(Left-right:) Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Wang, Dan Kwan, Stephanie Hsu and Daniel Scheinert at the 2023 Academy Awards.Photo:Alamy
Alamy
A year after theOscar-sweepingtriumph ofEverything Everywhere All at Once, its starJames Hongsays his castmates are busier than ever.
These days, he tells PEOPLE, the award-winning ensemble is “not in touch” very much. “And I’m very sad to say — and very happy to say — because they’re all so busy!”
The 95-years-young Minnesota native, who after almost seven decades as a character actor in Hollywoodattended his firstAcademy Awardslast year, played the grouchy Gong Gong in the hit film fromDaniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. After delighting audiences and becoming distributor A24’s highest grossing movie,Everything Everywherewon seven Oscars, including Best Picture, out of 11 nominations.
“I kind of snuck off the stage with the award in my hand,” Hong recalls of joining the team onstage during the Best Picture win that night. “I had to give it up, but at least I got to hold onto it for a few minutes.”
(Left-right:) Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh and James Hong in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”.Allyson Riggs / A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Allyson Riggs / A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Alongside leading actressMichelle Yeohand costarsKe Huy Quan,Stephanie Hsu,Jamie Lee Curtisand more, Hong made headlines at last year’sScreen Actors Guild Awardswhen they jointly accepted the best ensemble prize.
Alongside his predominantly Asian castmates, Hong added: “But look at us now, huh?”
It’s because of the Oscar-winning success of Yeoh, Quan and Curtis that he’s both “sad” and “happy” to not be hanging out with them now, Hong tells PEOPLE.
“They’re out there,” he says proudly. “Everybody’s busy, which is wonderful!”
SinceEverything Everywhere, Yeoh has appeared inThe School for Good and Evil, The Witcher: Blood Origin,A Haunting in Veniceand multiple animated projects. The 61-year-old Malaysian star led Netflix dramaThe Brothers Sun, which premiered Jan. 4.
Quan, 52, appeared in season two of Disney+’sLokiand will next feature inThe Electric State. Hsu, 33, continued her work onThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiseland made appearances inPoker FaceandJoy Ride, while Curtis, 65, starred inThe Haunted Mansionand an episode ofThe Bear.
Many of theEverything Everywherecast members reunited in2023’s Disney+ seriesAmerican Born Chinese, on which Yeoh and Quan starred with Hsu and Hong appearing in one episode apiece.
(Left-right:) Susan Hong, James Hong and April Hong at the Los Angeles premiere of “Kung Fu Panda 4” March 3.Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
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Hong says that his Feb. 22 ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre, in which his hands and feet were immortalized in cement, came close to being a chance to see his castmates again. “Ke was going to come and make a speech for me at the ceremony,” he tells PEOPLE, “but he was busy. And Jamie Lee Curtis, I think she’s out there in New York.”
But Hong was not alone at the ceremony, which took place on his 95th birthday. The special celebration included presentations from Kwan, Scheinert,Lucy Liuand a traditional dragon dance in honor of the Lunar New Year.
Curtis, along withDaniel Dae Kim, did present when Hong received his star on theHollywood Walk of Famein 2022. TheHalloweenstar remarked that it was “about f—ing time” that the character actor got his long-overdue recognition.
“I may seem also a strange choice to be standing up here to talk about an Asian film legend like James Hong,” shesaidat the time. “Me, a White, more than middle-aged, college dropout, horror film, body-swapping and gyrating comedy actress.”
But meeting Hong on their first day of filmingEverything Everywhere, she continued, “We bonded, we held hands. We laid on the floor and we looked in each other’s eyes and found mutual respect, real trust, and a mild and totally appropriate film set flirtation.”
Hong next extends his hundreds of Hollywood credits as one of the voices inKung Fu Panda 4, in theaters now, in which he reprises his role as Chinese goose Mr. Ping, adoptive father toJack Black’s panda Po.
source: people.com
