Director Jon M. Chu was honored with the Legend Award at the fourth annual Gold House Gold Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday. The award recognized his groundbreaking work, including his direction of Wicked and its upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good. Chu, also a Gold House co-founder, was celebrated for his role in the #GoldOpen movement and his impact on Asian representation in Hollywood.
Chu reflected on the progress of Asian representation over the past decade, telling the audience, “We’re not just guests at the table anymore. We built the damn house, and guess what? It’s made of gold, and we’ve got more work to do.” He also shared a pivotal moment from the set of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s encouragement helped him embrace his Asian identity in the spotlight.
Chu credited the #OscarsSoWhite movement for helping him feel less isolated in his journey and spoke about the growing success of Asian creatives, citing a moment on the Wicked set with Michelle Yeoh and Bowen Yang that captured a new sense of confidence in Asian representation.
Filmmaker Ang Lee, known for Life of Pi and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, also received the Gold Legend award. Lee reflected on his journey, saying he never expected to make films in America, calling the experience “the best film school.”
Gold House co-founder Bing Chen closed the evening by encouraging the audience to make a difference through small, meaningful actions. “You just have to do one thing,” Chen said.
The Gala also honored 100 AAPI individuals who made significant cultural contributions. Guests enjoyed a dinner celebrating Filipino cuisine, presented by chef Lord Maynard Llera and his team from Los Angeles’ Kuya Lord.
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