketing mix stand to gain an advantage in reaching Asian Americans. And given the rising consumption of streaming content across all demographics, content creators are ensuring there’s something for everyone. 

Asian American households are often multigenerational, and they’re the most likely to include family members who stream content with another person. 

Given co-viewing trends across Asian American households, it’s no surprise to see a wide range of popular programs with these audiences in mind, such as Parasite, Kim’s Convenience and Alan Yang's tale of immigration Tigertail and rom-coms like Crazy Rich Asians and Always Be My Maybe and Mindy Kaling's coming-of-age sitcom Never Have I Ever.

For years, the stats on Asian American consumers have captivated marketers. With a buying power projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2024, the average Asian American household income ($94,889) is 41% higher than the national average. As a result, Asian-American households spend more annually in several key categories including: housing (+24%), food (+29%), education (+128%), apparel (+67%) and new cars (+$37%). 

Key insights featured in the report include:

Asian Americans are more likely to be cord-cutters

• Asian Americans are cutting the cord at a rate that is almost twice that of the total population and are relying more on broadband-only
• Accessing live television through internet-based services like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now
• Engaging more on TV-connected devices that require internet connection (i.e. Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku) at 49% versus 44% of the total U.S. population

Asian Americans are finding more Asian American-led content on streaming platforms

• 82% of Asian Americans subscribe to at least one streaming service compared to 72% of the total population
• Popular Netflix content among Asian Americans include comedy specials featuring Ronny Chieng, Jo Koy and Ken Jeong, and series with Asian American leads including Ugly Delicious, Wu Assassins and Patriot Act.
• The top episodic Netflix series in 2019 among Asian Americans also reflect a diverse lead cast, such as V Wars, Lost in Space and I Am Not Okay With This.

Asian Americans are big players in the gaming industry

• Asian Americans are 14% more likely to own a gaming console and 37% more likely to own Virtual Reality (VR) headsets that are mainly used for gaming
• Asian American gamers are younger with 69% of Asian American gamers falling between ages 13-34 versus only 44% of U.S. gamers
• Asian Americans are leading the shift to online and mobile gaming as they are 84% more likely to play multi-player online games
• Among Asian-American gamers, over 1 in 4 say they watched an esports tournament livestream in the last three months, and 53% of Asian gamers say they have watched 3 hours or more of esports in a typical week

Asian Americans are going beyond live TV to get their news

• During the first three weeks in March, time spent watching the news grew by 27% for Asian Americans versus 15% for Non-Hispanic Whites
• Relying on digital platforms to access news content; over-indexing the total population for all types of news (i.e. political, sports, tech, business/financial)
• 15% more likely to use social media for their news versus total population

When it comes to the media space, Asian Americans are doing more than just watch and game. Many are active content creators and many are established influencers, and marketers should consider partnering with them to create content that builds trust and resonates with the Asian American market. For a long time, Asian American characters were often portrayed as a martial artist or the awkward nerd. When an Asian American was in a role without a speaking role, they would be cast as an owner of a convenient store or a laundromat—and always the foreigner.

The lack of Asian American faces on network television gave rise to online personalities and influencers such as LIlly Singh (who is now hosting Late, Late Night with Lilly Singh) and Awkwafina, who has crossed over to movies (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell) and her successful sitcom Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.

Times have changed, and Asian Americans have taken the spotlight in an array of roles and programming that highlight their true stories and heritage. In the early 2000s, for example, YouTube came on the scene. Then came blogs, social media and mobile video platforms, which offered Asian American artists the creative freedom to tell their stories, independent of Hollywood’s traditional gatekeepers. 

Today, streaming platforms offer a new stage for Asian American voices from beauty consultants, political commentary and entertainment. The age of social distancing has hastened the use of online discussions, and a way to bring together people from across the nation. 

No longer content with simply waiting for a role, Asian American actors like Daniel Dae Kim, Mindy Kaling, Ali Wong and Awkwafina are also taking over behind the camera. These authentic voices have helped galvanize the Asian American community. Instead of wondering what the future holds, brands can shape that future alongside the Asian American community.

Two actors who have moved into producing products that reflect the Asian American experience, Mindy Kaling (Never Have I Ever) and Awkwafina (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens).

Nielsen's Carpenter sums up the potential role Asian Americans can play in the US economy's rebound: "Brands hoping to engage with Asian Americans must understand the critical importance of inclusive media representation and the ways Asian Americans are integrating technology for media consumption. Understanding how these forces intersect and intermingle will be the key to unlocking the potential of this market."

APA Heritage Month: Gold House names 100 most impactful AAPIs

Musicians, business executives, tech entrepreneurs, athletes, actors, authors, filmmakers. The annual list of the AAPI movers and shakers produced by Gold House kicks off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was unveiled Friday, May 1.

The full A100 list can be viewed on Gold House's website.

Perhaps the biggest surprise to people who have only a casual connection to the AAPI communities, is that Gold House was able to find so many in so many fields, a testament to the influence and power of AAPI individuals because most of them don't grab the headlines or spotlight of America's media.

