Filipino American actress marries Buffalo Bills quarterback

FACEBOOK

Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen tie the knot in California.

Filipino American actress Hailee Steinfeld walked down the aisle and married osh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills.

Steinfeld, who garnered an Oscar nomination at the age of 14, married Allen in a garden setting in California last Saturday, May 31.

Allen, just signed a six-year contract with the Bills reportedly worth $30 million and Stenfeld, best known for her roles in the Pitch Perfect franchise and as Kate Bishop, a super archer, in the Marvel franchise have publicly been a couple for almost two years.

He proposed to her in the middle of the National Football League season as the Buffalo Bills were in pursuit of a championship, in  November, 2024 in Malibu, California.

Steinfeld, 28, is the daughter of a Jewish father and a Filipino American mother. Her maternal grandfather was half Filipino and half African American. 

In her latest roled as role as the multi-racial Mary in the film Sinners, Steinfeld was able to more deeply explore her family history and her Filipino roots, leading to deeper connections with her mother and grandfather. She has also spoken about the importance of Filipino food and culture in her life.

“It's not often necessarily about yourself all the time. It's about the character,” she tells Refinery29. “But with Sinners, I was constantly thinking about my situation, my family, my ancestors, my grandfather in each [scene] we were in and talking about.”

Steinfeld says she spent hours speaking with her mom, learning about their family history, particularly her maternal grandfather’s racial identity as half Filipino and half African American. 

During this process, it wasn’t just his identity that she uncovered; it was also his upbringing, his parents, and the broader lineage of her ancestors. It was a process she hadn’t realized she needed — one that helped her make sense of things in her own life.

“This role has brought me closer to myself, to my family, and my family history,” she says in the Refinery29 interview.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Met Gala gowns worn by Saweetie, Hailee Steinfeld and Gemma Chan make fashion statements

Saweetie's gown stressed her dual racial heritage.

The theme for this year’s Met Gala was "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" and each attendee was expected to show up in attire representing an interpretation of that concept. Clearly,  rapper Saweetie aced the assignment.

There is no doubt about the message sent by the Filipino American performer and the gown she wore to the Met Gala last weekend.

“I’m wearing Christian Cowan and I have two flags dedicatedly draped on my body,” she told ESSENCE correspondent Gia Peppers.

“One is them is the Black American heritage flag and one of them is a Filipino flag because I’m a Blackapino girl and that’s what makes me an American,” she continued. The flags on accentuated both sides of the performer’s body and formed two trains that draped down the museum’s iconic steps.

Hailee Seinfeld's "white" appearance raised some eyebrows.

On the other hand, Hailee Steinfeld's fashion statement rendered her completely unrecognizable. Except for her brown eyes, any hint of her Filipino heritage has been completely erased.

The actor and singer went with blonde wig and matching bleached eyebrows . She also wore matte makeup that was one tone, without much color on her lips or cheeks.

Steinfeld wore a dress by Dutch couture designer Iris van Herpen with an environmental theme. The Instagram page for van Herpen's line explains that the dress Steinfeld chose, the Magnetosphere dress, is made out of recycled plastic trash tossed into the ocean. "The Magnetosphere dress is created with Parley Ocean Plastic®️, sourced from upcycled marine debris in collaboration with Parley for the Oceans," reads an Instagram post from July.

The question is: Was going whiteface her intended message? Was her appearance a political statement about representation in Hollywood? Iff so, it would be a case of redundancy. Steinfeld, whose grandfather was Filipino, has never played a person of color in any of her movies. She hasn't attempted to shed any light on her appearance in any of her social media.

Gemma Chan, left, was inspired by pioneer actress Anna May Wong.

Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians, The Eternals) used the high fashion event to pay tribute to Anna May Wong, the first Asian American Hollywood star.

Chan's dress had a dragon pattern on her Prabal Gurung minidress resembled a gown Wong wore in the 1934 film Limehouse Blues. An oversized, green bow that flowed into a train tied the dress together.

In an Instagram post featuring an image of Wong, Chan asked, "Who gets to be an American?"

Hailee Steinfeld joins the Marvel universe as new superhero

INSTAGRAM

Hailee Steinfeld was seen filming in New York City's subway, carrying a bow.

While most of the world's focus is on the coronavirus pandemic, the Georgia's Senate race and the ravings of the madman in the White House, there are other things going on -- important things. Important things such as: Is Hailee Steinfeld the latest actress to be cast as a Marvel superhero? and, is the character half-Asian?

