Hollywood critics celebrate Asian Pacific cinema and television artists.

Elodie Yung won the Breakout Actress (television) award given by Critics Choice Association.

For the first time, Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the television and movie industries were cited for their achievements by the Critics Choice Association.

The Critics Choice Association handed out kudos and awards to celebrate Asian Pacific cinema and television Sunday, November 4, in Los Angeles. The event honored emerging and established talent in front of and behind the camera.

"We are thrilled with the response from the studios and networks and their support in recognizing the outstanding talent from the Asian American Pacific Islander community at our inaugural Celebration.," Critics Choice Awards CEO Joey Berlin said in a statement.

“For a first-time event, it makes us immensely proud to showcase these films and shows and shine a light on these extraordinary individuals,” said Critics Choice Association member and Co-Programmer/Co-Writer for the event Kylie Mar.

Ninety-three year old James Hong, who was awarded the Icon Award for his long career playing over 600 roles in movies and television thanked the CCA for staging the event. “To see an organization collect all these people together and work together and stop this hatred for Asians is our main goal I think, and just boost the whole level of Asian-Americans.”

Hong said he's still getting roles even at his advanced age. His latest role was in the film, Everything, Everywhere At Once.

Noticeably absent from any awards was Michelle Yeoh, whose performance in Everything, Everywhere At Once has been mentioned and promoted as a potential nominee for a Best Actress Academy Award.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment to assist with funding a Film Production Grant for one rising filmmaker.

The CCA also holds similar celebrations for Latino and Black artists, which will be held later this year. And the Critics Choice Awards will take place January 15, 2023.

Among those honored by Critics Choice, from top left, top row: Park Chan-Wook, Zoë Chao and John Cho. Bottom row:  Auli’i Cravalho, Jame Hong, Karyn Kusama and Nick Mohammed.

The full list of inaugural honorees follows:

Icon Award
Actor James Hong (career achievement, most recently A24's "Everything Everywhere All at Once")

Trailblazer Award
Producer and director Karyn Kusama (career achievement, most recently Showtime's "Yellowjackets")

Director (Film)
Park Chan-wook (MUBI's "Decision to Leave")

Director (Television)
Hwang Dong-hyuk (Netflix's "Squid Game")

Animated Film Award
Director and writer Domee Shi (Disney and Pixar's "Turning Red")

Showrunner
Soo Hugh (Apple TV+'s "Pachinko")

Social Justice Award
Director and producer David Siev (IFC Films' "Bad Axe")

Actor (Film)
John Cho (Prime Video's "Don't Make Me Go")

Actor (Television)
Nick Mohammed (Apple TV's "Ted Lasso")

Actress (Television)
Zoe Chao (Apple TV+'s "The Afterparty")

Breakthrough Actor (Film)
Joel Kim Booster (Searchlight's "Fire Island")

Breakthrough Actress (Film
Li Jun Li (Paramount's "Babylon")

Breakthrough Actress (Television)
Élodie Yung (Fox/Warner Bros. Television's "The Cleaning Lady")

Ensemble Award (Television)
Cast of Disney+'s "Ms. Marvel"

Rising Star (Film)
Auli'i Cravalho (Hulu's "Crush")

Rising Star (Television)
Park Eun-bin (Netflix's "Extraordinary Attorney Woo")

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

After 700 roles, actor James Hong honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

After 700 roles in his 70-year acting career, James Hong gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

When long-time actor James Hong received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Tuesday, he danced with lions.

“I’m here! I’m alive!,” exclaimed the energetic 93-year-old actor as the 2,723rd star on the Walk of Fame was unveiled, located at 6931 Hollywood Blvd., between Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the TCL Chinese Theater.

After he gave impromptu acceptance remarks, the Chinese dragon dancers began giving life to the cloth dragon amidst a cacophony of beating drums and clashing cymbals, Hong joined the group showing off some of own moves.

The sidewalk star for Hong, who has played over 700 film and television roles in his over 70-year career, was championed by Daniel Dae Kim, who gave some remarks prior to Hong's unexpected performance, sponsored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Kim made note that only 1% of 2723 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame were of Asian or Pacific Islander descent. Including this year's installment of stars, there are now 19 AAPI performers to receive the sidewalk honor.

“Though that number is entirely too low,” Kim said, “it does underscore the fact that we need to celebrate every single one of us who has been fortunate enough to be recognized, and that includes the other three AAPI [performers] who are being inducted this year. So let’s give it up for Ming-Na Wen, Jason Momoa and (Black Eyed Peas founding member) apl.de.ap,” the latter being the first Filipino American to receive the distinction.

