AAPI artists nominated for Emmys

CREATED BY GEMINI

The 2026 Emmy nominations are out, and once again, it is a mixed bag for our community. While we are seeing historic representation on one side of the ledger, the TV Academy still manages to leave some of our finest talent out in the cold.

Let’s break down the wins, the behind-the-scenes power players, and the glaring omissions that have us scratching our heads.

Actors' noted

Our community showed up in major acting categories this year. Leading the pack is Riz Ahmed, who secured a Lead Actor nod for his powerful role in Bait. 

Meanwhile, the second season of Netflix's smash hit Beef brought in major acting love: Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung and Charles Melton both scored Supporting Actress and Actor nominations for their respective turns in the anthological dramedy.

Over on the drama side, Sepideh Moafi clinched a Supporting Actress nod for her stellar performance in Max’s medical juggernaut The Pitt. playing Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, a doctor taking over the ER as Noah Wiley's character prepares for a sabbatical. She is the first Iranian woman and woman from the Middle East to be nominated in the support actress in a drama series category, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I can’t imagine a more ideal world, show, character to have this sort of recognition with," Moafi said after she heard about her nomination. 

"Playing this woman who carries so many worlds, so many of which I can identify with in my own way, and that I’ve heard over the last several months, so many people identify with, whether it’s with her chronic disease, her chronic illness, people with disability, people who are mixed race, people who are from the Middle East or Africa, women in medicine who are in similar positions and have to deal with certain male counterparts."

FYI: The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on NBC on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Steven Yeun, who won an Emmy two years ago in the first season of Beef, landed a voice-over nomination for keeping things animated in Invincible.

True representation means having a seat at the table where decisions are made, and our behind-the-scenes creatives are dominating this year's Emmy ballot.

The Beef mastermind Lee Sung Jin, continues his historic streak, earning individual nominations for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series, alongside a nod for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series as executive producer. He's joined in the executive producers' circle by Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Kitao Sakurai and Anna Ouyang Moench.

Destin Daniel Cretton, the Japanese American director-producer, is nominated as the driving executive producer behind Marvel’s buzzy Wonder Man.

Hiro Murai & Claudia Shin: The powerhouse duo earned Executive Producer nods for Apple TV+'s freshman comedy hit Widow's Bay.

FYI: For a complete list of the 2026 Emmy nominees, click here.

Chris Nguyen-Gia & Marian Wang: Nguyen-Gia scored a Best Drama Series nomination as a producer for the freshman drama Paradise, while Wang is back in the mix as a producer for the late-night champion Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Yulin Kuang: Celebrated writer-director Kuang scored an Outstanding Television Movie screenplay nomination for adapting Netflix's People We Meet on Vacation.

You can't talk about the Emmys without talking about who got left behind, and the Academy dropped the ball on several standout AAPI performances.

Should have been nominated

Isa Briones (The Pitt): In what is arguably the most heartbreaking snub of the morning, Briones was completely shut out for her role as the sharp, headstrong Dr. Trinity Santos. What makes this a bitter pill to swallow is that The Pitt actually led the entire pack with 25 total nominations—including 13 acting nods for her co-stars. How voters completely bypassed Briones's polarizing, fiercely layered performance is beyond us.

Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live): Despite delivering a highly celebrated final run on the sketch show before his mid-season departure, Yang missed out on a Supporting Actor in a Comedy nod. The Academy chose to shut out the entire regular SNL cast this year.

Industry Cast & Crew: HBO's financial thriller was entirely shut out by the Television Academy. This means no love for Ken Leung, who has consistently turned in a masterclass performance as the complex and shrewd management executive Eric Tao.

Young Mazino & Tati Gabrielle: Both actors missed out on highly predicted guest and supporting drama nominations for their impactful roles in The Last of Us.

View from the edge

We've come a long way from the days of absolute invisibility, but as these snubs show, the fight for the Academy to fully recognize the depth of our talent continues.

What is especially noteworthy, is none of the characters played by AAPI actors, are the stereotypes that pigeonholed generations of Asian actors in Hollywood.

But there is so much more room for improvement. That's why overlooking Briones' role as Dr. Trinity Santos in The Pitt is so disappointing. There were so many moments where we saw glimpses of the life of Santos beyond the ER -- such as a white-passing Filipino American -- makes us crave  for more of her storyline to explore.

In fact, you can say that about all the acting AAPI nominees and the AAPI community as a whole. As two seasons of Beef have shown us, there's more complexity in us than Hollywood has been able to capture so far.  Hollywood's creators and artists are only starting to scratch the surface of the multiple worlds we live in and start delving into those stories.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Beyond diversity: Hollywood AANHPI creatives finding hurdles to inclusion

Thanks to the box office success and critical acclaim of some Hollywood productions like Crazy Rich Asians and Everything, Everywhere All At Once, more studio doors are creaking open for AANHPI creatives but they are finding more hurdles to the next step of influence and decision-making.

