A DIVERSE CAST OF CHARACTERS
These Hollywood figures in front of and behind the camera represent a wide swath of cultures, genders and artistic pursuits
ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE Actor, director
From Mr. Eko on “Lost” to “Suicide Squad’s” Killer Croc, Akinnuoye-agbaje has spent decades in Hollywood humanizing complex, sometimes violent characters. Based on the events of his own life, Akinnuoye-agbaje’s directorial debut “Farming” does the same with a young Nigerian boy who falls in with a group of white skinheads after being sent to live with a white British family in the 1960s. “Whilst following my personal journey, this cultural identity crisis and discovery of self-worth, we illuminate the diversity of the actual phenomenon throughout the country,” he says. “More than a responsibility, it’s just an organic process for me, because that’s what I see as life — and that’s what I want my films to reflect.”
HAIFAA AL-MANSOUR Filmmaker
Al-mansour’s award-winning pedigree as the first female filmmaker from Saudi Arabia is more than enough to deserve recognition. But each new project she’s chosen, from “Wadjda” and “Mary Shelley” to the 2018 Netflix film “Nappily Ever After,” showcases an aptitude and a hunger to tell stories relatable to audiences across the globe. “It will always be important to me to provide a window into the hidden world of Saudi Arabia through my work, but I am drawn to universal stories of the underdog protagonists going after what they want and believe in,” she says. “It is an exciting time for artists that bring in a diverse perspective, and it is up to us to seize the moment.”
ARASH AMEL Writer, producer
Born in Wales, Amel spent several years in Iran before immigrating with his family to the U.K. The British-iranian screenwriter and producer nabbed an Emmy nomination for penning the 2014 TV movie “Grace of Monaco.” His latest film, “A Private War,” focuses on the life of the late American-born British war reporter Marie Colvin (Rosamund Pike) who died in 2012 while covering the siege at Homs in Syria.
Amel also created the Boom! Studios comic book series “Butterfly,” co-written by Marguerite Bennett and with artwork by Antonio Fuso. Announced projects including penning scripts for Shawn Levy’s “Starman” and James Kent’s big-screen adaptation of Chris Greenhalgh’s beloved book “Seducing Ingrid Bergman.”
STEVE AOKI DJ, founder of Aoki Foundation
With 15 endorsement deals over as many months and a Guinness World Record for most traveled musician in a single calendar year, Aoki seems to be changing hearts and minds with sheer ubiquitousness. But the Grammy-nominated JapaneseAmerican producer and DJ claims that creating a welcoming space for people of all creeds and cultures is incidental to his many creative and philanthropic ambitions. “You have to pick and choose what to focus your time on, so the guiding principle for everything I do is the love to connect,” he says. “The best part of my creativity is when it is diverse, when it represents different elements, different cultures, different languages, different people, and I’m interested in continuing to push that forward.”
AWKWAFINA Rapper, comedian, TV host
After years of cult success as a hip-hop curio, television host and comedian, Awkwafina (real name: Nora Lum) had a breakthrough year in 2018 with the release of her sophomore album, three movies, including a breakout role as Peik Lin in the summer blockbuster “Crazy Rich Asians,” and an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” marking the first time in 18 years an Asian woman hosted the show. With three more films on the way in 2019, she says she’s ready to be part of the positively changing face of popular entertainment.
“[America] is a giant melting pot, and there are so many ways people can relate to movies, to music,” she says. “I think Hollywood is realizing they can reflect that.”
GREG BERLANTI Director
“Love, Simon” was the first major studio film to focus on a gay teenage romance, but its director Berlanti has tackled Lgbt-themed stories for almost two decades. Nevertheless, Berlanti knew that the project’s success would be measured on a different scale. “It hit particularly close to home because it was very much a movie that I really wanted and felt that I needed as a kid,” he says. “But you don’t want to give them another excuse to not make a film like this. You really hope more than anything that people see that you can tell LGBT stories at a studio that represents all different sorts of people’s experiences and still make a film that’s a mass-appeal movie.”
