Asian August: Asian/Asian American Representation in Hollywood
In recent years, Iâve seen a lot of talk about how and why diversity and representation matter so much in the media. Despite agreeing wholeheartedly, I always felt that when people talked about ârepresentationâ, they werenât really referring to the representation of Asians in the media. In all my 19 years on this planet, the first real story about Asians that was presented in western media was âFresh Off the Boatâ, so itâs not an exaggeration when I say I was jumping with joy when I heard that a Warner Bros. was adapting Kevin Kwanâs best-selling novel Crazy Rich Asians into a major motion picture.Â
The night Jon M. Chuâs Crazy Rich Asians came out in theatres, I bought tickets for my family. We got the absolute worst seats you could possibly get â all the way up front and in the back corner â but I couldnât care less because I was finally getting to see people who looked like me on the big screen. We rushed into the theatre and to our seats as the commercials and trailers played before the movie began. As I adjusted my lounging seat, I mentally prepped myself. It was just sinking in that I was finally going to see a movie whereby people who looked like me would be the majority. The majority. Soon, the lights dimmed and silence fell over the room. We were watching history. When the legendary Michelle Yeoh stepped into the frame in the very first scene, I felt a sense of happiness and pride that I had never felt before. I wasnât quite sure what it was until I realized that this is what it felt like to be represented.Â
That feeling didnât go away. Not for a single second throughout the entire two hours. I cried. A lot. Not because there were heartbreaking scenes, which believe me, there are plenty of. No. I cried because I couldnât believe my eyes. From the montage of local Singaporean dishes being served in the busy food court to the extravagant, sweeping shots of Marina Bay Sands, I was watching a massive part of my life be portrayed so beautifully on the big screen. I swooned as I listened to Henry Golding and his smooth-as-silk British accent woo every single member of the audience. I laughed my ass off watching Awkwafina and Ken Jeong hilariously improvise one line after another. And I sat there in awe, watching Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh skillfully play a game of Mahjong while delivering beautiful monologues about love and family in Asian culture.Â
Iâve seen plenty of stories about love and overcoming obstacles in the name of love. Itâs a universal experience. However, I never felt as though I could completely relate to the way those stories were told in mainstream and big budget movies. Whether it was the obstacles a couple faced, or how those said obstacles were overcome, there was always something that felt unfamiliar to me. Crazy Rich Asians was the first time I understood every single step of the journey the characters went through. Sure, Iâm Asian, but Iâm definitely not crazy rich. However, even though I couldnât relate to Astridâs ridiculous shopping habits or the Youngâs extravagant mansion, I could certainly relate to the core idea that was delivered throughout the movie. The idea of love and family and how different those two individual concepts are, as well as when they interact, in Asian culture compared to Western culture. For the first time in my life, I felt as though the interactions between each and every character in the film were ones that I had either experienced myself or were extremely familiar with. As someone who grew up with Chinese culture, I completely understood Eleanorâs attitude toward Rachel as well as why she made the choices she did. I understood her reasons and motivations because I understood the culture. Those who felt as though Eleanorâs actions and attitude toward Rachel were harsh and unnecessary definitely did not grow up in a traditional Chinese household. For the first time in my life, I didnât feel like I was on the sidelines, observing part of a story, but rather in the dead centre where I could see and understand every aspect of it.
In addition to Crazy Rich Asians, a film adaptation of Jenny Hanâs YA novel To All the Boys Iâve Loved Before is also currently streaming on Netflix. Hanâs story centres a Korean-American high schooler, played by the extraordinary Lana Condor, who writes love letters which are mysteriously sent out, leading her into a less-than-ideal situation which dramatically changes her life. As someone who was a massive fan of the books, I was extremely excited to watch the story come to life. Not only because I was going to have a brand new, quality romantic comedy to watch, but also because it was one with a teenage Asian American girl in the forefront of it all. Having watched every single rom-com to ever exist in this universe, I was finally seeing someone who looked like me have the love story I had always dreamed of. No longer did I feel as though I couldnât have the crazy love story that rom-coms showed us because I didnât look anything like the lead. Both Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys Iâve Loved Before made me feel as though I was worthy of and able to have that love story that only white people ever seem to experience in romantic comedies.Â
If my point still isnât clear, Iâll spell it out for you: representation matters. And just to make it even clearer, ALL representation matters. Now, in August, weâve got two brilliant romantic comedies with Asian/Asian American leads, but that is not to say Asians are suddenly just as represented as Whites. Not in the slightest. We didnât reach a goal, we simply progressed toward it; there is still a long way to go. Many people seem to believe this is a âone and doneâ deal. It isnât. Just because we got a lot of Asian representation this month doesnât mean weâre going to be happy with it and wait another 25 years for more Asian representation. Some people believe that just because we got two minority-led movies means there shouldnât be any more movies with different minorities at the forefront because âminorities have been represented enoughâ. Guess what? One representation of one minority doesnât represent all the minorities that exist on the planet. Furthermore, within each minority, there are many different types of people with many different stories. Not all Asian people are represented in Crazy Rich Asians or To All the Boys Iâve Loved Before. These two films represent more of the Asian American experience, but not necessarily the experience of Asians in Asia. Itâs a good step but thereâs still a very long road ahead. Simply having two stories about Asian people isnât representative of all Asian people, and therefore there is still a long way to go before people can even begin to think there is enough representation of minorities in the media.Â
The way I felt watching Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys Iâve Loved Before is a feeling that every person deserves to experience. Everyone has their own story. Our stories make us who we are. Shared stories allow us to feel heard and understood. One day, though it may not be as soon as we hope, I know everyone will eventually be able to share their story and find stories that represent who they are.