For over a year, speculation has run rampant on social media that the 24-year-old Steinfeld was being sought to play Kate Bishop, a central figure in Marvel's new universe of superheroes.

What? Who is Kate Bishop, you ask?

Kate Bishop, created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung, is the daughter of a rich family. A victim of an attack by thugs, she trains in the martial arts and eventually becomes the leader of the Young Avengers, a group of young whipper-snappers who want to emulate their heroes, the Avengers led by Captain America.

Excitement has been building for a year since it was announced that Marvel wanted to cast Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, but contract negotiations apparently was a rocky road as no official announcement of Steinfeld taking the role has been formally announced.

I'm not sure about the origins of the rumor that Kate Bishop is half Asian -- perhaps its wishful projections, but the rumor has refused to die.

Kate BIshop's ethnicity has never been raised in the comics. Perhaps it's her black hair, a propensity to wearing shades and that particular hue of Bishop's skin possessed by many mixed-race individuals. Maybe, as the artist, Cheung -- in the form of a  guerrilla act -- has given the character a racially ambiguous appearance to spur the debate.

Artist Cheung said in a Tumblr Q&A that he “definitely never thought of her as Asian at all, but I can understand how people might interpret her that way from my art style.”

I take that as "Maybe she could be ..."

Many of the fans of Kate Bishop have assumed her racial heritage and raised alarms when Steinfeld's name was raised as the actress to play their favorite character. They said it was a another "whitewashing" case like Ghost In A Shell when Scarlett Johansson played the role of the Asian lead character.

Those readers apparently didn't know of Steinfeld's real Filipino background via her grandfather. 

Hailee Steinfeld, left, and the character Kate Bishop, aka Hawkeye.

At any rate, a social media campaign arose asking Marvel to emphasized and confirm Kate Bishop's mixed racial heritage.

All this debate was going on for a year and Steinfeld still had not signed on the dotted line, but this week, sharp-eyed comicbook fans recorded the filming of the Young Avengers being done in New York. Indeed, Steinfeld was seen carrying a bow -- Kate Bishop's signature weapon -- and she was wearing a purple outfit, just like Kate Bishop.

Now that Steinfeld's casting has been confirmed, Marvel should seriously consider allowing the hopeful speculation about her race become a reality. As a comicbook character, Kate Bishop is so ... so, white bread bland. It would be so much more interesting in her character development open the door to identity questions if she was part Asian. 

Some have pointed out that in the comics, Bishop has blue eyes. Filipinos with blue eyes are rare, but they do exist. so eye colors shouldn't be the reason to not be racially halo halo. (Hint: Google "Filipinos," "Blue eyes")

Steinfeld has never played a Filipino in the movies because Hollywood casting directors don't see her as a white woman. Certainly, she has reached point in her still-growing career that she can add depth to the characters that she plays by adding a bit of herself into the role.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions.

Float, Dickinson nominated for Peabody awards

A Filipino American father and son are the main characters in 'Float.'

This year's Peabody Award nominees have been announced and the Disney+ Original Pixar Sparkshort Float and Apple TV+'s Dickinson have been nominated in the Entertainment category.

The Peabody Awards board of jurors on Wednesday (April 6) revealed its 60 nominees for the most compelling and empowering stories released in 2019 across TV, radio and digital media.

Created by Pixar animator Bobby Rubio, Float features the first Filipino American animated characters, which the artist based on his relationship with his son who is autistic.

 

Peabody describes Float as a "figuratively and literally uplifting animated short about parenting a child who is different from their peers."

Dickinson stars Filipino American actor Hailee Steinfeld. Peabody dsscribes the period series: "While set in the appropriate time, this historical dramedy about famous poet Emily Dickinson is infused and energized by a fresh, contemporary sense and sensibility." 

It is the first Peabody nomination for Disney+ and Apple TV+.

Float and Dickinson are nominated against huge hits such as Chernobyl, Fleabag, Stranger Things, Watchman and many more. 

Hailee Steinfeld portrays the poet Emily Dickinson in 'Dickson.'

The Peabody Awards represent the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. 

