MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
No matter who takes home those Gold Academy Award statues on Sunday night, critic Bob Mondello says 2023 will be remembered as a watershed year for Asian actors at the Oscars.
BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: With four acting nominations going to Asian performers, a full 20% of the total, the Motion Picture Academy has recognized more Asian actors in one year than at any time in its history.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE")
MICHELLE YEOH: (As Evelyn Wang) What's happening?
MONDELLO: Three of the nominations are from the year's frontrunner for best picture, "Everything Everywhere All At Once." Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan are Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor nominees, respectively, as the film's multiverse-hopping laundromat owners.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE")
KE HUY QUAN: (As Waymond Wang) I'm not your husband. I'm here because we need you help.
YEOH: (As Michelle Yeoh) Very busy today, Ed. No time to help you.
MONDELLO: And Stephanie Hsu, who plays their daughter and nemesis...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE")
STEPHANIE HSU: (As Joy Wang) The universe is so much bigger than you realize.
MONDELLO: ...Is a nominee for Best Supporting Actress. Hsu will be competing in that category with Hong Chao, who plays the best friend of Brendan Fraser's title character in "The Whale."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE WHALE")
HONG CHAU: (As Liz) I really hate you for putting me through this again, you know that? God, that was awful.
BRENDAN FRASER: (As Charlie) It was awful for me, too.
MONDELLO: It's been a long wait for Asian performers generally. Only one Asian actress, Merle Oberon, had ever been nominated for a leading role before 2023, way back in 1935. And notably, her South Asian background wasn't widely known until her death in the 1970s. The path to Oscar recognition hasn't been smooth for the currently nominated Asian artists who came later. Both Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan first appeared on screen in 1984, but Yeoh's career in martial arts films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" didn't get her mentioned at awards time. Quan pretty much disappeared after child stardom, though he certainly had a memorable debut in 1984's biggest box office hit...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM")
QUAN: (As Short Round) Wow. Holy smokes.
MONDELLO: "...Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM")
HARRISON FORD: (As Indiana Jones) Short Round, step on it.
QUAN: (As Short Round) Okey-dokey, Dr. Jones. Hold onto your potato.
MONDELLO: Even back then, you'd find Asian names among the army of digitizers for any blockbuster, but short round is right. Hold on to your potatoes. Nominated Asian artists this year start at the very top. There's "Everything Everywhere's" writer-director Daniel Kwan, who is half of the directing duo known as Daniels with Daniel Scheinert, also "Remains Of The Day" novelist Kazuo Ishiguro for his screenplay for a "Living," and Domee Shi, who directed Pixar's animated feature "Turning Red."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "TURNING RED")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Are you a werewolf?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) No. What?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) She is a red panda.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Sick.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) You're so fluffy. You're so fluffy.
MONDELLO: While 2023 may be a watershed year for Asian artists, in other respects, it's a step back in the Academy's trek toward diversity. With no Black actors nominated for lead performances and no women nominated as feature directors, there are still corners of the multiverse that need exploring. I'm Bob Mondello.
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