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| From top left, clockwise" Henry Golding, Lana Condor, Daneil Dae Kim, Eugene Lee Yang, Celia Au and Tzi Ma. |
The rising number of attacks against Asians and Asian Americans has pushed Hollywood's creative community to speak out against the senseless violence and the racialization of the coronavirus.
“Please, please stop the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people,” Lost and Hawaii Five-0 actor Daniel Dae Kim pleaded in an a tweet announcing that he had coronavirus. “Randomly beating elderly, sometimes homeless Asian Americans is cowardly, heartbreaking and it’s inexcusable.”
Awkwafina, who had just returned to the US, has voluntary placed herself in self-isolation, even though she has not shown any symptoms of the virus. She tweeted:“Have been away working for the past few months in all of this devastation, and wanted to make double sure I was OK to travel before coming back home to the U.S.,” she shared on Instagram.
“Haven’t said much about this whole thing because mostly I am just saddened by it. I worry for those who are most at risk for serious illness, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.”
“I am saddened by the rhetoric that has come out of this, and the cruelty that came as a result,” Awkwafina continued. “I hope that while we self isolate and socially distance to stay safe, we also stay sane and calm. Wishing everyone a sense of peace during this batshit crazy time – I will be locking myself up for the next 2 weeks rewatching the Tiger King. Love you all ❤️❤️❤️.”
Recording artist H.E.R. is joining headliners Elton John and Mariah Carey in a virtual concert Sunday (March 29) evening that will air on the Fox stations, 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
What makes it unique is all the artists will be performing from their living rooms, maintaining the stay-at-home recommendations by the CDC, thus avoiding the chance of spreading the virus in large gatherings. Proceeds will benefit coronavirus charities, including Feeding America, and honoring the first responders who represent the “strength and compassion” of America.
"We are chilled by the constant use by the president and his administration of that term," Takei said. "We have a long history of anti-Asian hatred in this country" Star Trek star George Takei, told USA Today.
"His doing that sends a cold chill throughout the Asian American community, because he's sending a signal to the haters and his constituencies, and there are plenty of them there," he said.
Takei has not been hesitant to pointedly criticized Trump. In a tweet, he posted: "We may not have a president, but we still have great leaders. Listen to them when they say #StayHome," he wrote.
In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Wu Assassins star Celia Au pointed out the irony that the people being attacked are also the people most active in fighting the virus. "Many Asian Americans work in the medical field," Au said. "They're already risking their lives going to work every day trying to save your life. By attacking them, they are afraid to go to work. They're afraid that on their way to work, they're going to get attacked by people. … If these people don't go to work, you're not going to get care."
In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Wu Assassins star Celia Au pointed out the irony that the people being attacked are also the people most active in fighting the virus. "Many Asian Americans work in the medical field," Au said. "They're already risking their lives going to work every day trying to save your life. By attacking them, they are afraid to go to work. They're afraid that on their way to work, they're going to get attacked by people. … If these people don't go to work, you're not going to get care."
Shannon Lee, daughter of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, recently wrote a not-so-subtle dig of Donald Trump who have pushed the term. "Chinese virus" when referring to the novel coronavirus — which has caused a global pandemic comprising overt a half-million confirmed cases of the disease COVID-19 and over 20,000 deaths.
"I want us all to understand there is no 'Chinese Virus.' A virus knows no nationality, and wherever and however it started, it does us no good to point fingers, ostracize, attack or demonize Asian people," she posted on her Facebook page.
Even though, Trump later cautioned against attacks against Asian Americans, the phrase is now partially blamed for the uptick of racist attacks against Asians and Asian Americans, from hate-filled messages on social media platforms to physical assaults in public.
Lana Condor, 22, star of To All the Boys I Ever Loved and its sequel To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, was even more blunt in her social media post to Trump:
“You should be ashamed of yourself. You call yourself a leader?” Condor continued. “You know what leaders do? They LEAD by setting good examples and ACTION. Something we’ve yet to see you do. You need to take notes on Chinese billionaire Jack Ma who is ACTUALLY leading – by donating tests and millions of masks to AMERICA, bc you haven’t.”
Golding's Crazy Rich Asians costar Gemma Chan used her voice to help the caregivers in the United Kingdom, which has universal healthcare.
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: star Chloe Bennet, sharing Condor's anger and frustration, said on Instagram, “I can’t tell you how many calls/texts I’ve received from family members, all of Asian descent, speaking to me about their extreme levels of anxiety, shame and fear,” ... “People are being verbally and physically attacked and Asian owned businesses boycotted. And this xenophobic rhetoric is the direct cause.”
On March 17, former Knicks player Jeremy Lin ripped into Trump's handling of the medical crisis and Trump's use of "Chinese virus,"
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| JEREMY LIN |
He added: “Can you honestly tell me there is ZERO anti-Chinese sentiment in all his characterizations of the virus? Can you honestly tell me Asians aren't being unfairly physically attacked today in the US? Is it that hard to use coronavirus or COVID-19? We playin the blame game in a crisis.”
From his home in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lin, who was preparing to return to China to finish off the season playing for the Beijing Ducks, tweeted:
“Excited to hoop again, but leaving the bay worried and with a heavy heart for the sick, the jobless and all those fighting fear, anxiety and stress over the unknown future. Shoutout to our medical staff in the 50 states for working tirelessly and everyone keep doing your part in slowing the virus!
He also added a message for his fans and why he's returning to China to play ball in trying times such as these.“The world needs basketball now more than ever. I still remember when I went through my toughest moments and worst injuries. You guys were there for me. I hope to return the favor. As all you beloved fans told me the day after my knee injury, keep fighting bc we’re #NeverDone.”
The Try Guys' Eugene Lee Yang shared a tweet posted March 13 that while at a local coffee shop, "an older woman in front of me demanded her drink get remade because her barista was Asian."
Yang tells The Hollywood Reporter that because he's a comedian, his response was rather abrasive (telling the woman while he was not Chinese, her "ugly-ass knockoff purse" was), but he understands not everyone can give that type of a response and get away with it.
"My job is literally clapping back every day online as a comedian. It wasn't hard for me," Yang tells THR. "That's not the truth or the situation for almost every other Asian American, particularly those who are elderly, those who might have a language barrier, those who are young, those who are female. They don't have that option." His biggest advice to those who experience hate amid the coronavirus outbreak is to "remember you're not bad inherently, you're not wrong."
The rising incidents of racism against Asians gave other celebrities the incentive to launch the "Wash The Hate" campaign, which encourages people to wash their hands, to stem the growth of the coronavirus.
Sparked by an incident that occurred to actor Tzi Ma while visiting a store when a man drove his car past him while saying, "You should be quarantined." The incident shocked the actor, who plays the father in the new incarnation of Mulan,
Mulan's Tzi Ma spoke with THR about a recent visit of his to Whole Foods in Pasadena. The actor said a man drove a car past him while saying, "You should be quarantined."
The campaign hopes it will encourage people to practice the CDC recommendation of washing one's hands frequently. But there's another message in the movement.
