April 29, 2024

10 Best Asian Actors Who Have Starred in Hollywood Movies & TV Shows

After Crazy Rich Asians (2018), more and more Asian actors are being found in Hollywood projects. By: Kritchanon Tan Kian Wei

Today, Asian actors are gaining more prominence in Hollywood. In this article, we’ll cover 10 of the best Asian actors who have starred in Hollywood projects.

10. Awkwafina

Love her or hate her, Awkwafina has been in numerous projects lately, appearing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), The Bad Guys (2022), The Little Mermaid (2023), Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) and more in the last five years, cementing her place in this list, even if she may not be a fan-favourite.

9. Constance Wu

Best known for Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Wu has also starred in several notable projects like The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017) and the heavily-panned Velma (2023-Present). 

8. Henry Golding

Having starred in Crazy Rich Asians and Snake Eyes (2021), many are familiar with the Malaysian-born English actor. Golding is still relevant today, being scheduled to star in the animated film The Tiger’s Apprentice (2024) with Lucy Liu and Michelle Yeoh.

7. Lucy Liu

While not a household name, Liu is an extremely talented actress that has starred in classics like Charlie’s Angels (2000), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kung Fu Panda (2008). Liu has also starred in several recent films like Shazam! (2019) and Strange World (2022).

6. Ke Huy Quan

After breaking out with Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), Quan quickly became the talk of the town alongside co-star Michelle Yeoh, subsequently landing roles in Loki Season 2 (2023) and Kung Fu Panda 4. Though he may not have a huge filmography, his recent performances have helped him become a beloved actor.

5. Ken Jeong

One of the earlier prominent Asian stars in Hollywood, Jeong has starred in many popular projects like Transformers (2007), Crazy Rich Asians, and The Masked Singer (2019-Present), making him rank higher on this list.

4. Simu Liu

Best known for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie (2023), Liu has been really popular lately. Having made a great impression on audiences in such a short period of time, he ranks highly on this list, even if he may not have a stacked filmography.

3. Michelle Yeoh

Though she broke out with Everything Everywhere All at Once, Yeoh has starred in many Asian projects earlier, and even many Hollywood projects like Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) among other projects, earning her a high ranking on this list.

2. Donnie Yen

Though primarily known for his role in the Ip Man franchise (2008-Present), Yen has appeared in several Hollywood projects, most notably Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). He’s an Asian film legend, solidifying his placement on this list.

1. Jackie Chan

Finally, the kung fu legend Jackie Chan has topped our list, due to his extensive filmography full of iconic roles and amazing performances. Chan will certainly go down as one of the most legendary Asian movie stars of our time.

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