One in five Asian American talent are looking at other careers in the entertainment industry, according to a new report, Red Light, Green Light: Overcoming Roadblocks to Asian American Creative Executive Success in the Entertainment Industry"

“We must ensure the pathways from entry-level positions to creative executive roles are supported and fortified through mentorship, leadership development and access to opportunity,” stated Norman Chen, CEO of The Asian American Foundation, one of the partners of the report.

“To truly feel like we belong, we must see ourselves and our stories on screen. To do that, we must ensure that AANHPIs have the support to not only tell authentic narratives but also reach executive roles to greenlight those stories,” Chen continued.

        RELATED: Studios open gates for Asian American content

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today announced the findings of the study, which focused on the experience of Asian American creative executives, those who ultimately greenlight projects and shepherd them to screen, in the entertainment industry.

CAPE and TAAF revealed the results of the study last night at their inaugural Culture Change Salon: Greenlighting AANHPI Stories, the largest gathering of Asian American and Pacific Islander creative executives.

The report explores topics such as barriers to entry and promotions, day-to-day challenges, and factors that contribute to attrition and industry pivots for those at entry, mid, and senior levels of the entertainment industry. 

The report also shares recommendations on how to improve the experiences of Asian American creatives in the industry and foster an environment that will allow Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) creative executives to thrive.

A majority of the survey respondents described experiencing microaggressions, blatant racism, and tokenization. Moreover, 93.3% agree that representation on screen is similarly lacking. 

This first-of-its-kind study focuses on one of the most critical, but often overlooked, components of the creative story-telling ecosystem: creative executives. The purview of creative executives includes, among other duties, finding and acquiring intellectual property and other source material, hiring talent including writers and directors, casting, and ultimately wielding the power to greenlight projects and shepherd them to screen.

Both CAPE and TAAF are focused on leveraging this data to come up with strategies to strengthen pathways in all creative fields. CAPE has been fostering the next generation of senior creative executives since 2017 through the CAPE Leaders Fellowship, the only talent development program of its kind that builds leadership skills and creates networking opportunities for AANHPI creative executives in Hollywood.

The study shows that Asian American professionals working in entertainment are eager to greenlight more diverse projects helmed by AANHPI creatives. To address this, TAAF is also launching Lights, Camera, AANHPI! A Creative Development Directory, a centralized resource that supports and advances AANHPIs' careers and creative work in film and television. 

This directory currently hosts more than 200 talent development opportunities for creatives in front of and behind the camera, from fellowships and residencies to professional and script development programs to build sustainable pathways for talent. Moreover, CAPE's AANHPI talent database of working professionals in Hollywood is currently in beta.

Among the key Findings the "Red Light, Green Light" report:

• Respondents felt that their Asian American identity is a double-edged sword. Creative executives of Asian descent brought diversity and unique insights, but were also tokenized and seen as diversity hires.

• Asian American creative executives grappled with the expectations of fitting into Western norms or meeting high standards of Asian culture knowledge.

• Asian American women faced challenges in regards to the intersection of gender and ethnicity. This includes sexism, age-related biases, compensation disparities, and difficulties in career advancement, particularly for mothers.

• A majority of respondents across levels felt that they experienced different treatment because of their racial/cultural background or how they looked. Experiencing differential treatment because of how they look or their racial or cultural background was most acutely felt by entry (50%) and senior level (68%) staff.

• A majority (62%) of respondents across all ranks reported lack of mentorship as a challenge.Additionally, 88% of respondents expressed a desire to have mentors from their racial/ethnic background, echoing the adage: "You can't be what you can't see."

• Almost 1 out of 5 respondents across the industry expressed they were looking to pivot to a different capacity within the entertainment industry.Due to the all-consuming life of being in entertainment, stress, poor pay, slow growth, and resulting mental health considerations, respondents contemplated leaving or were forced to pivot for more work-life balance.

Among the recommendations are:

• Opportunities for senior-level executives: Establish paid internships, and full-time roles with benefits to attract more AANHPI talent and organize company-wide trainings on topics such as intersectionality, class, race, microaggressions, and racism.

• Opportunities for entry-, and mid-level staff: Proactively seek mentoring or advice even through cold calls and develop a personal voice rooted in their experiences and identity.

"Creative executives are critical in getting our stories greenlit and told with care. We must protect and support their upward trajectory into the upper echelons of power within the industry,"  said CAPE Executive Director Michelle K. Sugihara. "We must especially push for the hiring and promotion of more Pacific Islander creative executives whose numbers are currently extremely low, particularly in this time of upheaval and challenge for executives of color."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Online event slated on AANHPI representation on US television

Some of TV shows featuring AANHPI characters, from top right clockwise: Ms. Marvel,
Turning Red, NCIS: Hawaii and The Cleaning Lady.

One can't deny that the presence of AANHPI actors on US television has increased, but when you start at near zero, anything will look like an improvement.

The Television Academy Foundation announced it will present, in partnership with CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), "The Power of TV: Advancing AAPI Representation," a free online event on July 27.

"Conversations like this are important to humanize the discussion around representation and the harmful effects of stereotypical narratives," said Michelle K. Sugihara, CAPE executive director. "We're grateful to the Television Academy Foundation for recognizing the importance of voices both behind and in front of the camera."

