In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we took a closer look at some of the finest directors in Hollywood today. Representation in Hollywood is an ongoing effort and concern, so it’s important to recognize talent from around the world. Some are new to the scene, while others have been churning out awards-caliber features for decades.
“I would say one of the biggest barriers for me growing up was the fact that people didn’t think Hollywood was a place for an Asian-American director,” Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu once told CNBC. “There were Asian directors from other places, but an Asian-American director, the voice of that, the who we are and what we have to say, I think, wasn’t quite there yet.”
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Several of the Best Director winners at the Oscars have been of Asian descent in recent years. As AAPI Heritage Month continues, here’s a closer look at some of the finest filmmakers in Hollywood today. It was certainly difficult to narrow down our list, but here’s a Top 5.
Chloé Zhao (Eternals, Nomadland)
Alberto E. Rodriguez/GLAAD
In 2021, Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao made history, becoming the second woman and the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Director for Nomadland, beating out big names like David Fincher. She also won Best Picture for the same film. And following up with an impressive Marvel debut (Eternals), it’s clear Zhao is a force to be reckoned with.
Zhao was born in Beijing in 1982 And was drawn to influences from pop culture in the Western world. She drew Manga comics and even wrote fan fiction. Even as a teen, Zhao was developing what would become her signature way of telling stories. “I’m not the kind of filmmaker who just makes films,” Zhao once told IndieWire. “I have to be in love with my subject matter and want to learn more about it. Someone once said to me that passion doesn’t sustain, but curiosity does. I have to be excited by little things I discover along the way.”
Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Okja, Snowpiercer)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Parasite was the first non-English language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, but Bong Joon-ho’s impressive filmography dates back to the early 2000s. With some of the films that made him a name in South Korea to his American films starring some of Hollywood’s best, Joon-ho has proven that he can try his hand in several genres like sci-fi, murder mystery, and post-apocalyptic. Born in South Korea in 1969, he has changed cinema in the entire Western Hemisphere and effectively become one of the most talked about directors in the U.S as well.
“As someone who is a part of mankind, as a person, it’s quite fearful to watch the hate crimes against Asian-Americans and the BLM movement,” Joon-ho told Deadline in 2021. “I do think about what the film industry can do at this time. With films, creating a film takes a lot of time and a lot of money; it’s a big unit that can’t really respond quickly to issues that are currently happening in society.”
Ang Lee (Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain)
Twentieth Century Fox
Ever since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee has been a force of nature in Hollywood. He’s known for being very selective with his projects and is always exploring new methods of filmmaking. With his recent film, Gemini Man, he explored the de-aging style of special effects, for example. Born in southern Taiwan to a family focused on education, Lee was interested in drama and art from a very young age. He earned an MFA in film production at NYU, and his thesis film caught the attention of the William Morris Agency. His career ultimately took off, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
“I’m turning senior citizen soon,” Lee once told The Guardian upon the release of Gemini Man. “It’s hard to keep that creativity going. Energy and stamina and freshness relate to youth. I use the material to force me in new directions. My first thought when I saw this technology was: ‘I wish I was 20 years younger.’ I know I’m gonna get beat up. But I have to keep trying. I’m carrying a torch for the next level of film-makers.”
James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
From the Saw franchise to Insidious, James Wan is an undisputed horror legend who is responsible for directing some of the most beloved blockbusters of our time. After the success of Saw, Wan would go on to achieve another horror franchise success when he turned the real-life story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren into The Conjuring, which spawned his impressive sequel along with other installments and spinoffs. He’s also known for his work Aquaman and Furious 7, showing his impressive range with a variety of genres.
“Over the last 10 years between the Insidious films and the Conjuring films, I’ve become known as the supernatural ghost guy who comes up with these jump scares,” Wan told Collider upon the release of his recent film Malignant. “I’m not a fan of repeating myself or at least not repeating this often, and I just felt like it was time for me to do something a bit different again and really kind of harken back to my harder hitting horror films that I broke out with. And really to let the hardcore horror fans out there know that, hey, I haven’t forgotten about them.”
Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond, Fast & Furious 6)
Universal Studios
Starting off strong with a series of smaller indie efforts, Justin Lin has become one of Hollywood’s most successful producers and directors. Along with his recent involvement with the Fast & Furious franchise, Lin is also producing the third season of HBO Max’s Warrior, based on a story by Bruce Lee, and he also recently directed the pilot and exec produced NBC’s The Endgame. Although Lin is no longer directing Fast X, we remain excited to see where else he’ll bring his talents in the near future.
“I think as a film fan, I always think that diversity in stories, we all benefit as a world, right?” Lin once told Looper. “To be able to share these points of view and journeys that we’re not privy to in real life. I think we all benefit from that.”