OLIVIER BERNIER Documentary filmmaker
As a feature filmmaker and documentarian, Bernier has collected a literal lifetime of footage of his son Emilio, who has Down syndrome. With the help of a $400,000 grant from Videocamp Film Fund, he is now turning that material into an eye- opening documentary about searching for an inclusive education in New York City for his son called “Forget Me Not.”
“It felt like a perfect opportunity to make a film that can really impact change for his future, and everyone’s future, really,” Bernier says. “What we’re doing is a documentary that parallels my own story of discovering how an inclusive education system can really make people more socially aware from a young age that people with disabilities can add a lot to the world.”
‘Love’ Actually
Greg Berlanti directs Nick Robinson and Alexandra Shipp on the set of his film “Love, Simon.”
GLORIA CALDERON KELLETT Creator, executive producer
Reimagining the work of pioneering TV producer Norman Lear takes considerable courage, but Kellett’s Latin-themed redux of “One Day at a Time” heads into its third season with critical raves, dozens of awards and countless fans from all different backgrounds. She credits a diverse team behind the cameras for its ongoing success. “If your writers’ room is inclusive, if the people that are shooting your show are inclusive, it will all bleed onto the screen,” Kellett says. “I’m telling a specific point of view, but other people can look at it and see themselves through that. And that’s a uniter because we can see beyond class or race or religious background and we can see one another as human people.”
JON M. CHU Director HENRY GOLDING Actor
With worldwide grosses exceeding $234 million, “Crazy Rich Asians” revitalized the romantic comedy genre with a wish-fulfillment concept and virtually unprecedented all-asian cast. “It’s a nice indication that what I want to see on the big screen is in line with what audiences want to see,” Chu says. And as far as 2018’s swoon-worthy performances go, few actors turned more heads than Golding as a Singaporean bachelor in in the film. With two movies with Paul Feig under his belt and another for Guy Ritchie coming, the British-malaysian former television host says he’s eager to find roles where he doesn’t have to think about them representationally. “The film really opened up much more of a sense of Asians in general and it’s not limited to stereotypes,” Golding says. “We’re lucky to be in a position where we’re choosing colorblind roles now, and not having to explain somebody’s ethnicity and just them being a character because of the sake of storytelling.”
SHAMEY CRAMER Reelabilities Film Festival director
Piggybacking on the 10year success of New York’s Reelabilities Film Festival, Cramer launched its inaugural Los Angeles iteration this year with the hopes of making it a permanent staple of the city’s festival circuit. Its emphasis on providing differently abled storytellers with a platform hits close to home for Cramer, who grew up around people with disabilities. “The trick was making sure we reached as many of our constituency groups as possible with the entire festival, seeing themselves on the screen when they normally don’t,” he says. “Reelabilities is more than just giving people a sense of inclusion. It’s about giving them a place where they belong.”
DOUG DAVIS AND KABIR SEHGAL Music producers
Fifty-three Dreamers from 17 states and 17 countries are featured on “John Daversa Big Band: American Dreamers (Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom),” a new jazz album celebrating the diversity, talent, perseverance and patriotism of DACA recipients in America. The brainchild of entertainment attorney and music producer Doug Davis (son of Clive) and produced by Grammy Award-winning composer Sehgal, “American Dreamers” was designed to humanize the American immigrant experience. “My parents came from India many years ago, and while
I was born and raised in America, I grew up knowing how important and integral immigrants were to the American experience,” Sehgal says. “I am deeply troubled about the rhetoric here in the States, and I thought we can get angry or we can create another vision of what we want America to be like. Music was a way to shed humanity on the topic of dreamers.”
ASIA KATE DILLON Actor, filmmaker
Dillon, who recognizes as gender non-binary, rose to television prominence on Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” and Showtime’s “Billions,” became the first nonbinary main character on North American TV, earning a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for supporting actor in a drama series. Dillon supported New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s bill to add a third gender to NYC birth certificates (M, F, X) and is the founder and director of Mirror/fire Productions, which created a performance piece exploring racism and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
HANNAH GADSBY Comedian
Born and raised in Tasmania, the Australian comic caught this attention of international audiences following the release of her 2018 Netflix special, “Nanette,” in which Gadsby, armed with razor-sharp wit, crafts sociological analyses of hot button topics ranging from Van Gogh’s depression to being a lesbian to ever- changing gender roles in modern society. “It’s exhausting having to justify yourself constantly,” says Gadsby, who stole the show while presenting at this year’s Emmys. “I’ve always been taught in subtle ways and overt ways that I don’t matter to the world because I am a woman that is not interested in pleasing men. What’s interesting is that the world still matters to me, and that’s what’s important.”
