The Hollywood Walk of Fame — a living history of the entertainment industry — is one of the most coveted attractions in Tinseltown. The pathway bears a diverse set of honourees, ranging from film to television to recording industries. And with the number of on-camera representations of Asians in Hollywood rising fast, it’s no surprise that a portion of the sidewalk is dedicated to prolific Asian stars.
Contributing immensely to the global cinematic consciousness, Hollywood has been taking massive strides towards embracing people from various ethnicities. The Hollywood Diversity report released by UCLA in 2022 noted that Asian actors made up 5.6 per cent of lead roles and 6.4 per cent of the overall cast in their projects.
From seeing the 2022 Chinese-American family lead A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once to Simu Liu portraying Shang-Chi, the first Asian superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), each role has been a step towards showcasing diversity.
And while global Asian acting pioneers like Anna May Wong, Bruce Lee and Michelle Yeoh received worldwide acclaim through iconic roles over several decades, it’s only fitting that the Hollywood Walk of Fame honours their noteworthy contributions made to the world of entertainment.
But first…what is the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Hollywood Walk of Fame spans 2.1 kilometres across 15 blocks on Hollywood Boulevard and 0.64 kilometres across three blocks on Vine Street. Established in 1960, the sidewalk hosts more than 2,750 stars, as of 2023.
However, it is more than just a collection of celebrities’ names. Made of pink terrazzo, the five-pointed stars are rimmed with brass and embedded into the black terrazzo sidewalk. Marking their significant contributions to the entertainment industry, each star at the landmark features the name of a celebrity and serves as a major tourist attraction spot in the city of Los Angeles.
But how does one make it to this prestigious list of celebrities? The selection process for the honourees is quite complex. Chair of the Walk of Fame Selection Panel, Ellen K, said in a 2023 press release, “The Selection Committee, which is made up of fellow Walk of Famers, carefully hand-picks a group of honourees each year that represent various genres of the entertainment world.”
Prolific Asian actors who have made it to the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Anna May Wong
With a career portfolio boasting both silent and sound films, television and stage, Wong Liu Tsong, aka Anna May Wong, was known for her Oriental beauty with her doleful yet mesmerising eyes, sculpted eyebrows and fashionable bangs. The New York Times called the actress, “one of the most unforgettable figures of Hollywood’s great days.”
Some of the most popular hits from her silent film era are The Toll of the Sea (1922) and Piccadilly (1929). Deemed the first Chinese-American movie star, Wong scored her major big-screen success opposite Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in Thief of Baghdad (1924). Her other hits include Daughter of the Dragon (1931), Shanghai Express (1932), Daughter of Shanghai (1937) and Lady from Chungking (1942). Her last big-screen appearance was the crime drama Portrait in Black (1960).
In 1960, Wong became the first Asian-American actress to be inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is also the first Asian-American to appear on the US currency — special quarters created by the US Mint’s American Women Quarters Program to celebrate “five female trailblazers in American history each year between 2022 and 2025,” according to an NPR report.
Mako
Born as Makoto Iwamatsu to noted children’s book author Taro Yashima, Mako is one of the most prolific Japanese-American actors to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.
With an acting career that spanned more than four decades, Mako has been a familiar face in Western films and TV. He is mostly known for voicing Uncle Iroh in the show Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) and the villainous Aku in Samurai Jack (2001).
Mako was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film The Sand Pebbles (1966). However, Mako’s most popular film role was Akiro the Wizard in the Arnold Schwarzenegger starrer Conan the Barbarian (1982) and its sequel Conan the Destroyer (1984).
Bruce Lee
One of the biggest pop culture icons of the 20th century, Lee Jun-fan, aka Bruce Lee, was born in San Francisco, US, and raised in Hong Kong. Known for showcasing martial arts on the big screen in an entirely new way, he burst into global fame in the early 1970s.
Lee was honoured with a Hollywood Star of Fame in 1993 in front of the iconic Chinese Theatre in LA.
He first became popular among American audiences as the houseboy Kato from the TV series The Green Hornet (1966-67). His first movie, The Big Boss, in 1971, was a huge box office hit and is often credited for thrusting Lee into international stardom.
