They’ve come a long way sinceSixteen Candles' Long Duk Dong.
Have people not seen Daniel Dae Kim’s glass-cutting cheekbones?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Asian women are often fetishized, while Asian men are seldom portrayed as being desirable.
Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; George Pimentel/Getty Images; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images; Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
How did you feel about this growing up?
NICO HIRAGA:I never really saw a heartthrob or anything outside of being smart as f—.
I went to this bougie ass school growing up.
Charles Melton.George Pimentel/Getty Images
I was the one Asian kid out of all the white dudes.
I used to get the Asian stereotypes, like “Aren’t you supposed to be hella smart?”
That kind of f—ed me up.
Nico Hiraga.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
That’s why I started skating, it was the rebellious thing to do.
VINCENT RODRIGUEZ III: I grew up watchingNinja Turtlesand3 NinjasandSurf Ninjaswith Ernie Reyes Jr.
I wanted to be an action star.
George Takei.NBC
He’s my role model.
So, I had that heroic vision.
DANNY PUDI:My father is from India, but he wasn’t around for most of my life.
Danny Pudi.Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
He wasn’t perfect, but his journey to this country as an immigrant was heroic in many ways.
How have these stereotypes and the lack of representation played out in your career?
PUDI:I have felt pressure to be everything to everyone or to capture the Asian American experience.
Vincent Rodriguez III.Amy Sussman/Getty Images
RODRIGUEZ:I auditioned for the lead [in a] musical.
I thought,I’m invisible to you.
I just remember progress is progress, even if you move forward a centimeter.
There’s no shot they’re going to give it to a Hapa kid.
Hollywood’s tie between Asian male physicality and martial arts is inextricable.
Why do you think this is?
We don’t need to be kicking somebody in the face or punching someone in the face.
We do have a vulnerable side to express, and a story to tell.
And yet, George, you were able to surpass those limitations in the ’60s.
OnStar Trek, we had this acronym, IDIC, for Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
I told one of the staff writers my hero was Errol Flynn.
I sawThe Adventures of Robin Hoodand I loved fencing.
Why do you think that is?
HIRAGA:The Rock doesn’t look like your typical 100 percent Asian dude, neither does Jason Momoa.
The Rock has a different look to him, so does Jason.
PUDI:I’ve had very few opportunities to be in those types of positions or those roles.
In terms of the numbers here and the idea of masculinity in that capacity, I don’t know.
It’s something I’ve never really related to personally.
I’ve felt strong.
I’m hoping there’s room for that.
HIRAGA:I think it’s just because they’re lazy.
TAKEI:Asians are seen as polite and bowing and deferring.
It’s that stereotype Asian thing to not seize an opportunity.
We’re always coming in when they’re ready to start casting.
We also need writers, directors, people behind the camera, and producers.
So things are finally shifting, but how much further do you feel we have to go?
HIRAGA:I think it’ll be a little while.
It’s the same thing for when all cars are electric.
So, yeah, it’ll take some time, but I got faith.
And, he was like, “I’m a huge fan, can I get a photo?”
After I got through security, he introduced me to his wife, and his wife was Chinese.
They introduced me to their son, who is 9.
And his wife looked to her son and said, “See, he looks like you.
He’s a movie star.”
PUDI:I had an episode inMythic Questwhere my brother was played by my best friend Parvesh Cheena.
I thought that was really lovely, just the conversation before we even filmed.
So that felt like a great step.
It’s the strength to find beauty and to create your own happiness.
We have to go in there and make our opportunities.
We are doing it.
RODRIGUEZ:It’s not necessarily about having the Asian storyline, right?
Sometimes it’s you just need to be included.
We’re at this boiling point of acceptance, voices are being raised.
It’s going to take time to continue listening, learning, and then arriving.
This is just another brick that we get to lay on that wall.
I think we’re building something beautiful.
Interviews were conducted separately and have been combined and edited for length and clarity.