ARIADNE GETTY Founder, Ariadne Getty Foundation
Getty serves as president and executive director of the Ariadne Getty Foundation, which since 2004 has partnered with non-profit organizations worldwide to improve the lives of individuals and communities. Known for large, targeted donations that empower organizations, she bestowed $15 million to GLAAD’S Media Institute to reverse the erosion of LGBTQ rights and inspire activism. “I’m very proud of the soonto-be operating Getty Youth Academy on the new Anita May Rosenstein campus at the Los Angeles LGBT Center,” says Getty. “It will provide emergency, transitional and long term supportive housing alongside education programs, counseling and job training.”
KEIR GILCHRIST Actor ROBIA RASHID Creator, writer, producer
Rashid’s desire to tell the stories of children and teenagers that were growing up with diagnoses of autism led to the creation of the Netflix series “Atypical,” which follows an autistic teenager (played by Gilchrist) as he seeks independence and romance. Rashid’s commitment to authenticity extends to receiving input from autism consultants and hiring writers and performers with autism; for her efforts, she received Writers Guild of America, West Evan Somers Memorial Award, which honors individuals who showcase disability stories. Gilchrist’s performance has also received praise from individuals on the spectrum and their families.
DANA GILLIS Director, production & development, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group
As director of production & development for Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, Gillis is a passionate champion of diversity in the entertainment community and works to create more layered and authentic portrayals of women and people of color in films, television programming, and digital content by collaborating with diverse and inclusive talent base. “We spend a lot of time celebrating cultural diversity throughout the company,” she says. “It’s wonderful to see so many people who are championing change.” Gillis also serves as the co- chair of the Lionsgate Multicultural Employee Resource Group, which advocates for a more inclusive daily workplace.
ROCIO GUERRERO Vice President, A&R and CrossCultural Strategy at Warner Music Latin America
At Warner, Guerrero concentrates on developing artists from Latin America and Spain. Guerrero was the head of global music cultures, shows, and editorial at Spotify, where she managed many of the company’s biggest initiatives, including launching ¡Viva Latino! and Baila Reggaeton playlists, which today rank among the service’s five most listened-to playlists worldwide. A member of the Latin Media and Entertainment Commission of the City of New York, she’s been honored with the Women in Music: The 100 Most Powerful Executives award.
TARAJI P. HENSON Founder, Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Academy Award-nominated Henson (“Hidden Figures,”) has scored three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award as Cookie Lyon in Fox’s hit musical drama “Empire.” She recently launch the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her late father, which, with the help of executive director Tracie Jade Jenkins, will provide scholarships to AfricanAmerican students majoring in mental health, offer mental health services to youth in urban schools, and work to lower the recidivism rates of African-american men and women. “The African-american community doesn’t discuss mental health issues enough, so this is very important issue to me,” she says.
STEPHAN JAMES AND KIKI LAYNE Actors
Layne and James have earned the sort of critical praise that turns relative Hollywood newcomers into overnight stars. The duo gives remarkable performances as teenage friends- turned-lovers whose relationship is torn apart by prejudicial law enforcement in Barry Jenkins’ moving adaptation of James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk.” Off-camera, both Layne and James, who previously played such civil-rights figures as Jesse Owens and John Lewis in films, are also candid about their desire to participate in additional projects that showcase fully developed African-american characters contending with real-life issues.
BARRY JENKINS Filmmaker
Jenkins earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for “Moonlight” (2016), a powerful examination of African-american sexuality and identity that drew on a play by co-writer Tarell Alvin Mccraney. The film, which captured the best picture Oscar, stamped Jenkins as a potent voice in both independent and African-american cinema, and he remains devoted to exploring the lives of black men and women on film in such projects as this year’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” and the Amazon limited series “The Underground Railroad,” based on the novel by Colson Whitehead.
