He might turn 94 in a few days, but James Hong shows no sign of stopping. The acting legend has joined hisEverything Everywhere All at Onceco-stars in Disney Plus' upcoming seriesAmerican Born Chinese.
Disney Plus’American Born Chineseis an adaptation of Gene Luen Kuang’s comic book of the same name, published in 2006. The story follows Jin Wang, a young foreign exchange student who struggles to adapt to his new life in the United States while somehow getting caught up in a battle between several deities from Chinese mythology. Hong played Evelyn’s unnamed father, Gong Gong (Cantonese for maternal grandpa), inEEAO, where he doubles as a sweet old-fashioned grandfather and his ruthless Alphaverse variant.
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Now, according toThe A.V. Club, Hong has been cast in an unnamed role that will see him join many ofhisEEAOcolleagues inAmerican Born Chinese.EEAO’s leading trio of Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu had already been announced for the series. Hong is not the only new addition to the series’ mostly Asian cast, as Ronny Chieng (The Daily ShowandM3GAN), Jimmy O. Yang (80 For Brady), Leonard Wu (Alita: Battle Angel), Lisa Lu (Crazy Rich Asians), and Rosalie Chiang (Turning Red) will also appear inAmerican Born Chinese.
For anyone doubting Hong’s work rate, the actor’s recent credits include voice acting parts inTurning Redand the upcoming HBO Max seriesGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Hong received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 as recognition for his long career. His previous credits includeBlade Runner,Big Trouble in Little China,Wayne’s World 2,Mulan, and several video game voice roles.
Hong, along with Yeoh, Quan, Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, Harry Shum Jr., and Jenny Slate, is nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast, meaningAmerican Born Chinesewill be able to call upon the same magic that made Daniels' hit movie so good. Regardless, Disney Plus' action comedy will need to get the best out of its young stars, led by Ben Wang. After all,American Born Chineseis a coming-of-age story.
Disney made sure to includeAmerican Born Chinesein its 2023 preview. WithEverything Everywhere All at Once’s stars cleaning upmost of Hollywood’s awards ceremonies, the show is bound to draw some interest from its cast alone.
American Born Chinesewill be released exclusively on Disney Plus in 2023.
