Representation is more than just checking a diversity box. It’s the feeling of sitting inside a theater and recognizing a piece of yourself onstage. For a moment, it’s as if you’re the one performing, finally feeling seen.
Hollywood, Los Angeles and Burbank are major hubs of the entertainment industry. But how much progress has truly been made in Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation over the years? Although this region is home to a large and diverse Asian American population, the AAPI entertainment community remains relatively small, and many stories continue to go untold.
Entering the entertainment industry as an Asian American performer is challenging as it often presents an array of challenges, which most notably include limited roles and harmful stereotypes. For many AAPI performers, these challenges began long before they made their professional debut.
“Growing up, I was never really being given the opportunities to play the lead, and you really start questioning yourself and your talent and wondering if there is something wrong. I think it made me push even harder to want to keep working, not to prove myself, because I know we don’t have to prove ourselves,” actress Charlotte Mary Wen said.
An audition is the fundamental process of booking a movie, show or musical. Whether it’s attending in-person auditions or callbacks, many Asian American performers often feel overlooked when entering that audition room.
“I was the only Asian person in callbacks, and I would have been the only Asian person in the show, and they didn’t end up casting me,” actress Brooke Ishibashi said. “I talked to one of my professors afterward, and she said ‘we can’t put you in the show because basically, you’re Asian’, which is funny, because Asian people exist.”
The cast of “The Family Album” musical at La Jolla Playhouse (Madeline Ng / L.A. Times HS Insider)
“The Family Album” theatre program (Madeline Ng / L.A. Times HS Insider)
With limited leading roles for AAPI performers in Hollywood, many common roles available are usually centered around stereotypes, such as the “nerdy” or “kung fu” Asian. These stereotypes can still be seen today which limits opportunities for performers and sets a way that Asian Americans are seen on screen.
“I’ve seen the stereotypical nerdy Asian roles that we’ve all auditioned for as Asians, and the kung fu, Mulan type roles,” high school actress Erin Park said. “I’m now realizing that Asian Americans were used as a diversity placeholder, something to check a box and say they have diversity.”
Actress and singer Kendyl Sayuri Yokoyama shares a similar experience, saying Asian American performers were represented but rarely cast in leading roles.
“I definitely felt represented by Lea Salanga, but I definitely didn’t feel like there was a place for me as a leading lady. I fairly easily could slip into an ensemble position, and I was always the only Asian person, or mostly the only Asian person, unless I did a show where all of us were Asian,” Yokoyama said.
Actress Erin Rose Park on set during production (Madeline Ng / L.A. Times HS Insider)
These casting barriers have been a recurring issue for years which has led to a decrease in diversity in entertainment.
According to UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, the percentage for lead actors in 2025, who were Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), was 36% with majority of lead roles going to Caucasians at 64%.
“There were times when I auditioned for a show, and the director said you could only play this leading role if the rest of your family was Asian. But they ended up hiring somebody else, basically saying that we only want to hire White people, without saying it,” Yokoyama said.
In the musical theatre world, there are a few notable shows that are mainly centered around AAPI stories. However, many of these performers hope to branch out beyond shows that are traditionally known for Asian performers.
“I used to joke that I didn’t want to be in ‘Miss Saigon,’ I didn’t want to be in ‘South Pacific,’ I didn’t want to be in ‘Pacific Overtures,’ because they felt like they were relying on my Asian-ness in a way,” Ishibashi said. “I didn’t want my Asian-ness to define the way I moved through the world as an artist. Being Asian is a part of who I am, and I’ll always embrace the way that colors the way I see the world and the way people see me.”
“I have kids now and I always look at work through their eyes now and I’m so grateful that I’m going to be able to be apart of this franchise and part of history and growing up I never had that,” actor Leonardo Nam said.
Despite these challenges, many performers say the industry has changed over time by creating more opportunities for AAPI actors. With Wen’s years of experience in this industry, she has seen the gradual change in representation.
“As I’ve gotten older, it’s just so beautiful to see more works that include Asian Americans who tell Asian stories, and it’s such an exciting thing to see my friends or peers in those spaces telling those stories,” Wen said. “I’m so grateful for the trailblazers who’ve really put Asian Americans on the map. Without them, I don’t think it’d be possible for me to be where I am now.”
Representation has also expanded beyond East Asian stories in Hollywood. Shows like ”Never Have I Ever” and “Bridgerton” have brought more South Asian characters to screen.
As the industry continues to evolve, many AAPI performers hope future young artists will become better advocates.
“The changes that I would like to see, and I’m already seeing with the generation that’s coming out of schools right now, is to be more vocal and a lot more firm with what changes they want to see,” Ishibashi said. “If young Asian artists can use their imagination and not let themselves get pushed into a box, it can expand your idea of what you think is possible for yourself.”
Park says discovering herself within this industry has been a journey of finding her identity.
“Being a teenage Asian American actor has definitely kind of been a weird navigating period. The more I find my place in this industry and who I want to be, the more I find myself,” Park said.
In order to begin changing the entertainment industry for Asians, the main focus starts with casting Asian American actors in leading roles.
Singer, actor and playwright Kurt Kanazawa says “I think we need the lead to be Asian, and once the lead is Asian, you have to cast their family, and so that automatically humanizes the Asian American population.”
“It’s about time we start killing it even harder than we already were and putting a little mark on history here. There’s so many of us and we have so many different talents. I’m stoked to be a part of that community,” actor Nico Hiraga said.
AAPI organizations are also constantly working to expand representation and opportunities for future generations. Organizations like East West Players, CAPE, and Gold House are some of the most popular groups dedicated to supporting Asian American artists and increasing representation in entertainment.
“I think the biggest thing for me was that UC Irvine was 35% Asian, and since I teach there, I might be able to help impact a lot of the students,” Kanazawa said. “What’s crazy is the student body is 35% Asian, including the drama department, but they do not have that same representation in casting. However, at UC Irvine, they have to build casting around us Asian Americans, so that forces them to do Asian American work or look at Asian American roles.”
While there is still so much progress to be made, there have been many victories for AAPI representation in entertainment. Films like “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Turning Red” are all successful projects where representation has thrived and Asian American stories have been told. These films gave Asian American viewers something they could relate to while allowing people from different backgrounds to better understand Asian American culture.
“I think it’s very important to have a strong community, and for me, that was other Asian American actors I would often see in audition rooms,” actress Brittany Ishibashi said. “That became a really strong community for me, and it still is to this day.”