JESSE & JOY Musicians
Mexican-american siblings Jesse and Joy Huerta — better known as the pop duo Jesse & Joy — recently added Latin pop album from the 2017 Grammys to their six Latin Grammys. The duo has also used their elevated profile to bring much-needed attention to issues affecting the Latino community in the United States and abroad. The pair partnered with the Hispanic civil-rights organization Unidosus for a series of performances aimed at energizing Latinos across the Southwest to vote; for these and other efforts, Jesse & Joy were honored with the Vision Award by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation in September.
RASHID JOHNSON Artist, filmmaker
Conceptual artist Johnson has explored themes of AfricanAmerican history, both personal and cultural, through acclaimed photography and sculpture that utilize an array of everyday materials, from wood and steel to VHS tapes and shea butter. Johnson’s work has been showcased at such leading institutions as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and Whitney Museum of American Art. In 2018, A24 announced that Johnson will direct an adaptation of Richard Wright’s groundbreaking novel “Native Son,” with a script by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-lori Parks.
BRANDON LAWRENCE Television lterary agent, CAA
Since 2013, Lawrence has supported diversity through his clients, who include Mara Brock Akil and Will Packer, and by founding the CAA Writers Boot Camp, which provides valuable experience to emerging writers. He also co- conceived the Amplify Database, which features information on more than 800 writers of color, and the Showrunner Mentorship Program, which links showrunners with mid-level writers. “As an agent of color, there have been moments where I have felt alone in how my culture is being portrayed in such a subjective business,” he says. “We created the CAA Writers Boot Camp and other inclusionbased programs to help combat that same feeling by fostering an organic sense of community for writers of color to lean on, long-term.”
GWEN MARCUS Executive vice president and general counsel, Showtime
Showtime, notes Marcus, featured such programming as “Queer as Folk” and “The L Word” before LGBTQ issues were “the flavor of the week.” She was also instrumental in getting several companies to sign onto employer amicus briefs at the U.S. Supreme Court in support of marriage equality in 2013 and 2015. Recently, her work resulted in CBS’ joining briefs in national cases supporting the view that federal law prohibits workplace discrimination, which she says expand businesses’ “ability to recruit and retain talent, and to generate innovative ideas, by drawing on a breadth of perspectives.”
ROCKO D. MÁRQUEZ Filmmaker
“As a Mexican filmmaker, to find a place in the entertainment industry, I had to focus on films with universal themes,” says Márquez. The filmmaker, who hails from Guadalajara, has addressed issues both personal and social in over a dozen short films, including the award-winning short “After Dark,” as well as the 20111 short, “Por Amor,” which stars Sarah Nichols. His most recent filmic endeavor is a the documentary feature “Imposter(s).” “about the migratory crisis between Mexico and the United States, and how far some persons go to survive, forced by lack of better inclusion policies in both countries.” Marquez, who is currently developing his first feature film, is also a member of the State Council for Culture and Arts of Jalisco, Mexico.
All in the Family
Jesse Huerta, left, and Joy Huerta, of Jesse & Joy, perform at the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala.
PAUL MARTIN Chief diversity officer, Sony Pictures
At Sony, Martin has built an environment of global inclusion through initiatives such as the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Program, global writers’ programs and the Employee Business Resource Groups, which link more than 1,400 global employees to cultivate inclusion and belonging. “These initiatives help to create a culture that embraces and elevates the differences within our corporation and creative families,” Martin says. “Our work impacts every area of our business, from who is in front of and behind the camera to our content, audiences, vendors and our employees.”
MONIKA MIKKELSEN Vice president of casting, Paramount
At Paramount, Mikkelsen helped assemble the diverse group of actors behind “Bumble,” the latest in the Transformers series. She is also part of CSA’S Inclusion and Diversity Committee, which is working to create more opportunities for actors of Middle-eastern, North African and South Asian descent. “I walk the Earth. And I see people of all shapes and sizes cross the street. Why do I not see that in my movies?” Mikkelsen says. “Working at a studio that literally churns turns out entertainment for the world, I have an opportunity to really highlight something that’s missing.”