The nominees were chosen by unanimous vote of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

“Peabody is proud to champion this year’s nominees who inspire our connection, provoke our thinking and delight our senses. From the communal strength of black women to the eminence of science to the conviction of those who speak up, these stories and their creators celebrate the diversity of human experience and of our democracy,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. “

"Amidst the challenges of our present moment, we can find empathy, entertainment and truth in these nominees.”

Being Filipino: Hailee Steinfeld is waiting for a script where she can portray a Filipina.

'In the right light,' you can see the Filipino side of Hailee Steinfeld.

Poor Hailee Steinfeld, of mixed racial heritage, the movie star is almost always cast as a white character. She's hoping to find a script that will allow her to play a Filipina.

Many people are surprised to learn that the Oscar-nominated actress (True Grit) is part-Filipino. Just look at her. Without makeup, in the right light and right angle, you can see the Filipino in her; plain as day. Put her in the Philippine sun for a day and it becomes so obvious.

Her grandfather, Ricardo Domasin, was half-Filipino so she can claim to be one-eighth Filipino. So don't hate her because she doesn't look like what most people think Filipinos should look like because then you'd have to hate Darren Criss, Enrique Iglesias, Jordan Clarkson, Tamlyn Tomita and Sharon Leal, among others.

Hate takes so much negative energy. Instead, revel in the fact that these people are proud to be who and what they are.

If the young singer/actress, whose Dickinson series streaming on Apple TV+, was nominated for a Peabody award Friday, doesn't talk a whole lot about being part-Filipino it is not her fault. Interviewers just aren't asking the right questions. They are more interested in asking about her latest album or newest movie than they are to ask about her race.

We were lucky to find this interview on the Kelley Clarkson show aired in February of this year in which she proudly proclaims her Filipino roots. It's not the first time she's pointed to her Filipino roots. Last year while promoting Bumblebee, she told the interviewer:

"I have not [come across a story where there's a Filipino character, but if I did, I absolutely would love to," she said. "It's something I am very proud of ... So yeah, if there was ever a part, I would love to play it."

If you're a scriptwriter, please, write a screenplay for Steinfeld so she can play a character more like herself. With her star power, you can be sure it will be green-lit.

For the US Census, Filipino Americans once again face that question of identity

DIOKNO

A Filipino American family with six generations reflects America.

OPINION

With the US Census mailing out their questionnaires this week to all US households (and even those without households), Filipino Americans will once again confront that recurring question of "what the heck am I?"

The US Census is taking place as required by the Constitution. Every ten years the government must count all the people living within its borders, citizens, greencard holders, those here on a special visa and those who here without proper documentation. Everyone!

One of the questions the Census is asking for is the respondent's race or ethnicity. That's a tougher question for some than for others.

Information on race is required for many Federal programs and is critical in making policy decisions, particularly for civil rights and voting rights. States use these data to meet legislative redistricting principles. Race data also are used to promote equal employment and educational opportunities and to assess racial disparities in health and environmental risks.Among Asians, Filipinos are probably the most racially fluid. Undoubtedly, some old-timers with Hispanic surnames will include themselves as Hispanic. Some super-patriotic ex-military-types will skip the question because they proudly think of themselves as "American."

For my fellow Filipino Americans and Filipinos living in the US, this year should be a no-brainer. The Census makes it easy for those questioning their identity, there's a box for "Filipino." Check it!

Since 1960, people were allowed to choose their own race. This year’s Census will have the same categories for people of Asian descent it used in 2010: “Chinese,” “Japanese,” “Filipino,” “Korean,” “Asian Indian,” “Vietnamese,” and “Other Asian.”

Personally, I go by the one-drop rule, but I leave that up to the individual for whatever you feel comfortable with. Hell, under my definition, even Hailee Steinfeld, who claims 1/16th Filipino heritage and has not yet played a Filipino in any of her movie roles, can mark down "Filipino." The more the merrier, I say. 

(That's not a knock on Hailee. For the record, she says she'd love to play a Filipino in honor of her grandfather, but she's never been offered a script that calls for her to play a Filipino.)

AM I REALLY FILIPINO?

Oh, I know there are those haughty purists out there who would reject my identity because I don't speak a Filipino dialect, or that I was raised in the US, or I speak English without an American accent.  They'd likely tell me, "You're not a real Filipino," whatever "real" means. 

To hell with them. That's their problem.

