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James Hong Reflects on 70 Years of Work in SAG Awards Speech

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Everything Everywhere All at Once won Best Cast in a Motion Picture at the 2023 SAG Awards, and they got the best guy to give the acceptance speech: Gong Gong. James Hong (who recently celebrated his 94th birthday) reflected on all 70 years of his film career, starting with 1937’s The Good Earth. “My first movie was with Clark Gable,†he said, explaining that the movie starred white actors in yellowface. “But back in those days … the leading role was played by these guys with their eyes taped up like this, and they talk a-like this,†he said. Hong said the producers of The Good Earth didn’t think Asian actors were good enough or big-enough box-office draws to lead a film, even if the film was about Asian people. “But look at us now!†shouted Hong to uproarious applause. Hong thanked “those two Daniel boys†for their crazy movie and congratulated Jamie Lee Curtis on having the strong Chinese last name of Lee. Everything Everywhere All at Once also won for Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, and Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture. Ke Huy Quan was the first Asian man to win a solo SAG Award for film earlier in the night.

James Hong Reflects on 70 Years of Work in SAG Awards Speech