The Unforgettable Gala’s (UNFO) 22nd annual Asian American Awards returned to the Beverly Hills Hilton on Dec 14 to honor and highlight the growing diversity, intersectionality and social awareness initiatives across the entertainment industry and beyond.
Produced by Character Media and GoldenTV, the UNFO is the leading and longest-running Asian American awards ceremony that recognizes breakout talent and distinguished artisans across the broad spectrum of the AAPI and API community. ChimeTV CCO Takashi Cheng explained in a statement, “Every year, we come together to honor the incredible API talent that continues to push boundaries and break down barriers in Hollywood and beyond. This year’s honorees represent the breadth and depth of API excellence across entertainment, arts and culture.
Co-hosted by actors Stephanie Hsu and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and comedian JR De Guzman, the three-hour awards show featured highlight reels of AAPI history, honoree speeches and performances from The Jets, who were the first AAPI group to break into the Billboard Hot 100 charts top 10 between 1985-1990, K-pop star Wonho, Pop-R&B singer thủy, who made history at this year’s Coachella as their first Vietnamese-American performer, 98 Degrees and more.
Watch on Deadline
Hsu kicked off the ceremony, noting the importance of holding space for minority communities as they aim to tackle complex racial and societal boundaries that can often hinder them in the industry. “These are really scary earth times. [But even so], good news can still come out of it,” the actor said. “Here now, we are being called upon to find hope in our micro-communities and to get focused and organized.”
During his speech while being honored with UNFO’s Global Icon recognition, veteran actor Hiroyuki Sanada briefly reflected on the smashing success of FX’s Shōgun. Earlier this year, the Japanese feudal drama made history across multiple categories for Asian representation and non-English-language television, taking home 14 Creative Arts Emmys and 18 main show Emmys, now holding the record for the most wins by any show in a single year. In addition to that, Sanada and co-star Anna Sawai became the first Japanese actors to ever win Emmys in their respective categories for Best Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.
“Thank you, FX, for giving us a chance to introduce our culture to the world with respect,” the actor, who also served as producer, said. “I hope Shōgun will be a good stepping stone for the next generation, not only for Japanese but for all filmmakers, creators and actors in the world.”
Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender showrunner Albert Kim also echoed similar sentiments during his speech for the Vanguard Achievement, acknowledging the lack of pursuit in Hollywood when it comes to casting API and Indigenous talents but hoping the industry creates a more inclusive future.
“Bringing these characters to life and finding the right artists to step into these beloved roles was never going to be easy. I often get told how lucky we were to find such a perfect cast. But here’s the thing, it wasn’t luck.” Kim said, reflecting on the early development stages of the series. “Avatar is an epic fantasy on the scale of Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, set entirely in an Asian and Indigenous-inspired world. So, we committed to casting exclusively with Asian and Indigenous actors and are the first and only show to do that. You’d think that decision was a no-brainer, as all of you in this room know, commitment to representation is something you can never take for granted. Once we turned our focus to our communities, we discovered a remarkable pool of talent ranging from rookies like Gordon [Cormier] to veterans like Daniel Dae Kim, eager to be in a story like this but to have never been given the chance. So, when people ask, ‘Why haven’t we known about these amazing actors before?’ I say in response, ‘Why haven’t you been looking?’”
Joan Chen, who was presented with the Actor in Film designation for her work in this summer’s Sundance-winning coming-of-age story Dìdi, also spoke about how film has the power to heal bonds and influence the community at large.
“When I first read the script, I felt that love in all its difficulties and glory was apparent even though it is never uttered by the characters. Chungsing embodies this through her humility, courage, grace and great attentiveness. It is this authenticity of maternal love that transformed a small role into something hopefully unforgettable. Having weathered so many storms with my own daughters, being an immigrant mother who raised two American children, this was truly a gratifying and cathartic experience.” Chen said. “This film is so personal and special for me because it is a powerful encouragement fulfilling my commitment to the creative journey. I’ve been at it for almost half a century, and with this, I will continue and strive to give my very best and in doing so, hope to make even a tiny little difference in this world.”
Other honorees recognized on Saturday included Sawai, Hoa Xuande, Izaac Wang, director Sean Wang, writer Rachel Kondo, comedian Naomi Watanabe, digital influencer Vivan Tu, fashion designer Prabal Gurung and athlete Byron Scott who attributed the Community Impact award to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
The awards are voted and determined by a selection committee co-chaired by Eugene Lee Yang and Adele Lim alongside Ramakrishnan, Destin Daniel Cretton, Daniel Dae Kim, Awkwafina, Lisa Ling, Randall Park, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Janet Yang and more.
The 2024 Unforgettable Gala will premiere on ChimeTV on Dec 18 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and will stream on GoldenTV Dec 20.
The post 22nd Annual Unforgettable Gala Honorees Joan Chen, Hiroyuki Sanada & EP Albert Kim Champion Unwavering “Commitment To AAPI Representation” As A “Stepping Stone” Never To Take For Granted appeared first on Deadline.