It took awhile, but growing up in the multi-cultural California,  decided long ago that I am a  Filipino. They don''t know about the slurs I suffered growing up.  They don't know the times I was left out, the times I was marginalized, forgotten, rejected, passed over or ignored ... all because of the color of my skin or my ethnicity.

Some years ago, a cousin immigrated to the US from Manila. College-educated, young, hip. After awhile, he joined a local Filipino folkdance group. 

He told me, "in the Philippines I never would have joined such a group. I never would have learned to dance the tinikling," or consider joining a folk dance troupe. He had always took for granted being Filipino. In the Philippines, he never had to think about or choosing to be Filipino.

So, like me, he arrived at the moment where he had to define himself in this new land. Our journeys may have taken different paths but we both arrived at the same conclusion: Instead of being ashamed or rejecting his heritage, he chose to embrace being Filipino.

During the 70s when the Asian American civil rights movement was in its infancy, the question always arose: Are Filipinos Asian or Pacific Islander?

Geographically and if you trace the DNA of Polynesians, Filipinos can identify as both. At some point during an ice age, the Philippines was connected to main land mass of Asia when the adventurous found their way there.

There are also recent studies from the University of Adelaide that says the Philippines could be the ancestral homeland of the Polynesians, whose forebears colonized the Pacific about 3,200 years ago. 

The Census doesn't take into account the polyglot nature of Filipinos. Three hundred years of Spanish rule and a half-century being told that America is the gold standard for civilization. Because of its geographical location along ocean trade routes, there has been a steady stream of Chinese immigrant traders and merchants, South Asians have been going to the Philippines just as long, remnants of the Vietnamese refugees and Japanese military and economic incursions. And you can't discount the back-and-forth from Indonesia and Borneo seafarers who for centuries have been crossing the oceans like forever to visit relatives irrespective of political boundaries.

That's been a recurring theme in Philippine history: Take what the newcomer brings to the table, give it a local twist and the adaptive process changes both groups of people -- the immigrant and the indigenous folk -- culturally, linguistically, gastronomically or physically. 

In this respect, Filipinos and the Philippines are a lot like Americans and the US. With the waves of immigrants from around the world, the default image of an American should no longer be the white American male. Like Americans (should see themselves), the Filipino is the sum total of all these influences.

TWITTER

Actress Hailee Steinfeld, left, and her mother Cheri Doomain-Steinfeld.

HOW TO ANSWER IF YOU'RE OF MIXED HERITAGE

It gets a bit more complicated if you're of more than one racial heritage, ie the aforementioned Hailee, but the same question also faces Filipino American celebrities such as Darren Criss, H.E.R., Asia Jackson, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dave Bautista, Vanessa Hudgens, Jordan Clarkson, Sharon Leal, Enrique Iglesias and Bruno Mars among others. 

The Census allows you to check more than one box. And if your racial heritage doesn't have a box. you can write in the missing ethnicity or race. The Census Bureau projects that the US's multiracial population will triple by 2060. In other words, about 1 in 5 Americans will identify themselves as multiracial so don't think you're alone if you're uncertain.

The Census allows the responder to self-identify. Here is what the Census has to say for those with multiple racial or ethnic origins:

An individual’s response to the race question is based upon self-identification. The Census Bureau does not tell individuals which boxes to mark or what heritage to write in. For the first time in Census 2000, individuals were presented with the option to self-identify with more than one race and this continues with the 2010 Census. People who identify with more than one race may choose to provide multiple races in response to the race question. For example, if a respondent identifies as "Asian" and "White," they may respond to the question on race by checking the appropriate boxes that describe their racial identities and/or writing in these identities on the spaces provided.

Unfortunately, there are full-blooded Filipinos on Guam and Hawaii who will mark down Chamorro or Hawaiian. Nothing wrong with that if that's how you identify, but don't forget to include to write in Filipino, too.

The question on race and ethnicity appears in the 2020 Census questionnaire.

Getting an accurate count is important for political purposes, for health data, economic and educational opportunities and representation in the general culture. We're here and we want acknowledgement of our presence and our needs.

Just to be clear, when the US Census asks what ethnicity you are, if you have any trace of Filipino blood in you, please check "Filipino." Do NOT Check "Other" or write in "Pacific Islander."

Though my family's roots are from the Philippines, our relatives in the US extend through a multitude of races and runs the spectrum of all shades of beige, black and brown. That talent of adaptation and transformation is America, but Filipinos have been doing it longer.

