Emmy nominations remind us AAPI representation on television falls short of reality

Bowen Yang on "Saturday Night LIie" was nominated for an Emmy

OPINION

Just as it might appear that Asian representation on American television is at an all time high with a record number of shows featuring Asian leads, along comes the Emmy nominations to remind us that AAPI actors, producers and writers have a long, long way to go to achieve anything resembling real life.

There were zero number of Asian and Asian American actors in any of the categories for lead actors, the categories that get the most media attention and are featured in prime time during the broadcast.

Nevertheless, we celebrate Bowen Yang for getting nominated for his part(s)  on "Saturday Night Live" with an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in A Comedy.

Congratulations are due, too for Philippa Soo getting nominated in the Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for her heartbreaking role in "Hamilton;" and Max Minghella of "The Handmaid's Tale" was nominated in Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

There has been an improvement in Asian representation on television but if you're not a TV addict or someone who actively looks for Asian and Asian American stories and actors in featured roles, Asian and Asian American representation continues to look abysmal.

We are grateful for Mindy Kaling's "Never Have I Ever," "Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens," Netflix's "Warrior," and Disney's 'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" starring Olivia Rodrigo, "Blue's Clues" host Joshua Dela Cruz, Lou Diamond Phillips in "Prodigal Son," Sandra Oh in "Killing Eve," Michelle Yeoh in "Star Trek: Discovery" and the increase of secondary roles awarded to AAPI actors in a number of series, but the fact that I can name practically all the shows and actors in one paragraph leads us the sad conclusion that Hollywood is far from seeing America for what it is.

These Emmy statistics, of course, are linked to the overall underrepresentation of Asian and Pacific Islanders on television. Actors of Asian descent made up 1.7%, 3.1% and 1.8% of lead roles across broadcast, cable and digital shows, respectively, during the same time period (while making up 5.6% of the U.S. population, according to UCLA's “Hollywood Diversity Report 2020: A Tale of Two Hollywoods”

Following are the nominations in the major categories (minus the technical nominations) featuring Asian American artists.

PEN15 starring Maya Erskine -- Best Comedy

Maya Erskine, “PEN15” (“Play”) -- Best Writing for A Comedy

Yahlin Chang, “The Handmaid’s Tale” (“Home”) -- Writing for A Drama Series

Janet Mock , “Pose” (“Series Finale”) -- Writing for A Drama Series

Padma Lakshmi, "Top Chef -- Outstanding Host for a Reality Program

Tan France of “Queer Eye" -- Outstanding Host for a Reality Program

Brett Chan, Stunt Coordinator, "Warrior" -- Outstanding Stunt Coordination

In an upset, Sandra Oh's costar wins acting award

Actor Jodie Comer seeks out her 'Killing Eve' costar Sandra Oh during the Emmy awards.

The coveted Emmy continues to elude Sandra Oh.

Oh's Killing Eve costar Jodie Comer won the Best Lead Actress in a Drama Sseries at Sunday's Emmy Awards show.

Oh has been nominated nine times for an Emmy but has never won. She was nominated twice for Killing Eve and five straight years for her portrayal of Dr. Christina Yang on Grey's Anatomy. This year, she was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her stint as a Saturday Night Live host. Her nine nominations has won her the dubious title of being the most nominated Asian American for the television's prestigious trophy.

Besides Oh, Comer also beat a bevy of heavyweight actresses, including: Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), Laura Linney (“Ozark”), Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”), Robin Wright (“House of Cards”), and Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder”).

"I just didn't expect it," she admitted after the show. "The women in that category are so phenomenal, and I felt very lucky to be there and be here."

Oh was widely expected to win the category after winning the Golden Globes and SAG awards in the same category. When Comer's name was announced, it caught her completely by surprise. The first thing she did was to go to Oh and embrace her. 

"I think I said I loved her and I appreciated her," Comer told ET's Kevin Frazier backstage, revealing what she whispered to Oh on her way to the stage. "Because honestly, this whole experience we've gone through together."

