Since the mid-‘50s, for nearly seven full decades, James Hong has been an always welcome staple of film and television. Now 93, he has over 450 credits to his name, one of the most recent ones being Everything Everywhere All At Once, in which he plays Michelle Yeoh’s emotionally distant but maybe not-so-retrograde father. It’s one of the meatiest roles on an enormous CV largely filled with top shelf character actor work. And when Hong finally got the Hollywood Walk of Fame star he so richly deserved, he turned it into a full-fledged party.
Jamie Lee Curtis: "It's about f—ing time that we are here honoring James Hong with a star on the Hollywood Walk to Fame" https://t.co/rX5LabJY82 pic.twitter.com/XdGbvq7a2j
— Variety (@Variety) May 10, 2022
As per Variety, Hong’s new star, which joins the over 2,700 such adornments along L.A.’s Hollywood Boulevard, honoring industry legends and even certain former presidents, is the result of crowdfunding campaign launched by one of his Everything directors, Daniel Dae Kim. Launched in 2020, the petition amassed the $55,000 necessary for the star. And they did it in four days, because everyone loves James Hong.
Hong has been seen in all manner of productions. He’s the main baddie in John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. He’s the impenetrable matire d’ on the Seinfeld episode “The Chinese Restaurant.” He’s memorable in Chinatown (and its sequel, The Two Jakes), Blade Runner, Wayne’s World 2, Airplane!, Missing Action, Tango & Cash, and the Kung Fu Panda films. His endless TV credits include Hawaii Five-0, Perry Mason, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Kung Fu, and too many more to list here.
Most Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies aren’t too exciting. Some bring out the stars. Hong’s did, too, including his Everything colleague Jamie Lee Curtis, who told the crowd, “It’s about f*cking time that we are here honoring James Hong with a star on the Hollywood Walk to Fame.” Director Daniel Dae Kim revealed that he’s “so gangsta” that he only writes e-mails in all-caps, because using lowercase is for the birds.
Daniel Dae Kim says James Hong types his emails in all caps: "James is so gangsta, he can't be bothered with an upper and lower case in an email" https://t.co/rX5LabJY82 pic.twitter.com/ynNX1oU1Yr
— Variety (@Variety) May 10, 2022
The ceremony was populated by Chinese dragon puppets and lots of dancing, including by the extremely limber Hong himself.
James Hong, flanked by dragons, strikes poses next to his star on the Walk of Fame https://t.co/rX5LabJY82 pic.twitter.com/GCj19wkXJm
— Variety (@Variety) May 10, 2022
James Hong celebrating his Walk of Fame honor is the the best thing you'll see all day https://t.co/rX5LabJY82 pic.twitter.com/yW10YBogzF
— Variety (@Variety) May 10, 2022
The way James Hong took over his own Walk of Fame induction ceremony with lion dancers.
The man is 93, has been at it for 7 decades. pic.twitter.com/BWXRLecz2D
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) May 10, 2022
It looked like a blast. Congrats, Mr. Hong, the honor is most deserved.
(Via Variety)
