Sandra Oh鈥檚 headline-grabbing appearance at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards is being described as a 鈥渨atershed鈥� moment for Asians in Hollywood.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to mean that young people, especially those who are thinking about pursuing a career in entertainment, they鈥檒l think more now that it鈥檚 possible,鈥� Phoenix-based Associated Press journalist Terry Tang, who covers race and ethnicity, told 麻豆影视 Channel on Monday.
When Oh, a Korean-Canadian actor, co-hosted the Golden Globes on Sunday alongside American actor Andy Samberg, she became the first person of Asian descent to host a major U.S. awards show.
At the Beverly Hills event, Oh also publicly celebrated the diversity of the nominated casts.
鈥淚 wanted to be here to look out on this audience and witness this moment of change,鈥� Oh told the audience after a zinger-filled opener. 鈥淚 am not fooling myself. Next year could be different. But right now this moment is real.鈥�
Shortly after, Oh even won best actress in a TV drama for 鈥淜illing Eve.鈥� In her emotional acceptance speech, she told her parents that she loved them in Korean.
鈥淚t was the first time, I think, since 1981 that an Asian woman won in that category,鈥� Tang said. 鈥淎nd then just the fact that she got to acknowledge her parents鈥� in her native Korean and sort of acknowledge that side of her -- you don鈥檛 see that that often just because there aren鈥檛 that many Asian nominees. That seems to be sporadic over the years but I think that鈥檚 going to change.鈥�
When Oh gave a bow to her ecstatic parents, Tang added that 鈥渁 lot of Asian-Americans (and) Asian-Canadians who were watching probably saw their parents in that too and so there was that sense of pride of representation.鈥�
Although it netted no awards on Sunday, the film 鈥淐razy Rich Asians鈥� had received two nominations, which Tang called a 鈥渂ig boost鈥� for Asians in Hollywood.
鈥淭he last time that an all Asian-led film got major nominations鈥� was 1962, when 鈥楩lower Drum Song鈥� was nominated,鈥� Tang explained. 鈥淎nd this time it鈥檚 also just different because this was a movie that was directed by an Asian-American and one of the screenwriters was Asian-American and (it) was based on a book by an Asian author. So the fact that it was behind-the-scenes as well鈥� was a big deal.鈥�
During the Golden Globes, Oh even cracked a joke about Hollywood whitewashing, saying at one point that 鈥淐razy Rich Asians鈥� was 鈥渢he first studio film with an Asian-American lead since 'Ghost in the Shell' and 'Aloha.鈥欌��
The latter鈥檚 female lead, Emma Stone, a Caucasian actor who controversially portrayed a person of mixed Asian, Hawaiian and American ancestry in the 2015 film, could then be heard shouting 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry!鈥� from audience, to which Oh crossed her hands over heart and looked at Stone to acknowledge the apology.
Cast members from 鈥淜im鈥檚 Convenience鈥� -- a Canadian sitcom that follows a convenience store owning Korean-Canadian family -- joined CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Monday to promote their third season and talk about the Golden Globes.
Jean Yoon, who plays the family matriarch on the show, called Oh鈥檚 鈥渓ittle reference to the whole whitewashing controversy鈥� and Stone鈥檚 response 鈥渟o perfect.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 like OK, we鈥檝e gotten past鈥� it,鈥� Yoon said of the whitewashing debate. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e creating and Sandra Oh is there, you know, doing her work and getting her just rewards.鈥�
As for Oh鈥檚 night, Yoon said that 鈥渟he just totally killed it as a hostess, but then to see her win was so satisfying.鈥�
鈥淲hat I really love too is the fact that she鈥檚 actually using her position to use her voice as well,鈥� Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who portrays Yoon鈥檚 husband on the show, added. 鈥淧eople are listening to her, she鈥檚 in focus and she鈥檚 using her powers for good in a sense, right? Like, she鈥檚 being very, very supportive of a community that has been unsupported and without a voice for so long. And to have that sort of a stage and to take advantage of that in order to express something is a tremendous boon for all of us, so it鈥檚 very much appreciated.鈥�
For Simu Liu, who plays Yoon and Lee鈥檚 on-screen son, Oh鈥檚 award acceptance speech was inspirational.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 all of our goals, certainly for me one day to be on that stage to be able to thank my parents as well,鈥� he said.
Similar sentiments are being expressed across the entertainment industry.
鈥淚鈥檝e talked to a couple people who鈥檝e been around in the business for a while, Asian-Americans, and I think there鈥檚 a bit of a sense of envy because they think it鈥檚 a real interesting and watershed time,鈥� Tang said. 鈥淚n one way, they wish that they had that when they were younger. So I think it鈥檚 going to mean more people pursuing not just onscreen pursuits, but behind the camera too.鈥�
With files from The Associated Press
