Bong Joon Ho, Ali Wong, Dwayne Johnson and Others Selected to A100 List of Influential Asians, Asian Americans

Bong Joon Ho, Ali Wong, Dwayne Johnson and others are being honored as a part of nonprofit collective Gold House’s third annual A100 List to celebrate Asians and Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and their transformative contributions to society.

Additionally, for the first time, voters selected the single most impactful Asians per category. Honorees included designer Prabal Gurung for fashion and lifestyle, actress and musician Awkwafina for media and entertainment, and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang for social activism. The inaugural Legend Honor for lifetime achievement was given to Miky Lee, vice chairman of CJ Entertainment.

Related Stories

Movies

The Hollywood Reporter Critics Pick the 20 Best Films of Cannes 2023

Movies

Legend of the Croisette: The Slow, Pure Cinema of Nuri Bilge Ceylan

The A100 list, which honors 100 of the most esteemed and impactful Asians in media and entertainment, fashion and lifestyle, technology, business, social activism and politics from the past year, also includes Hasan Minhaj, Lilly Singh, CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and The Hollywood Reporter‘s senior awards editor Rebecca Ford. 

All honorees were chosen through a rigorous selection process with a selection committee consisting of Gold House’s hundreds of nationwide members, 20 of the country’s top Asian nonprofit leaders, and a group of multicultural icons including George Takei, Lea Salonga, and Janice Min.

This year’s A100 launched in partnership with the 2020 census, and will raise further awareness to the AAPI community to complete a census questionnaire. According to the 2020 Census Barriers Attitudes and Motivators Study, Asian Americans have the lowest awareness about the 2020 census. 

Nevertheless, while AAPIs represent 6 percent of the total U.S. population, they outpace the nation’s general population in spending power and rapid population growth (214 percent since 2000, 19 percent for the rest of the country), according to a 2019 Nielsen report. AAPIs are also the highest media streamers with 82 percent subscribed to at least one service. Research by Gold House also indicates that nearly 30 percent of “unicorn” and “unicorn-emerging” companies — startups with at least $500 million in valuation — have at least one Asian founder. Gold House notes this stat suggests a growing number of Asians are disrupting industries rather than only working to be promoted. 

“The AAPI community is facing a pivotal juncture in our history. Unprecedented hope and progress — seen in IPOs and other major company exits to the Democratic Presidential Primaries and the Oscars and Golden Globes — quickly turned into hateful harassment and violence,” said a Gold House spokesperson. “The A100 spotlights significant contributions made by the Asian diaspora that transcend ethnicities, generations, industries, and continents — a powerful reminder that we have always been and will continue to be an integral part of the fabric of American society.”

In past years, the A100 has feted honorees at receptions across the country. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gold House will celebrate the A100 and positive achievements by AAPIs this month through several forums. A live virtual discussion will be held later this month, featuring several honorees, with the focus of identifying new avenues for empowerment while also discussing the current and future state of Asian America and its next steps to grow as a community in partnership with the 2020 census. Live watch parties featuring major Asian films along with their cast and crew are also slated for May.

The full A100 list, as well as information about upcoming virtual events, can be found on Gold House’s website.