“The AAPI community is facing a pivotal juncture in our history,” said a Gold House spokesperson in a statement. “Unprecedented hope and progress – seen in IPOs and other major company exits to the Democratic Presidential Primaries to the Oscars and Golden Globes – quickly turned into hateful harassment and violence.

"The A100 spotlights significant contributions made by the Asian diaspora that transcend ethnicities, generations, industries, and continents – a powerful reminder that we have always been and will continue to be an integral part of the fabric of American society,” continued the statement.

Born three years ago specifically to assure the box office success of the landmark film, Crazy Rich Asians, Gold House's list leans heavily to show business personalities, including Awkwafina, Chrissy Teigen, Lilly Singh, Dwayne Johnson and the K-pop sensations BTS and Black Pink, joined by former presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Andrew Yang, but there are also less known but just as impactful standouts in the business and tech worlds.

For the first time, judges and voters also selected the single, most impactful Asians per category, as well as the Legend Lifetime Achievement Award:

• Business: Betty Liu (executive vice chairman, New York Stock Exchange)
• Fashion and Lifestyle: Prabal Gurung (designer)
• Media & Entertainment: Awkwafina (actress, producer, musician)
• Social Activism: Andrew Yang (founder, Humanity Forward, and former United States presidential candidate)
• Technology: Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft)
• Legend Lifetime Achievement Award: Miky Lee (vice chairman, CJ Entertainment)

“It is as important as ever to highlight leaders in the Asian community and support one another,” Prabal Gurung told Adweek. “When we uplift each other, it is a show of solidarity to the world that we are here, we are united, and we aren’t going anywhere. 

"Also, unity within our own community allows us to be stronger allies to other minority groups. Right now, you can support the AAPI community by speaking out against racism using whatever platform you have (big or small) and supporting small businesses.”

These individuals, standout in their fields, are proof that AAPI are part of today's America, contributing to its ever-shifting culture, energizing its economy, adding to its knowledge and expanding its dreams. 

REVIEW; Awkwafina shines in over the top comedy Awkwafina is Nora from Queens

'Awkwafina is Nora From Queens' is a self-explanatory title.

By Louis Chan

ASAM NEWS

Awkwafina’s new show, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens debuts today on the Comedy Central network.
The Golden Globe award winning actress plays Nora, a ride share driver who’s living with her parents at age 30 and struggling to find herself. The show is inspired by Awkwafina's life: Her real name is Nora Lum and she did grow up in Queens.

If you recall Awkwafina’s high energy role in Crazy Rich Asians, you know what to expect in her new comedy. Only this time she’s competing for the top of the energy peak meter with Lori Tann Chinn (Orange is the New Black) who plays her spirited grandma. The two provide much of the comedy during the half hour program.

Mercifully, the role of the father is played by Tony Award-winning actor BD Wong whose understated performance as the doting father serves well to balance the animated performances of Awkwafina and Chinn. Bowen Yang of Saturday Night Live fame takes on the role of Nora’s Stanford-educated cousin.

The Asian American star-studded program is scheduled to run at least two seasons. Its comedy is refreshing for its depiction of an Asian American family not usually seen on television. How often do we see Asian Americans as overachievers? The portrayal of a lower middle class family is in stark contrast to the extravagant Crazy Rich Asians we saw recently on the big screen. Chinn is anything but a tiger mom and BD Wong is pretty laid back compared to other Asian American dads we’ve seen in the media.

The comedy is edgy with many sexual and drug references in the five episodes AsAmNews previewed. The gags aren’t for everyone, but should resonate with the Millennial audience Comedy Central targets.

While Awkwafina’s characters show many vulnerabilities, its still not clear whether she will strike an emotional chord with the audience. We begin to sympathize for her in episode 4 when she struggles to get her vehicle out of the impound lot. More character development would serve this program well.

From left: Awkwafina, Lori Tann Chinn and BD Wong in 'Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.'

More like what we see in episode 5 with Nora’s dad. The character begins to show his vulnerable side when the emotional turmoil he’s facing as a single father begins to surface. While brimming with overconfidence, the internal struggle Nora’s cousin is trying to overcome begins to bubble to the top also in episode 5.

Grandma serves as a foundation for Nora who’s looking for a springboard to a better life. She also provides a sounding board for Nora, but her character will need to grow beyond that for this show to reach its full potential.

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens will add levity to your Wednesday nights. Whether it gets you to care about the characters remains to be seen.

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens will air Wednesdays, 10:30/9:30 p.m.

Correction: Earlier versions of this story misidentified BD Wong.

'Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens' given a second season

Even before its Season 1 premiere, Comedy Central announced Tuesday (Jan. 14) that it has already given a second-season to the situation comedy Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. 

Awakfina is Nora From Queens, is pretty self-explanatory. It stars award-winning actor Awkwafina, who just won a Golden Globe for her role in The Farewell, The 10-episode sitcom will premiere Jan. 22 on the Comedy Central network in the 10:30 p.m. slot.

