Cover Michelle Yeoh backstage at the 2025 Golden Globes. In 2023, she became the first Asian to win the Best Actress Award for her performance in ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ (Photo by Michael Buckner/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Michelle Yeoh backstage at the 2025 Golden Globes. In 2023, she became the first Asian to win the Best Actress Award for her performance in ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ (Photo by Michael Buckner/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images)
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Who broke the glass ceiling for Asians at the Golden Globes? Here are the most iconic Asian breakthroughs for the 82-year-old awards-giving body
The 82nd Golden Globe Awards marked a series of firsts, not only for the awards-giving body but for many of its nominees and winners. For example, it was Demi Moore’s first award for acting (excluding her 1994 MTV Best Kiss win). Fernanda Torres is now the first Brazilian to land the Golden Globe for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. The win comes full circle as Torres’ mother, Fernanda Montenegro, is the first and so far, only Brazilian to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
Now what about Asians? Who opened the door for Asians at the Golden Globes, and how often do Asian productions get recognition? Which are the most successful Asian actors, showrunners, and shows? We list iconic Asian firsts that paved the way for Asian recognition at the Golden Globes and other awards shows.
Ben Kingsley
Young audiences might not think of Marvel's The Mandarin as Asian, but he is. He was born to an Indian Gujarati father, Ben Kingsley won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama as well as the New Star of the Year — Actor award for portraying Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi in the eponymous 1982 epic. In the same year, he also won the Oscar for Best Actor for the role, as well as BAFTA Awards for Best Actor and Most Promising Newcomer. Interestingly, he also took home a Grammy in 1985 for his spoken word performance in The Words of Gandhi.
F. Murray Abraham
This underrated actor won Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama in 1984 for his gripping portrayal of Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. Though he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Abraham considers himself an “Italian American and Syrian American.” His father hails from Muqlus, Ottoman Syria.
Haing S. Ngor
While Kingsley and Abraham are ethnically Asian but were born and raised abroad, Ngor was actually born in Cambodia to a Khmer mother and a Chinese father. He moved to the United States when he was 40 years old, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his stirring portrayal of Cambodian-American journalist Dith Pran in The Killing Fields (1984).
Yoko Shimada
The Japanese actress was only 27 when she won Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for her role as Mariko in the 1981 miniseries Shōgun. Forty-four years later, Anna Sawai would win in the same category, playing the same character.
Ang Lee
The award-winning director has two Golden Globes for direction—the first for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2005, then again for Brokeback Mountain in 2012. The former also won for Best Foreign Language Film while the latter ended up with Best Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari’s parents immigrated to the US from Tamil Nadu. The comedian is the first Asian to win two Golden Globes in a row, winning Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Series for Master of None in 2017 and 2018.
Ali Wong
The Chinese-Vietnamese actress was the first Asian woman to win back-to-back Globes for Best Actress – Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for her starring role in Beef (2024); and Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television for her comedy special Single Lady (2025).
Michelle Yeoh
In 2023, the Malaysian superstar made history as the first Asian actress to win Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Ke Huy Quan
Ke Huy Quan, first known as a child star in ‘80s films Goonies and Indiana Jones child, won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, signalling an inspiring career comeback.
‘Twenty-Four Eyes’
Twenty-Four Eyes is a 1954 classic that is also the first Asian film to be recognised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita and based on the 1952 novel of the same name by Sakae Tsuboi, it features a schoolteacher in rural Japan who forms deep bonds with her students, navigating the challenges of life, war, and loss.
