Last week, actor James Hong, at age 93, *finally* received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame:
“Hong, 93, who was joined by celebrity guest speakers Daniel Dae Kim and Jamie Lee Curtis, unveiled his star in a ceremony, becoming one of just 19 people of Asian descent to make it on the walk out of more than 2,700. Hong told the crowd of co-stars and fans that he hoped to soak up the occasion.
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Hong — who has 700 credits, including “Blade Runner” and Disney’s original “Mulan” — was honored at a ceremony attended by several of his co-stars over the years. Also in attendance were most of the cast of his recent sci-fi comedy, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” in which he plays Gong Gong, the father of the main character, Evelyn. The event also featured a lion dance he arranged himself, in addition to speeches.
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A handful of other Asian American and Pacific Islanders will also receive stars this year, including Jason Momoa, Ming-Na Wen and apl.de.ap, who is of Filipino descent, as a member of the Black Eyed Peas. Hong got his star after more than 70 years of work in the industry, alongside his constant advocacy for more Asian American representation in Hollywood.Along with a few other Asian American artists, Hong launched the Asian American theater group East West Players in 1965 with the goal of increasing the visibility of the Asian American experience. Hong, a military veteran who also worked several years as an engineer, has told NBC Asian America that his early experiences prompted his lifelong desire to fight for equity.”
My first recollection of recognizing Hong was when I saw him as a kid in the film Big Trouble in Little China, but I am sure I’ve seen him in countless different roles before that and certainly afterwards.
He was of course recently in Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s great to see that Hong finally gets the recognition he has long deserved.
