Here are some of the Asian talents that made history with the announcement of the Oscar 2021 nominations
This story was first published on March 23 and updated on April 26, 2021.
Additional reporting by Andrea Saadan.
Asians are slowly taking the reigns on the Oscar stage. After Bong Joon-ho's historic win last year, many wonder if the streak will continue.
And with the nominations for the 2021 awards just announced, it's looking to be the most diverse Oscars ever, with nine of the 20 acting nominees for people of colour. A total of 70 women also received 76 nominations, the most in Oscar history. It also marks the first time that many Asian performers have been nominated in their respective categories.
Get to know some of the Asian talents that have made history at the Oscars 2021.
(Related: Oscars 2021: The Full List of Winners)
1. Youn Yuh-Jung
Award: Best Supporting Actress for Minari
Veteran South Korean actress, Youn Yuh-jung is no stranger when it comes to awards and prizes. The 73-year-old actress boasts a career that spans over half a century, with numerous films and TV series under her belt. Her nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Minari (2020) is a feat that no South Korean artist has ever achieved, even last year's Oscar-winning Parasite (2019) did not get a nod for any of its cast.
Youn's rise to stardom is from Kim Ki-young's Fire Woman in 1971. She took home best actress prizes from Korean film awards and opened the path for more projects. Briefly taking a hiatus from the entertainment scene following her marriage even if she was at the peak of her career, Youn moved to the US. But after her divorce, she made a comeback to the screen in the 1980s battling the stigma placed around divorced women in the country.
But Youn rose to the challenge and played characters that helped shape the narratives of the films that she starred in. Her scene-stealing performance in Minari, carrying the emotional weight of the film with her.
With her historic win at the Oscars 2021, Youn is the first Asian woman to win in the acting category since 1957 and the first Korean actress to ever win.