In accepting the award, Comer paid tribute to her costar. “It’s safe to say, Sandra, that this ‘Killing Eve’ journey has been an absolute whirlwind and I feel so lucky to have shared the whole experience with you,”

Oh was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her stint as a Saturday Night Live host. Jane Lynch won for her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

If Oh had won she would have been the first Asian American woman to win Best Lead Actress. 

Archie Panjabi became the first actor of Asian descent to win an acting Emmy (The Good Wife) -- for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2010. In 2017, Riz Ahmed  became the only Asian actor, male or female, to win a lead Emmy category.n acting prize for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Night Of.

The only other Asian American nominee was Maya Erskine . who with cowriter Anna Konkle,for Best Writer for a Comedy Series for their work in Hulu's PEN15. That category was won by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, for her writing for  took Fleabag..

While Asian Americans were shut out of the awards, Lilly Singh, Ken Jeong and Randall Park appeared on stage to introduce the nominees and winners in several categories.

Compared to past years, AAPI actors appear more plentiful in ead and supporting roles on television but none of them have translated to acting recognition. 

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Three Asian Americans receive Emmy nominations

Sandra Oh has been nominated in two categories for Emmys.

ASAM NEWS

There were three nice surprises this Tuesday morning as Ken Jeong and D’Arcy Carden announced the 2019 Emmy nominations.

Sandra Oh received a nomination for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for her hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. As expected, she also garnered another nomination as lead actress in a drama series, Killing Eve.

According to Entertainment Tonight, Oh is the most nominated Asian performer in history. She received five straight Emmy nominations from 2005-2009 for best supporting actress in Grey’s Anatomy. She was also nominated last year for Killing Eve as best actress. She has yet to win her first Emmy.

Kumail Nanjiani received his first Emmy nomination for a Twilight Zone episode.

The Academy also named Kumail Nanjiani as a nominee in the category of guest actor in a drama series for his appearance on The Twilight Zone. The Pakistani American comic is best known as the writer for his movie The Big Sick and for his role on HBO’s emmy-nominated series, Silicon Valley.

Maya Erskine, an Asian American, and costar Anna Konkle were nominated for their writing for "Anna IshiiiPeters" for an episode for Hulu's PEN15.

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Darren Criss wins historic Emmy; Sandra Oh snubbed

SCREEN CAPTURE

Darren Criss thanked his family for their love keeping him grounded.

LIKE A good Filipino son, Darren Criss thanked his family after winning the Emmy last night for his role in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. 

"Unlike the character I played, I was lucky enough to be raised in a home that was very loving and emphasized the value of hard work, compassion and not taking yourself too seriously," said Criss. Born to a mother from Cebu and a father of English, Irish, and German descent, Criss was raised in San Francisco.

Not only is Criss the first Filipino American to win an Emmy, but what makes the acting award even more unique and historic is that he played the role of Versace's murderer, Andrew Cunanan, who was a Filipino American.

"Oh, my God, you guys are witnessing the most extraordinary moment of my life thus far. I'm very privileged to be in this room among so many people who inspire the crap out of me, and I'm so honored to be nominated," Criss said in his accepting his award. "A lot of you guys, I've been a fan of for such a long time. Actors are really only as good as the moments they are given and the moments they are granted. So I am profoundly indebted to my friend Ryan Murphy for entrusting me with this opportunity of a lifetime and for believing in me."

The Assassination of Gianni Versace, nominated in eight categories, also won best drama in a limited series and for its casting.

Criss' win marks the second year in a row that an actor of Asian descent won the award. Last year, Asian Brit Riz Ahmed won in the same category for his role in The Night After.

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Sandra Oh brought her parents to the Emmy Awards. Her mother wore a traditional Korean hanbok.

The two other Asians nominated for Emmy's lost in their categories. Hiro Murai didn't win in the best director of a comedy series for Atlanta and Sandra Oh failure to win the Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her acting in the BBC spy thriller Killing Eve was a major snub. 

The best actress award went to Claire Foy of The Crown and Foy was expressed her surprise when she received the statuette. "This wasn't supposed to happen," Foy said when she took the stage to collect her first career Emmy. "Sandra Oh, I just love ya."