In a 2019 interview, Haliee said, “I have Filipino blood in me and I’m so proud of that." So Hailee, which box will you check?

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

TGIF Feature: Hailee Steinfeld,drops new video/song 'Capital Letters'

HAILEE STEINFELD just dropped her newest song "Capital Letter" prior to the release of the movie 50 Shades Freed.

RELATED: Who has the right to call oneself Asian?

"Capital Letters" is the Filipina/American's collaboration with songwriter and producer BloodPop,  for the latest movie of the 50 Shades franchise. The film is yet another, albeit darker, sexual fantasy flick. This one's got a happy ending, though.

RELATED: Hailee Steinfeld interviewed by 'Marie Claire'

The video is a reflection of the fantasy part of the movie, getting whisked away to exotic locales by a rich, handsome stranger. Enjoy!
_______________________________________________________________________

Hailee Steinfeld on 'Marie Claire' cover

FILIPINA/AMERICAN actress Hailee Steinfeld is the cover model for Marie Claire magazine's February issue.

Her interview covers a wide range of subjects, including her first crush, favorite TV show but her eyes light up when the subject turns to her music.

“As an actor, I’m masked by characters, protected by them. But as a musician, it’s my story, my voice, my face,” she explains. “It’s me on that stage talking about that horrible experience I went through and [saying,] ‘Here, I’m going to sing about it.’ It’s such a different kind of vulnerable. To connect with fans, there’s pressure in feeling like I have to do things that I’m uncomfortable with, in terms of opening up enough about myself.”

It seems that she's been around forever, but she's only 21. She broke onto the scene with her Oscar-nominated role in True Grit when she was only 14.

The busy actress/singer followed up her role in The Edge of Seventeen, for which she earned a Golden Globes nomination for best actress, with a singing role in Pitch Perfect 3, which is in the theaters now. She is finishing work on Bumblebee, the Transformers movie due out December 2018.

Here are some more tidbits from her interview, courtesy of a Marie Claire preview:

On being in love:

“I’m trying to protect myself and have a bit of a guard up, but I also want to fall in love and know why love hurts.”

On advice she'd give to her younger self:

“Listen to yourself. So many people will try and steer you in a certain direction—not saying that that’s the wrong direction at all—but you have to know what’s right for you. Trust yourself, follow your heart, and do what makes you happy. Don’t forget to live for yourself.”

On using her platform for good:

“I’ve worked hard and gotten to a place where I have a voice: How can I use it? What can I, as a human, as an artist, do?”

The Marie Claire February issue will be on the stands Tuesday, Feb. 9. 
______________________________________________________________________________ 

Bruno Mars wins entertainer of the year at AMA

Bruno Mars thanks his fans via a video.

THE LAST TIME Bruno Mars won at the American Music Awards was in 2011.

Last night, the Hawaii-born Filipino/American artist made up for the 6-year dry spell by winning seven awards, including entertainer of the year. Mars also won video of the year and favorite male artist, pop/rock, favorite soul/R&B album and favorite pop/rock album.

Hailee Steinfeld

Mars wasn't able to accept the award in person because he is in the middle of his 24K tour. He did appear in a video - that was shot as he was traveling in a van - to thank his fans.

Other Asian and Asian/American artists who made an impression included Filipino/American Hailee Steinfeld, who joined Alesso and Georgia Line, to sing "Let Me Go."

Making their first U.S. national TV debut was the Korean boy band BTS singing in Korean. What was surprising that the group's young fans sang along. Judging by the wild enthusiastic reception, we'll be hearing more about this group.

When was the last time we had three AAPI and Asian entertainers on a major U.S. music awards show?

Korean boy band BTS made a strong impression at the AMA.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hailee Steinfeld on Cosmo's cover

HAILEE STEINFELD made the cover of Cosmpolitan magazine's December issue that's on the news stands now.

It's the first time the Filipina American made the cover of the fashion/advice magazine. I'd venture to guess it is the first time a Filipina American made the cover.

Hailee has grown up. It's a long way from her first cover in Westlake Magazine when - at only 12 years of age - she nominated for the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role in the motion picture True Grit. 

Cosmopolitan has two articles about the busy actress and recording artist. Here's tease:

A celebrity she’d like to recruit for the Bellas: “Chrissy Teigen.”Her dream duet partner is: “Drake.”
Her first kiss was: “The summer going into 6th grade. I set my expectations waaay too high.”
She feels sexiest when: “I’m onstage performing for my fans.”

