Simu Liu, Sandrah Oh & More Asian Celebs Share Inspiring Words About Representation

By Corey Atad. 16 May 2023 11:38 AM

May is Asian Heritage Month, and ET Canada is celebrating the achievements and contributions of the Asian community by looking back on inspiring words from stars of Asian descent in both Canada and the U.S.

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Sandra Oh
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Canadian actress Sandra Oh told Looper, "I've spent my entire career to bring truth and perspective, mostly truthfully, in a creative way. That is the base point for me — encouraging the next generation to have space for their voice and storytelling."
Ke Huy Quan
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American "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Ke Huy Quan said in his speech accepting the Best Actor Oscar, "My journey started on a boat, I spent a year in a refugee camp, and somehow, I ended up here, on Hollywood's biggest stage. They say, stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it's happening to me. This — this is the American dream!"
Simu Liu
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Canadian "Shang-Chi" star Simu Liu told The Globe and Mail, "I just want to make sure that every actor that plays every role is able to do so. I think on-screen representation and off-screen representation are equally important. They truly, truly go hand in hand. When the gates open and Asian storytellers or minority storytellers are able to make decisions like casting, make greenlight decisions on projects – I feel like that’s when you’re gonna start to get the most nuanced kinds of representation."
Priyanka Chopra
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Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas told Refinery29, "Representation is a problem, because our movies don't really depict the world as we see it around us, especially for female characters. There are less opportunities for women to play incredible roles. And then if you're a woman of colour, that's put you in an even bigger stereotype."
Iman Vellani
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Canadian actress Iman Vellani told NPR, "I was born in Pakistan, and we moved to Canada when I was 1. But my parents really did try to make me as connected with my culture and religion as possible because they were in touch with that part of themselves. But growing up in Canada and being so enamored by American pop culture and Hollywood, I was super dismissive of being Pakistani. It was never something I saw value in up until filming ['Ms. Marvel'], where my eyes were opened. I was meeting so many Muslims and South Asians that are so in touch with their roots, and that really made me go back and reconnect with mine. It's so cool [that] I can kind of find myself again."
Harry Shum Jr.
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American actor Harry Shum Jr. told The Hollywood Reporter, "It’s still an uphill battle in a lot of ways, but I think the more conversations we’re having — and the deeper those conservations go — the more Hollywood listens. And when I speak about Hollywood, it’s thousands and thousands of people, and some want to do the right thing. But it’s reaching the very, very top and getting everyone to understand why it’s important."
Michelle Yeoh
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Malaysian "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Michelle Yeoh said in her Oscars acceptance speech for Best Actress, "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that ... dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up."
David Suzuki
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Canadian broadcaster and environmental activist David Suzuki said in an op-ed, "Cultural diversity has enabled our species to survive and flourish in regions as different as deserts and Arctic tundra, wetlands and steaming tropics, prairies and mountains."
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
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Canadian "Never Have I Ever" star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan said on Instagram, “Some 4.7 billion of us Asians have 31 days to celebrate ourselves because we don’t see ourselves represented enough in media, entertainment, or public office in our own North American backyards. Some Asians are more in the shadows than others. To me, this is a month to reflect on why it is important we have this time to focus on AAPI, to unpack the diversity within this definition, and to look to create a world where we celebrate representation all year long. To one day have no need for heritage months because we are seen.”
Ali Wong
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Comedian and "Beef" star Ali Wong told HuffPost, “There’s more Asian Americans creating opportunities for other Asian Americans and that’s a really great thing. People obsess about casting and representation, but really all the real work is behind the camera.”
Shin Lim
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Canadian Magician and "America's Got Talent" star Shin Lim said on Instagram, “My parents are from Singapore, a little country in South East Asia, and my grandparents are originally from Xiamen. And though I currently reside in Vegas, to me, Asian Heritage Month is about remembering where we came from; where our forefathers were from, what they did, and what they accomplished. It’s our duty to do right by them, to prepare for our future, and continue their legacy.”
Awkwafina
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American actress Awkwafina told Variety, "Representation starts both in front of and behind the camera. I think a big reason there aren’t a lot of our stories reflected is people don’t know how to write for us or think they can’t write for us. So I think for any minority group, you need to have writers who can reflect those stories and tell them honestly. It’s important to give people a chance. Take a chance on opening up roles, even leads, for actors of colour."
Rupi Kaur
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Canadian poet Rupi Kaur said on Instagram, "Asian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate Asian voices. Although I am of the thought that the effort to celebrate these should be year-round and not be pigeonholed into a month, it is nice to see the representation that occurs during this dedicated time."
Lana Condor
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American "To All the Boys" star told Teen Vogue, "There's this whole Hollywood casting white people and kind of trying to “turn them” Asian because, they thought they could get away with it. Now they can't because our generation is very direct and more people are standing up for representation. I do see a change in Hollywood. I see a shift."

Simu Liu, Sandrah Oh & More Asian Celebs Share Inspiring Words About Representation

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