Kim continued to say that he's "confident in saying that no one will have blazed the trail the way that James Hong has. … Today, during the heart of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, it’s only fitting that we honor someone who personifies the term ‘trailblazer.’”

In 1953, Hong left Minnesota, where he was born and studied engineering, to drive cross country on Route 66. He began his career during an era in Hollywood, where white actors would routinely play Asian characters. Realizing that Hollywood wouldn't be able to provide the roles Asian Americans deserved, Hong set out to carve his own space. Along with actor Mako Iwamatsu, Hong helped organize an Asian American acting group in Los Angeles, which became the legendary East West Players. East West Players has nurtured great talent over its 57 years. At one point, approximately 70% of Asian American actors in Hollywood had a connection to East West Players. 

Hong is one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood history, having amassed a total of 700 credits, which include 469 TV shows, 149 feature films, 32 short films, and 22 video games, from iconic films like "Blade Runner” and “Chinatown” to animated features like "Kung Fu Panda,” “Mulan” and classic television shows like "Seinfeld." 

His latest credits are “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Turning Red” and soon to be released “Gremlins,” “Wendell and Wild” and his own feature “Patsy Lee and the Five Kingdoms.”  Hong is the oldest honoree to receive a star on the Walk of Fame.

“What an honor to be able to celebrate such a prolific actor – James Hong is known for his historical contributions to the field of entertainment, his acting abilities and his perseverance. And at 93, he continues to prove that if you love something, you keep going. He is an inspiration for us all!” stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

From left: Ming-Na Wen, Jason Momoa and apl.de.ap.

Apl.de.ap is getting his Hollywood Walk of Fame star with the rest of the Black Eyed Peas members for the recording category. The Black Eyed Peas, which rose to fame with the 2003 single "Where is the love?" has since become one of the best-selling groups of all time, with an estimated 75 million records sold.

Wen has starred in numerous critical and blockbuster hits, such as "Joy Luck Club,"  “Mulan,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” and more recently, "Agents of Shield" and “The Mandalorian.” 

Jason Momoa, who is known for his superhero role “Aquaman,” and playing Khal Drogo, in "Game of Thrones." He currently stars in Apple TV's "See" and HBO Max's "Dune."

Besides the four AAPI actors, the Walk of Fame Class of 2022 includes the following names from the film and TV fields: Byron Allen, Greg Berlanti, Francis Ford Coppola, Macaulay Culkin, Willem Dafoe, Carrie Fisher, Ricky Gervais, Salma Hayek, Helen Hunt, Michael B. Jordan, Regina King, Peter Krause, Ray Liotta, Ewan McGregor, Adam McKay, Bob Odenkirk, Holly Robinson Peete, Norman Reedus, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jean Smart, Kenan Thompson and Tessa Thompson.

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

TGIF Feature: Money raised for a sidewalk star for veteran actor James Hong

Daniel Dae Kim, left, is working to get James Hong a, right, star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Actor James Hong is perhaps the most recognizable Asian American actor in Hollywood with over 600 credits on stage, television and movies to his name.

But the general public would be hard pressed to know his name.  

Daniel Dae Kim launched a campaign to to give James Hong the recognition he deserves with a star in Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

"It's time James Hong was honored in the way he deserves, and it's time to show him how much he -- and all the actors of color of earlier generations -- have done to pave the way for us today," says Kim, who starred in Lost and Hawaii Five-O.

Hong is a Hollywood icon. He has over 600 credits to his name and has helped inspire the careers of numerous Asian American actors.

You may know him as the maître d' in the episode of "Seinfeld" titled "The Chinese Restaurant." Or as David Lo Pan in "Big Trouble In Little China," or as the guy who backflipped his way out of a fight in "Wayne's World 2."

Now, actor Daniel Dae Kim wants to right that wrong. He created a podcast detailing Hong's storied career.

Kim also launched a GoFundMe page to raise $50,000 to pay for the "creation and installation of the star," plus an additional $5,000 to cover service charges. For anyone who donates $5,000 or more, the GoFundMe is offering a 30-minute group Zoom call with Kim and fellow actors Kim Jeong, Ming Na and Randall Park.

As of Friday (Aug. 14) morning, the fund has reached its goal of $55,000 and Kim has started the application process.

It is now up to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to decide whether or not to award a star to Hong. It is hard to believe that there are only two Asian American actors with those sidewalk stars, Anna Mae Wong and Lucy Liu.

Hong worked against stereotypes in Hollywood for decades. In an interview with Great Big Story, Hong said, "Even to this day, 500 credits or so, I don't have a star on the Walk of Fame. So in a sense there is a lot of hidden prejudice behind this industry. They don't think of us, like I say, the principal person ... And I try to fight against that."