Her latest movie, Pitch Perfect 3, about thte tirals and travails of all-female a capella singing group, will be released Dec. 22.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Will Kumail Nanjiani's SNL gig break down stereotypes?

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Kumail Nanjiani hosted "Saturday Night Live."

KUMAIL NANJIANI made the most of his stint as guest host on Saturday Night Live, last night (Oct. 14) let's hope it opens the doors for other Asian American performers.

He wasn't afraid to make the primarily white viewership a bit uncomfortable touching on topics other comedians have not gone:

• He's Muslim;
• He's an immigrant;
• He married a white woman;
• The Koran on women drivers;
• Sikhs mistaken as Muslims

SNL has gotten so comfortable in the Trump era; it needs to shake things up, like having an Asian American hosting the venerable satiric show.

Nanjiani is the second Muslim and South Asian to host SNL after Aziz Ansari did the job earlier this year. In its 42-year old history, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan are the only other two Asian Americans to do the show's  opening monologue and Samoan/American Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson did the job last May.

What?! SNL can't find any AAPI performers? Why hasn't Margaret Cho ever been called? Or, Ken Jeong? Or, Constance Wu? Or, Randall Park? All of the aforementioned entertainers have proven comedic acting resumes.

Is there a clause in the Comedy Central contracts that prevent's SNL from calling on Hasan Minhaj or Ronny Chieng?

Here's thinking out of the box: John Cho. Remember, he got his first big break starring as a stoner in the stereotype buster Harold & Kumar comedy franchise.

Since we' brought up Harold & Kumar, what about Cho's costar and fellow stoner Kal Penn, whose credentials include working in the White House.

Hailee Steinfeld and Vanessa Hudgens, both singers and actors, have proven themselves as more than capable hosts, doing the emcee chores for Billboard's Women in Music last year and the Billboard Music Awards this year respectively. Both have substantial fan bases  in that critical Millennial age bracket and they go beyond the just the Asian American community.

At any rate, let's hope that Nanjiani's and Ansari's successful stints opens some eyes at Saturday Night Live that AAPI performers can be funny, hip and express themselves beyond being "inscrutable."
______________________________________________________________________________

The Oscars: More AAPI appearances than expected

Auli'i Carvalho wasn't fazed by one of the flags representing the moving ocean, brushed her hair as she was singing.

SIXTEEN-YEAR OLD Auli'i Cravalho showed how much a pro she is when a banner hit her in the head while singing 
"How Far I'll Go," which was nominated for Best Song for the Academy Awards.

Fortunately, the banner barely grazed her, slightly missing up her hair, but the Hawaiian/American, who provided the voice for Moana in the animated film of the same name, kept on smiling and singing as if nothing happened.

The song didn't win (the award went to "City of Stars" from La La Land) but the teenager's performance and natural good looks was a breath of fresh air in an auditorium full of movie industry big wigs, big names, silicon implants, nose jobs and face lifts. Considering the ovation she received from the audience and the fact it was the first time the world saw her live (not in animated form), that last night, a star was born. I wouldn't be surprised if she shows up onstage in a Lin-Manuel Miranda production.

I loved the "real" look she expressed as she was receiving a standing ovation. It was a combination look of relief and "I-told-you-I-could-do-it."

After Auli'i Cravalho's performance, she gave this look to someone in the audience.

The flag incident wasn't the only goof-up on the show watched by millions across the globe. The biggest mistake occurred at the end of the show.

While naming the winner of the Best Picture, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly announced La La Land. Midway through the thank you speeches, it was announced that there was a mistake. The real winner was Moonlight. The La La Land crew was gracious in handing over their Oscars to the the Moonlight actors, director and producers.

It's a good thing that I wasn't playing the drinking game during the Oscars telecast last night. You know, every time an Asian appeared, drink a shot of scotch. With the number of Asian appearances, I might be so incapacitated that I wouldn't be able to write this post.

Newlyweds Patrick and Eulery were interviewed by emcee Jimmy Kimmel.

Besides Auli'i, there was a surprising number of AAPI folks representing during the show than expected. It was as if the camera people were told to zoom in on people of color in order to  beat back #OscarsSoWhite that's haunted the awards show the last two years: the wife of an awards winner; Patrick and Yulree, the anonymous honeymooning couple who were in a tour group that was surprised when they walked into the middle of the Oscar telecast, introduced to the star-filled audience and got to meet and shake hands with some of the biggest names in the movies.