YVONNE ORJI Actor, comedian
The Nigerian-american actress and creator of the website Firegenshow.com, says women approach her all the time to tell her “they are Molly,” the highpowered yet emotionally messy lawyer she plays on “Insecure.” This resonance isn’t possible without the nuanced approach to black experiences from the team behind the hit HBO series, including creator Issa Rae and showrunner Prentice Penny. Orji says her support system, including Rae, has opened doors for her, as Rae saw her standup and cast her when nobody else gave her a chance. Now, Orji says her job is to “pay that forward and do a good enough job where I, too, one day will have a seat at the table and I can leave the door open for other people to come through.”
KIMBERLY PEIRCE Filmmaker
A tireless activist for human and civil rights, filmmaker Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry,” “Stop-loss”) helped to found Reframe, an industry-wide effort to end discrimination against women and people of color. In 2018, she was honored with the Crystal Award for Activism in Film and Television Advancing Equality and Representation and the 2018 University of Chicago Career Achievement Award. “We need more complex stories about human desire, love and sexuality across all races, genders, and sexual preferences to reveal our great connection to one another and to deepen our humanity,” she says. “I’m excited to tell these and other stories.”
SUZETTE RAMIREZ-CARR Global head of human resources, UTA
A first generation MexicanAmerican, Ramirez-carr serves as the global head of human resources at UTA. In this capacity, she helps to support and maintain the agency’s proud culture as one of the industry’s best and most diverse places to work. In the last two years, UTA’S female workforce has increased by 4% and colleagues who identify as ethnically/racially diverse is up 13%. “The work at UTA the last two years has been particularly gratifying,” she says. “It’s truly a place where I’ve heard ‘Yes’ to creating innovative initiatives.”
ROMOLA RATNAM Senior director, Endeavor Foundation
As senior director of the Endeavor Foundation, Ratnam works to leverage the company’s vast network to drive social change alongside Tascha Rudder, who serves as Endeavor Foundation’s exec director. Ratnam helped to launch Endeavor Impact, the company’s social impact brand focused on four key pillars: equity, democracy, industry inclusion and sustainability, and urges everyone to help out. “Pick something you inherently care about and always be authentic in what you do,” she says. Ratnam helps to focus on overall industry inclusion, and funding programs that ensure that sports, entertainment and fashion industries are accessible to individuals from all communities.
DAVID RENAUD Writer, story editor
Renaud, who before an entertainment career worked as a practicing physician, serves as executive story editor and writer on ABC’S critically acclaimed series “The Good Doctor,” which focuses on a lead character who recognizes as part of the autism spectrum. His research-based work is crucial in getting the character of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), to feel as authentic as possible, as the show’s creators and craftspeople have strived to portray someone with autism in a serious and intelligent fashion. Paralyzed at 19 in a car accident, Renaud has never let anything slow him down.
MELISSA REINER Consultant
Reiner parlayed a master’s
Safe and Secure
Yvonne Orji and Issa Rae star in the goundbreaking HBO comedy “Insecure,” which just finished season three.
degree in special education and experience as a certified consultant in relationship development intervention into her role as autism consultant for the ABC drama “The Good Doctor.” Considered by leading pediatric neurologists and developmental pediatrics as one of the top behavioral and autism consultants in California, Reiner works with the cast, writers and producers to help assure an accurate and authentic portrayal of autism on screen. She also continues to work with families and individuals with behavioral challenges or a diagnosis of autism. “This show nurtures a deeper sense of understanding about neurodiversity, while increasing capacity for all people,” says Reiner. “I think the show is changing the scope of television.”
FATIMA ROBINSON Choreographer, director
Robinson has worked with everyone from Michael Jackson to Mary J. Blige on music videos (“Remember the Time”), films (“Anchorman 2”), TV series (“The Voice”) and special concerts (the Smithsonian’s “Taking the Stage”). After choreographing the upcoming series “American Soul,” Robinson hopes to combine her love of hip-hop dance and storytelling as a feature film director. “As a choreographer, you’re kind of in and out,” she says. “I want a seat at the table. There’s so many great stories that come from hip-hop and my generation that I feel like it’s time to be told and I want to be one of the people telling them.”
