Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock it’s no news “Crazy Rich Asians” has been a crazy box office success, grossing nationally at nearly $140 million to date. It was one of several films featuring prominent Asian casts to captivate audiences world-wide in the last month, proving once again that diversity does sell. The phenomenon isn’t limited to the silver screen either, social media is singing praises for Netflix’s new teen romance, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” And earlier in the summer, Sandra Oh became the first Asian woman to be nominated for best leading actress at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, taking place September 17th, for her performance in the BBC America drama series, “Killing Eve.”
The enthusiastic response to these films and their casts has inspired wide-spread discussion among the Asian American and film communities about the importance of diversity and representation in Hollywood. Joining us on Under the Radar this week to discuss this cultural moment are:
Elena Creef - Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Wellesley College. She specializes in Asian American visual history in photography, film and popular culture.
Follow Elena on Twitter.
Jenny Korn - Fellow and the Founding Coordinator of the Race and Media Working Group at the
Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University.
Follow Jenny on Twitter.
Michael Tow - Brookline-based professional actor, director and producer. His acting credits include “Unfinished Business,” “Master of None” and the upcoming “Slenderman” movie.
Follow Michael on Twitter.
