There Still Aren't Enough Authentic Asian Characters in Kids' Media

The multitude of Oscar wins for Everything Everywhere All at Once this year and the top box-office performance for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021 were particularly exciting developments for Asian American representation on the screen. Overall, the trends look promising. We are seeing more Asian American characters in movies and TV. But during this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we need to highlight that these high profile wins overshadow concerning realities:

• UCLA's Hollywood Diversity Report 2023 found that while Asian characters in film overall were proportionate to the U.S. population in 2022, they are still underrepresented when it comes to lead roles in movies. The study also found that the vast majority of writers for films are White.
• A recent study by Luminate showed that only 1.8% of all movies released in 2022 centered on Asian stories.
• A study by the Nielsen Company found that two-thirds of Asian Americans feel there is not enough Asian representation on TV. More than half say the depictions that do exist are inaccurate.

When it comes to family movies and television specifically, there are still a relatively small number of Asian cast members and leads, and few stories center on AANHPI characters. There are also hardly any AANHPI characters in video games for kids.

Plus, simply including AANHPI characters is not enough. Seeing genuine, authentic portrayals of characters that look like them matters for the healthy development of kids and teens. The characters that most Asian kids see on screen are not all representative of our highly diverse communities and often play into "model minority" stereotypes. Per one finding in a Geena Davis Institute analysis of films featuring API characters in the main title cast, API characters are typically written as "smart" and "hardworking," playing into narrow stereotypes about East Asians as affluent and highly educated.

Here are some steps the industry could take that could help create more authentic AANHPI representation in kids' media:

1. Center stories around AANHPI characters and narratives, rather than simply adding them into minor and supporting roles. When these characters drive the action, kids see that they can lead and be the central character in their own life stories.
2. Move beyond "model minority" stereotypes. Including more nuanced and realistic portrayals, with a more diverse set of characteristics, signals to kids that they can find their own path and don't need to be perfect.
3. Recognize the distinctiveness of the varied and diverse AANHPI communities. There is a tremendous opportunity to showcase stories that explore specific Asian regions and cultures—particularly those in South and Southeast Asia, as well as Asians with Indigenous ancestry—that have been largely overlooked in mainstream media.

Getting more AANHPI writers on staff for kids' media would bring more firsthand perspectives into the creative process, helping across all these areas. Luckily, there are programs that set great examples of authentic AANHPI storytelling. Brainchild from Netflix is a smart, funny series that teaches kid-friendly science concepts with Indian American host Sahana Srinivasan. Pixar's Turning Red from director Domee Shi follows lead character Mei's journey through puberty. Disney+'s recently released American Born Chinese was adapted by Taiwanese American showrunner Kelvin Yu, and features an impressive cast of East Asian actors, including Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan.

There is clearly a market for AANHPI stories. And as the world becomes smaller thanks to the accessibility of video on demand, Variety reports that Asian content investments are paying off for streamers like Netflix, with content from Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and India ranking among the top globally streamed titles.

Ultimately, I hope to see an ongoing and sustained effort to support AANHPI stories—and storytellers—and to get a larger variety of representation, ranging across the spectrum of what it means to be Asian or Asian American. In the meantime, check out our Asian Stories page for tips on how to celebrate our unique cultures and heritage with your family, including our picks for the best movies, TV shows, and books that uplift AANHPI stories.