It's a 10-episode sitcom about the travails as a young Asian American starring Awkwafina, one of the busiest and most-in-demand actresses since her breakout role in Crazy Rich Asians.

“I’ve been watching Comedy Central since I was old enough to hold a remote, and so many of their shows have defined who I am today,” Awkwafina said. “I am so honored to be given their platform to tell the story of an Asian American girl against the backdrop of the city I was raised.” 

Awkwafina portrays a 20-something growing up in Flushing, striving for a larger than life existence while living with her dad played by Law & Order: SVU icon BD Wong, and her foul-mouthed grandmother, played by Lori Tan Chinn of Orange is the New Black, and cousin played by Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang. 

Awakfina is Nora From Queens, is pretty self-explanatory. It stars award-winning actor Awkwafina, who just won a Golden Globe for her role in The Farewell, The 10-episode sitcom will premiere Jan. 22 the Comedy Central network in the 10:30 p.m. slot.

It's a 10-episode sitcom about the travails as a young Asian American starring Awkwafina, one of the busiest and most-in-demand actresses since her breakout role in Crazy Rich Asians.

“I’ve been watching Comedy Central since I was old enough to hold a remote, and so many of their shows have defined who I am today,” Awkwafina said. “I am so honored to be given their platform to tell the story of an Asian American girl against the backdrop of the city I was raised.”

Awkwafina portrays a 20-something growing up in Flushing, striving for a larger than life existence while living with her dad played by Law & Order: SVU icon BD Wong, and her foul-mouthed grandmother, played by Lori Tan Chinn of Orange is the New Black, and cousin played by Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang. 

Awkwafina is the creator, writer and executive producer of the scripted series that caters to the majority of Comedy Central's  target audience -- Millennials.

Nora, a 27-year-old New Yorker who can't hold a steady job (she drives for a ride-sharing app for cash) and can't catch a break, mostly because she can't stop screwing things up for herself. And given the amount of bong rips she takes, she doesn't seem too intent on trying to fix her problems. 

What makes the show different from other Comedy Central products is that Nora still lives at home, like 25% of her generation. The Asian American perspective gives the Millennial genre a twist. Dad and grandma are more like roommates than her elders, jook is on the breakfast table, and there is no real pressure to leave home. Family is everything.

With Fresh Off the Boat in its final season, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens may be the antidote to ease the loss of the 6-season family sitcom.

2020 will make 2019 look like a slow year

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

If you thought 2019 was a busy year for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, gird yourselves for 2020. The year could have several "turning points," in AAPI history.

Right off the bat, the Golden Globes last Sunday saw history made when Awkwafina won best actress in a musical or cmedy, the first actor of Asian descent to win in that category.

Awkwafina and The Farewell could also write some more history if they are nominated for Academy Awards. South Korea's Parasite will likely be nominated for Best Foreign Film. 
Watch for the nomination announcements Jan. 13. The awards show will be Feb. 9. 

We're also looking forward to Nora from Queens, a new sitcom starring Awkwafina, Bowen Yang and BD Wong premiering on Jan. 22 on Hulu. It will be taking the AAPI baton from Fresh Off the Boat.

Fresh Off the Boat, featuring the Americanization of the Huang family, will end its ground-breaking six-year run in February.

Warrior, set in San Francisco's Chinatown in the mid-1800s, will have its second season premiere in the Spring.


The controversial and much anticipated live-action movie version of Mulan, with it's all Asian cast, will premiere in March.

The Eternals is set to be released in November when we'll get a look at Kumail Nanjiani, Ma Dong-Seok and Gemma Chan as Marvel superheroes.

We're also expecting new releases from Dave Bautista, John Cho, Deve Patel, Keanu Reeves and Dwayne Johnson.

The courts will making news with its decisions regarding immigration being proposed by the Trump administration. Almost all the administration's policies have been challenged by civil rights and immigration advocates. Cases involving the public charge requirement, family reunification, refugee status, visa requirements, a host of deportations and DACA will be winding through the court system. 

The courts will also see the Harvard University affirmative action debate move into the circuit court of appeals.

2020 is a presidential election year and the primary season kicks off witih Iowa's Caucus on Feb. 4 and the other states will have their elections all the way through the summer.

Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard will likely continue their campaigns all the way through to the Democratic convention. 

The Republicans will also have their convention this summer although there's less suspense who their pick will be.

Also up will be bunch of AAPI candidates running for Congressional seats in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, New Jersey and New York. We expect that there will be others who haven't announced their intentions yet.

A whole batch of AAPI candidates will dip their toes into politics at the state, county and city levels also.

By April 1, every household in the US will receive an invitation to take part in the US Census. Taken every 10 years, the Census will help determine representation in Congress and federal funding appropriation for a number of programs.

And, oh yeah, there's this impeachment thing on and we might have another war in the Middle East or the China Sea if North Korea doesn't send missiles our way first.