Despite her loss, Oh already made history for being the first Asian American actress to receive an acting nomination. This is the sixth time Oh has received an Emmy nomination.

In an earlier interview with ET, Oh said she hopes the Asian community continues to be proactive about getting their voices  and stories out into the world thanks to success of Crazy Rich Asians, Netflix's acclaimed teen romance To All the Boys I've Loved Before, John Cho's acclaimed thrillerSearching. 

The Chinese Canadian actress said she feels more comfortable expressing herself with color-blind roles like Killing Eve rather than politically. 

“Definitely understanding deeply that it’s not enough and to encourage our own community to find its own voice in its own way, that’s one thing that I feel we have not found our own footing yet. Because it has to be from us, uniquely in us, and there’s a lot to explore in that because Asians are very, very diverse," Oh said to ET. 

"Having been actively working in this space, where there has not been much representation at all and being [one] of the only visible faces, I feel like this is the only way that it works for me, I only look at it creatively."

The opening number "We Solved It," spoofed the Emmy's move towards inclusion, Saturday Night Live's kate McKinnon and Keenan Thompson introduced Oh. Oh said, "It's an honor just to be Asian." To which Thompson replied, "You see, there was none. Now there's one!"

That's no joke.

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Why isn't 'Into the Badlands' extraordinary fight scenes getting any respect?

Daniel Wu plays a rarely seen Asian American action hero in 'Into the Bandlands.'

HOLLYWOOD TALKS a good game about diversity on television, but when it comes to acting on widening the white worldview of the industry -- well, let's just say -- it's a long, slow process.

So when a show actually delivers on diversity, gives women prominent nonstereotypical roles, and week after week entertains us with the most thrilling action scenes on TV, we should be celebrating that show.

Daniel Wu, star of Into the Badlands -- Yes! He's a genuine Asian American action star -- let off a lot of steam over the weekend at what he perceives is an industry snub of his show. 

Here is the #Emmy list of nominees for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie 2018. I started to write a long detailed post about this but decided to see what your responses are first. I understand we are a genre show but we should OWN this category!!!Why do you think this happened? Why do you think we get no love within the industry? Action Coordination is the obvious one but what about Costume Design? Set Design? Cinematography? #snubbed 

He followed up with more tweets:

He's definitely got a point there. Into the Badlands employs one of the best fight choreographers in the world, Huan-Chiu Ku, who trained with the legendary Yuen Woo-ping (“The Matrix”) and has worked on the “Kill Bill” films, “Once Upon a Time in China II,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Before shooting starts for the new season, the actors are required to go through a boot camp of sorts so they can do the complicated fight scenes convincingly and without doubles.

The actors do most their own fight stunts without any camera coverups of fast-cuts, hard to see scenes in the dark or cutaways. It's like watching a long dance sequence where every maneurver, every step, kick, punch, block or sword swipe is meticulously timed and choreographed. If the timing is off or the action is sloppy, it could result in injury to the actors and stunt people.

The show's fight scenes are as good as, or better, than any fight scenes in the movies, when they have more time to rehearse. If you want to watch some breathtaking action, watch Season 1 fights below:

Wu wants a little respect for the show that he brought over from Hong Kong where the California-born actor gained fame in martial arts and romance movies.

Besides the action scenes, he believes Into the Badlands should have received nomiinations in costume and set design as well.

The show's premise takes place in a dystopian America where guns don't work. That allows the characters to become masters in swordplay and martial arts to settle disputes in this fantasy world.

Interestingly enough, Badlands gets very little promotion by its network, AMC, the same network that has the Walking Dead series and its spinoff Fear The Walking Dead. 

There is no merchandise associated with Badlands and the actors hardly ever go on tour or appear on other shows to promote the Badlands.

What's worst than an Emmy snub? Badlands is the sixth most watched show on the AMC network. Four of the five shows ahead of it have already been renewed. The other exception is Fear the Walking Dead. As of today (July 14), there's been no word about Into the Badlands' season four. 

Stream past episodes of Into the Badlands at the AMC website.
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