Dwayne Johnson, looking dapper in his tux, introduced his Moana co-star, Auli'i Carvalho. 

RELATED:

• Hollywood has mainly a black and white view of America
• The Anna Awards are for overlooked AAPI artists

It was good to see Jackie Chan introduced and get some screen time and a round of applause for wining an honorary Oscar in an earlier, separate ceremony. 

Filipino/American Hailee Steinfeld looked stunning wearing a Ralph & Russo creation as she gave out the Oscars for best animated features with actor Gael Garcia Bernal. Zootopia beat out Moana.

John Cho was funny and charming, Hailee Steinfeld was beautiful, Riz Ahmed looked like James Bond and Dev Patel looked at ease on stage as the AAPI actors introduced or presented awards.

Illustrator Tyrus Wong was among the people honored in the Memoriam segment.

Emcee Jimmy Kimmel found Sunny Pawar, the young star of Lion, in the audience. Sunny is so adorable, he continues to capture the hearts of Hollywood.

Then there were the four anonymous Chinese fans in a clip explaining (in a Chinese dialect) why they like the movies (perhaps a nod to the emerging audience in China).

Anonymous Chinese fan.

John Legend performed "City of Stars," the Oscar-winning song from La La Land,  and wherever the singer performs, his wife, model Chrissy Teigen is not far away. The camera loves Teigen and often pans over to her as her husband sings.

Unfortunately, someone got a picture of her (see below) during the awarding of the Best Actor category near the end of the show -- which went to Casey Affleck's work in Manchester -- and posted it online. Uh ... perhaps Teigen's apparent slumber can best be explained by the fact that she was spotted making her way to the bar prior to the show. 

More likely, though, as any mother to an infant can understand; sometimes the exhausting work of being a mother catches up to you at the most unexpected time.

Chrissy Teigen, center, was found napping in the long, long awards show.

All in all, it was a fairly enjoyable show. The goof-ups added a bit of unrehearsed action that added to the entertainment.

At least we didn't have any crude anti-Asian jokes coming from Kimmel or any of the presenters although Kimmel was chided for making fun of Yulree's name. I think there was a pretty good blowback against those jokes that marred last year's Oscar telecast and it shows the value of speaking out and the power of social media.

Let's see: That would have been 13 shots of scotch, in case you're counting. Enough to put anyone over.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Earlier versions of this post misspelled Yulree's name.

###

.

How did AAPI actors fare in the Critics Choice & Golden Globes?

Dev Patel in 'Lion' was nominated as a supporting actor.

HAILEE STEINFELD and Dev Patel got shut out in the Critics Choice Awards but they still have a chance for a Golden Globe Awards

It's award-show season and Asian/American actors are getting recognized, even if they don't bring home the statuettes.

Hailee Steinfeld

If the two awards shows are predictors for Oscar nominations, the Academy Awards should be more diverse than it has been the last two years when no actors of color were nominated in any of the acting category spawning the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

Nevertheless, AAPI actors are considered long shots for any of the categories they were nominated in but that's better than not being recognized at all.

Filipina/American actress Steinfeld, who convincingly played a white teenager in Edge of Seventeen, lost out to Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea in the Critics Choice category of Best Young Actor/Actress and to Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins in the Critics category of Best Actress in a Comedy.

Moonlight's Mahershala Ali got the nod over Dev Patel in Lion for the Best Supporting Actor category of the Critics Choice.

The Critics also favored Kate McKinnon of Saturday Night Live over Constance Wu in Fresh Off the Boat in the Best TV Actress in a Comedy Series.

Steinfeld was also nominated for a Golden Globes Award in the category for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy where she faces some stiff competition.

Patel also received a nomination in the Globe's awards in the category Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.

In the category of Best Animated Feature, there were two AAPI-related nominees: Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings.

Moana also got a nomination for Best Original Song for "How Far I'll Go."

The HBO movie The Night Of, the story of Muslim/American young man caught in a web of sex and murder and gave us an inside look at the American criminal justice system received three nominations, in the category of Motion Picture Made for Television and actors Riz Ahmed and John Turturro will compete against each other for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series.

Riz Ahmed was praised for his performance in 'The Night of.

###