Join our discussion with Yalie Asian-American Filmmakers to celebrate Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, held every May. Speakers will discuss their paths from Yale to Hollywood, and discuss the status of AAPI representation in front of and behind the camera, effects of Crazy Rich Asians, and what attendees can do to help improve AAPI representation in Hollywood.
SPEAKERS
- Jessica Yu, is an Oscar and Emmy winning filmmaker / writer. In 2019, Yu was nominated for an Emmy and a DGA Award for Best Director of Fosse/Verdon. She has helmed TV shows including Grey's Anatomy, 13 Reasons Why, and West Wing. Yu won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short.
- Quentin Lee has directed and produced over a dozen features and two TV shows, most featuring an Asian-American and/or an LGBTQ protagonist. His credits include: Gay Hollywood Dad, The People I’ve Slept With, and White Frog. He just won a Roddenberry Impact Award for his Comisery series.
- Paula Yoo, Writer, Author. Paula's TV writing and producing credits include NBC’s The West Wing and CW’s Supergirl. She is also a former journalist with the Seattle Times and PEOPLE Magazine. Her latest young adult non-fiction book is "From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement."
- Rich Ting, Actor, Warrior, etc. Chinese-Japanese actor Rich Ting was a five-sport athlete, and played Yale Football while earning a B.A. He later received a J.D./M.B.A. degree. He switched career paths to acting in Hollywood. His credits include Cinemax series Warrior, and The Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime.
- Esther Chae, Actor, Playwright. Esther did voice work for Soul and Over the Moon, both animated films nominated for Oscars. Soul won the Animated Feature Oscar. Her TV credits include NCIS, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The West Wing, 24, The Shield, and numerous ads. She is also a consultant, TED Fellow, and public speaker.
Moderator: Kevin Winston, Yale in Hollywood, President