GINA RODRIGUEZ Actor
Actor and activist Rodriguez (“Miss Bala,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Deepwater Horizon”) never stops. In between filming, she’s become a member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund board of directors, which is the States’ biggest nonprofit organization supporting Hispanic-american higher education. “My philanthropic work is what gives my life importance and fills my soul,” she says. Rodriguez has also helped to raise awareness for the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights National Bullying Prevention Center, but isn’t done yet. “I really want to put my energy towards creating sustainable change for those that are in the toughest circumstances.”
‘QUEER EYE’ CAST (AKA ‘THE FAB FIVE’) TV hosts
Netflix’s “Queer Eye” revival has turned the original show’s makeover conceit into an aisle- crossing celebration of individuality. But its irresistibly supportive hosts Antoni Porowski (food and wine), Tan France (fashion), Karamo Brown (culture and lifestyle), Bobby Berk (design) and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming) say that they’ve done as much learning as teaching during its first two seasons. “When we open up about our personal experiences, the better the reaction or the more openness we get from our heroes,” says Porowski. Adds Brown, “The thing with me is that diversity is not enough. Inclusion is about giving people access to power, to finances, and to opportunities that they can sustain and then pass on.”
TANYA SARACHO Writer, producer
An award-winning playwright whose work has been commissioned by Chicago’s Goodman and Steppenwolf theaters, Saracho made a successful transition to television as a writer for such Latin and Lgbt-themed programs as HBO’S “Looking” and Lifetime’s “Devious Maids.” In 2018, Saracho linked a threeyear overall deal with the Starz network, and became the first Latina co-showrunner in premium cable with the drama “Vida,” which examines themes of gender and home with authenticity and humor. With “One Day at a Time” executive producer Gloria Calderon Kellett, Saracho has also brought attention to Raices, which provides legal services to immigrant families.
AMY SCHUMER Actor, comedian
The star of “Snatched” and “I’m So Pretty” wastes no time in having her progressive social messages heard: Schumer was recently arrested at the U.S. Capitol while protesting the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. She’s also become an outspoken advocate for stricter gun laws and increased mental health funding in America, after a fatal shooting occurred at a theatrical showing of “Trainwreck” in Louisiana. Her comedic work typically tackles social and interpersonal issues, with several of her 2015 “Inside Amy Schumer” skits generating press regarding sex, feminism, and rape culture.
MILLICENT SIMMONDS
Actor
At age 15, Simmonds, who is deaf, has already starred in two critically acclaimed feature films — Todd Haynes’ 2017 adaptation of Brian Selznick’s fantasy adventure “Wonderstruck,” and “A Quiet Place,” John Krasinski’s postapocalyptic horror movie that’s grossed more than $300 million worldwide since bowing in April. “Acting comes naturally to me,” says Simmonds. “As a deaf actress I’m not necessarily competing with my peers so I can sort of do it my way.” Upcoming projects include recurring roles
on Disney’s “Andi Mack” and Sundance Now’s “This Close.” “This is the first time I’ll be acting with other deaf actors professionally,” she says. “It’s a very exciting experience.”
AMANDLA STENBERG Actress
After a supporting role in “Sleepy Hollow,” Stenberg vaulted to leads in the features “The Hate U Give” and “The Darkest Minds.” The exposure has also allowed her to not only address criticism that hinged on her race — the biracial Stenberg was accused of taking her “Hate U Give” role from a darker-skinned performer — but also diversity in Hollywood as a whole. “Me and [actress] Yara [Shahidi] and Zendaya are perceived in the same way because we are lighter-skinned girls, and we fill this interesting place of being accessible to Hollywood and to white people in a way that darker-skinned girls are not afforded the same privilege,” she says.
JAMES WAN Director
As a Malaysian filmmaker raised in Australia and working almost exclusively on horror series like “Saw,” “Insidious” and “The Conjuring,” Wan established a pattern of defying expectations to huge commercial rewards. The upcoming “Aquaman” offers a thrilling showcase both for his considerable talents and Hollywood’s first Polynesian superhero.
“I was breaking through in a genre that in Hollywood has never really had Asian directors behind them before,” Wan says. “So I’m always trying to find thing for myself that go against the grain of other people’s perceptions and stereotyping. There is this willingness to accept people of different looks, ethnicity and background. It’s a truly great moment and one we should be taking advantage of.”