From K-Pop to Hamnet: The Incredible Range of Asian American Talent in This Year’s Oscar Race

Asian American and Asian-diaspora filmmakers are in the hunt in this year’s Acadamy Awards race.

If you thought Chloé Zhao was done winning after Nomadland, think again. The Chinese American director is back with Hamnet, snagging two of the night’s biggest honors: a nomination for best director and another for best adapted screenplay. She’s officially the second woman ever to be nominated for directing twice, and she’s doing it on her own terms, bringing heart-wrenching literature to life with her signature visual style.

Korean Canadian director Maggie Kang and Chinese American producer Michelle L.M. Wong are nominated for the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters, while Chinese Canadian director Domee Shi is recognized as a nominee for Pixar’s Elio. Additionally, French Korean director Liane-Cho Han is nominated for Little Amélie or the Character of Rain. And notably, the song Golden from KPop Demon Hunters made history as the first K-pop track nominated for an Oscar, a nod shared by Korean American producer Teddy Park and Korean singer-songwriter EJAE.

The look of your favorite movies this year also has an Asian American touch. Japanese American clothing designer Miyako Bellizzi earned a well-deserved nomination for the style of Marty Supreme, and Iranian French camera expert Darius Khondji is being celebrated for his stunning visual work on that same film. Japanese artist Kazu Hiro is once again in the running for his incredible hair and makeup work on The Smashing Machine, while Japanese artists Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino, and Tadashi Nishimatsu were recognized for their work on Kokuho. On the technical side, Chinese American visual effects pro Charmaine Chan is nominated for making the dinosaurs look terrifyingly real in Jurassic World Rebirth.

Even when they aren't the ones on the ballot, Asian American stories are dominating the conversation. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners broke all-time records with 16 nominations, and at the heart of that movie is an Asian American family played by Chinese American actress Li Jun Li and Helena Hu. While the acting categories were surprisingly quiet for Asian Americans this year, the film's best picture nod includes Armenian American producer Sev Ohanian, who has been a massive champion for diverse storytelling. We also saw Iranian American director Sara Khaki get recognized for her documentary Cutting Through Rocks, and Indian American artist Alexandre Singh snag a nomination for his short film Two People Exchanging Saliva.

The 2026 Oscars, happening March 15, are shaping up to be a masterclass in how Asian American voices are leading the most ambitious, creative, and record-breaking projects in the world.

Photo courtesy A24