Who are the future Asian American superstars in Hollywood?
When you think of Asian women in Hollywood you might naturally think of women such as Maggie Q, Kristin Kreuk, Vanessa Hudgens, Brenda Song, or even Zhang Ziyi. These women have made big names for themselves and are the top stars when it comes to Asian women.
But we wanted to make a different list — one with a bunch of very talented (and also beautiful) girls that you may have not heard of yet. A new wave of Asian women will become household names in Hollywood, and I would bet top dollar that a few of those girls are on this list.
How did we make this list? Our judgment for this list was more or less arbitrary, but the main criteria was we didn’t want any HUGE names on here. We wanted this list to be more about “discovery” than anything else. Sure you might recognize a few of these names, but a majority of you will learn a name or two.
Let’s get started.
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Arden Cho
She was told by Korean agencies to get plastic surgery or otherwise she would never get big, but instead she decided to stay the course and try her hand in Hollywood. Miss Arden Cho started off as a YouTube singer and comedian when she landed her big break on Teen Wolf. Now she’s a series regular and is getting more recognition than ever before. Although she was already decently well known in the YouTube scene, it wasn’t until Teen Wolf that she proved that she had real star potential. She’s got beauty and talent all packaged into one.
Chasty Ballesteros
Chasty Ballesteros has had numerous small TV and film roles thus far, but hasn’t been able to shine as the main star yet. But over several years Miss Ballesteros has gotten over 70 credits to her name according to Imdb. With a little push I can see her making a splash in a hit TV series. She has a gorgeous exotic look and is obviously experienced in the industry. Keep an eye out for this girl because she’s full of potential.
Janel Parrish
This half Chinese beauty is the 2nd actress on this list from Pretty Little Liars. She plays Mona Vanderwaal, one of the main villains. Despite being the “bad girl,” she’s been able to gain a lot of fans from starring on the show. She’s a true entertainer with several credits under her name, and I think her experience will pay off. She’s worked hard at being good at what she does, and she’s now reaping the rewards.
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Anna Akana
Anna Akana is a YouTube personality with over a million YouTube subscribers. Although she’s killing it on the social platform, Miss Akana’s goal is to become a serious actress and/or producer in Hollywood. She’s very talented as a producer/director as well, and she generally acts in her own short films on YouTube. She’s extremely entertaining and very funny, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see her producing much bigger works in the near future.
Shuya Chang
She’s been active in movies lately, with credits in Revenge of the Green Dragons and the upcoming Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel. While Revenge of the Green Dragons did poorly, it’s always good to get that experience under your belt. Shuya is a natural beauty, and while she may not be the most beautiful woman in the world, she has that girl next door quality that’s very sexy and endearing at the same time.
Shelby Rabara
A dancer and an actress, Shelby Rabara has had roles in several films and tv shows such as 17 Again, CSI, Community, My Name is Earl and Grounded For Life. She’s an incredible beauty. The only downside is that she’s engaged to Harry Shum Jr. which makes me freakin’ jealous. How dare you take my man! Just kidding, you guys are extremely cute together.
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Malese Jow
The lovely Malese Jow has had several recurring roles in TV and movies, including The Vampire Diaries and Big Time Rush. She’s also set to play a recurring role on The Flash as Linda Park. Being a very young 23 years old, Miss Jow is already one of the more impressive names on this list. Expect to see more of this gorgeous lady in TV. I’m especially excited to see her in The Flash.
Celina Jade
Ever since birth, Celina Jade was destined to become a star. She’s the daughter of an American martial artist named Roy Horan. Her mother is Chinese. Her beauty + talent in martial arts led her to be cast in many TV shows and films. Most notably, she plays Shado on the CW hit series Arrow. She’s one of those girls who knows how to kick ass while wearing heels, and I can see her being the next Maggie Q within the next few years.
Constance Wu
She stars as a fobby mom on the new ABC comedy show Fresh off the Boat. And even though she plays a mom on TV, she’s actually a stunning beauty in real life. Her new starring role is sure to give her bigger exposure as an actress and lead her to bigger and better roles.
Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell plays Emily Fields on Pretty Little Liars, and I think it’s safe to say she’s the hottest girl on that show. Okay well that’s debatable, but I’m putting in my vote for her because she’s half Filipino. Although she’s only played one notable role so far, her star power from that show alone should be able to land her many more roles in TV and movies. Millions of Instagram followers can’t be wrong right?
Written by Megumi Tanaka