New report highlights gains and gaps in Asian representation in Hollywood

A new study released by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and IW Group, finds that while Asian and Pacific Islander (API) visibility in Hollywood has grown over the past 15 years, the industry continues to underrepresent the diversity and depth of API communities both on and off screen.

The report, “Rewriting the Script: A New Era for API Voices in Hollywood,” was unveiled on May 29 and serves as a follow-up to the organizations’ 2021 study “I Am Not a Fetish or Model Minority.” It examines API representation in the 10 highest-grossing U.S. films each year from 2010 through 2024.

The study found that only 5.1% of lead characters across 150 top-grossing films were API and all were featured in animation or action films. No API leads appeared in comedy, drama, horror, thriller or science fiction/fantasy titles. Researchers noted that this restricts the kinds of stories API characters are allowed to inhabit.

Representation was also uneven among API subgroups. East Asians accounted for 67.7% of API characters, with South Asians at 18.4%, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders at 10.4% and Southeast Asians at just 3.5%. The report calls for more diverse and specific ethnic narratives to reflect the full range of API communities.

The study also surveyed API professionals working in film and television. Just over a third said it had been easy to find mentorship in the industry, highlighting the lack of support networks that can help advance API talent into leadership roles. To address this, the report recommends investing in development programs and opening access to behind-the-scenes positions in writing, directing and producing.

It also emphasizes the need to broaden the genres and roles available to API actors and creatives, especially in stories centered on Southeast Asian experiences, which remain significantly underrepresented.