Despite the apparent rise in Hollywood productions featuring AANHPI actors or themes in recent years, the community remains vastly unrepresented in the nation's screens according to diversity reports conducted by the University of California in Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.

"In the wake of increasing discrimination and violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, it is ever more important for the television community to commit to full, authentic, and equal representation for AAPI talent on-screen and behind the scenes," said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. 

The open-to-the-public virtual forum will assemble current AAPI industry leaders helping to drive inclusion in television. Panelists will discuss their own personal career paths to success and the challenges faced when advocating for inclusivity. In addition, the panel will explore strategies for greater equity within the industry for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Panelists for the event include actor Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead); The Cleaning Lady creator and executive producer Miranda Kwok; and Kenny Tsai, senior vice president of current programming at Universal Content Productions. Additional panelists to be announced. Michelle K. Sugihara, executive director of CAPE, will moderate the discussion.

According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, the Asian population in the U.S. nearly doubled between 2000 and 2019 and is projected to surpass 46 million by 2060, making it the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S.

Yet a significant representation gap exists both on screen and behind the scenes. In addition, programming continues to fall short of portraying the AAPI communities in a broad and inclusive manner. According to a 2021 USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report, most portrayals fall into the categories of silenced, stereotyped, tokenized, isolated and sidekicks/villains.

The online event will be held Wednesday, July 27, 5:00 - 6:30 PM (PDT). Admission is free; RSVP is required. To register, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/power-of-tv/tickets.

Launched in 2017, "The Power of TV" is the Television Academy Foundation's series of public programs showcasing television's power to promote positive social change through compelling and inclusive storytelling. Thoughtfully curated conversations with storytellers, advocates and subject-area experts challenge the status quo and explore pathways to full inclusion of underrepresented perspectives and historically excluded groups make up this event series.

"The Power of TV: Advancing AAPI Representation" is also part of the curriculum for the Foundation's 2022 Summer Internship Program. The event will be made available for on-demand viewing at a later date on TelevisionAcademy.com. To register, click here.

"Through public programs such as this one, the Foundation is dedicated to creating the space for substantive solution-oriented discussions on advancing equity in representation for historically excluded and perpetually misrepresented groups," said Abrego.

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

Asian American superhero: Marvel Studios’ 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at theaters today

Simi Liu stars as Shang-Chi, a Marvel superhero.

The excitement surrounding the motion picture Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings  is palpable, especially among AAPI moviegoers.

Shang-Chi, one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, hits theaters today (Friday, Aug. 3). Featuring a host of Asian American and Asian actors, the buzz surrounding the film has been compared to Crazy Rich Asians, even though the action-packed Marvel product is as different from the romantic comedy as a movie can be.

The two movies representing different genres,  are similar in one important way: the lead characters and the supporting cast are all of Asian descent.

Before Shang-Chi's debut, Marvel Studios released a featurette titled "Ready To Rise," interviewing the cast alongside director Asian American director Destin Daniel Cretton and Asian American screenwriter Dave Callaham and Simu Liu in the titular role and cast members Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh exploring the importance of the movie's Asian representation.

"The story of Shang-Chi was actually very personal.," said Cretton, who is Japanese American. "I wanted to look at what a superhero could be. What it would mean to me. To be able to add not only one character, Shang-Chi, but to add a whole cornucopia of Asian faces that are representing something I've never really seen before."

The experience of writing for an Asian American character struck a chord with screenwriter Callahan, whose 20-year career includes writing credits for Godzilla and Wonder Woman.

I’ve never had an experience like this," said the Chinese American writer. "The moment I realized that was day three or four of writing the script ... I got very emotional and I couldn’t figure out why," he told Nerds of Color. 

"I sat back from my chair and I really checked in with myself and I audited what was happening. I realized, holy shit. I’ve never in my 19 years of writing actually been asked to write anything even resembling my experience.”

That sentiment was echoed by the movie's star Liu. "For many of us who grew up in the west, whose parents immigrated, we never really saw ourselves on screen meaningfully," says Chinese Canadian Liu, who starred in the Asian Canadian sitcoms,  Netflix's Kim's Convenience, which finished the production of its fifth and final season this year.

To help the film impress Disney and other Hollywood studios, the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans in Entertainment (CAPE) and Gold House are encouraging Asian Americans to host viewing events by buying out a theater to increase the box office draw of the movie.

The Marvel's movies staring their Pantheon of comic book superheroes  is the biggest film franchise on the planet right now, according to Gold House president Bing Chen, who said there's a lot on the line this weekend for members of the AAPI community who want to see more Hollywood films and TV shows starring Asian Americans.

"If we can show that we can actually hold our own ground opening weekend through the biggest film franchise in the world, that is going to unlock other opportunities in other major franchises, as well as independent films, for AAPIs to lead," Chen told CNN Business. "We're two-thirds of the world and there are still people who don't believe we can open films ... A single movie does not change the world forever, but it does start to stoke it."