His other noteworthy feature films include Lo Wei’s Fist of Fury (1972), Lee’s directorial Way of the Dragon (1972), Warner Brothers’ Enter the Dragon (1973) and Robert Clouse’s The Game of Death (1978). The last one is Lee’s final film and is massively adored by martial arts aficionados.
Jackie Chan
A global cultural icon, Jackie Chan is famous in the entertainment world for his acrobatic fighting, comic timing and innovative stunts.
One of Asia’s richest actors, Chan scored a breakthrough with the cult action-comedy Drunken Master (1978). His most popular action movies include the Rush Hour franchise (1998-present), The Karate Kid (2010) and The Foreigner (2017).
Making a directorial debut with The Young Master (1980), he has helmed and produced several films, including the highly acclaimed Police Story (1985).
Chan received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002. He has been honoured with star number 2,205 which is placed near the entrance of the iconic Kodak Theatre in LA.
Lucy Liu
With accolades including a Critics’ Choice Television Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Seoul International Drama Award, Lucy Alexis Liu is the second Asian-American woman with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in LA.
Liu, who rose to international stardom for her role in Charlie’s Angels (2000), got her first big break with the popular TV comedy Ally McBeal (1997–2002). It also earned her an Emmy Award nomination in 1999. Other big-screen projects where Liu co-starred include Play It to the Bone (1999), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Chicago (2002) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).
She will also be seen in Netflix’s upcoming limited series A Man In Full based on Tom Wolfe’s 1998 best-selling novel of the same name.
Liu received her Hollywood Star Of Fame — which is placed in close proximity to Wong’s — in 2019. Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez, at the time, had said in a press release, “We are excited to honour Lucy Liu and we placed her star next to the star of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress to grace Hollywood’s film screens.”
James Hong
Chinese-American actor, producer and director James Hong has had a trailblazing career in Hollywood.
His portfolio boasts hit films like Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Beast Mode (2020), animated features like Kung Fu Panda (2008) and iconic TV shows like Switch (1975-1978).
Hong gained massive acclaim for his role as grandfather Gong Gong in the Academy Award-winning science fiction drama Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), for which he even earned a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2023.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honoured Hong with the 2,723rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures. Hong is the oldest honouree to receive a star, and it is placed at 6931 Hollywood Boulevard.
Ming-na Wen
One of the most prolific Asian movie stars to make a mark in Hollywood, Wen is best known for voice acting in the 1998 hit animated film Mulan.
She made her acting debut with The Joy Luck Club (1993) — the first major studio movie with a predominantly Asian cast. However, it was Wen’s portrayal of Fennec Shand in the Disney Plus live-action TV series The Mandalorian (2019) and the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021) that brought her global recognition.
Some of her most prominent accolades include the 2022 Saturn Award for Best Actress in a Streaming Series for The Book of Boba Fett (2021) and the 1999 OFTA Film Award for Best Family Actress for Mulan.
Wen received her much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 30 May 2023. The 2,757th star can be found at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard.
Michelle Yeoh
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh is all set to be inducted into the coveted Hollywood Walk of Fame.
According to a release from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Yeoh is one of the 31 entertainers added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Class of 2024 in categories spanning film, television and sports.
Yeoh received her star under the category of Motion Pictures alongside the likes of Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and the late Chadwick Boseman.
Perak-born Yeoh is the first Malaysian to ever receive a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and an Academy Award for Best Actress for the A24 absurdist action-comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).
Some of her other notable works include Supercop (1992), The Stunt Woman (1996), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), The Lady (2010) and The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022).
(Main and featured image: Ming Na wen/Instagram)
This article was first published in PrestigeOnline Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Some of the Asian actors inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame are James Hong, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
Answer: Anna May Wong was the first Asian-American actress to be honoured at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She received her star on the coveted sidewalk in 1960.
Answer: Legendary American actor Leonardo DiCaprio is yet to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Answer: Some of the A-listers inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame are Marilyn Monroe, Michelle Yeoh, Michael Jackson, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Audrey Hepburn, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston and Meryl Streep.