Are the Oscars Finally Giving Asian Talent the Recognition They Deserve?

For the first time, there are two Asian Americans in Oscar’s director race: Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”) and Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”).

That’s notable, but it’s even more extraordinary considering only four Asians were ever nominated as director before this.The four predecessors were spread over the decades: Hiroshi Teshigahara; Akira Kurosawa; M.

Knight Shyamalan; and Ang Lee.

Lee has chalked up three noms for directing, with wins for 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain” and 2012’s “The Life of Pi”; he also scored two other noms as a producer.Following the four key wins last year for Bong Joon Ho and “Parasite,” it seems that Oscar is on a roll.

If so, it’s about time.On Oct 29, 1976, Variety ran a full-page ad under the headline “We are not all alike.” In an open letter, Asian Americans were seeking more diversity in roles, tired of being relegated to “sinister villains,

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