LOS ANGELES — Nearly 70 years ago, James Hong left Minnesota to pursue a career in acting. On May 10, after solidifying his place as one of the most prolific actors in history, Hong finally got his place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hong, now 93, was honored at a ceremony Tuesday on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, where fellow actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Dae Kim spoke about his lifelong accomplishments.
And accomplishments, there are plenty. Throughout his career, Hong racked up 700 acting credits in movies, TV shows and video games. You might recognize Hong's face or voice in classics like "Blade Runner” and “Chinatown" and animated features like "Kung Fu Panda" and “Mulan.”
More recently, Hong had roles in "Turning Red" and “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” where he starred alongside Curtis.
“The center of the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and the center of James Hong the human is kindness and love,” Curtis said. “And those two qualities in him, and from him, continue their concentric circle of influence and transformative change in people who watch him and who know him — me very much included.”
Hong is the oldest honoree to receive a star on the Walk of Fame and the only living actor to have worked with Clark Gable and Groucho Marx, according to The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He's also one of just 19 people of Asian descent to land a place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which includes more than 2,700 names.
"Though that number is entirely too low," Kim said during his remarks honoring Hong, "it does underscore the fact that we need to celebrate every single one of us who has been fortunate enough to be recognized, and that incudes the other three AAPI actors being inducted this year." Those stars are Jason Momoa, Ming-Na Wen and apl.de.ap, of the Black Eyed Peas. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
During his time at the mic, Hong admitted he hadn't prepared an acceptance speech, saying "I want to feel the moment... just be here and see you people." During the ceremony, Hong danced with the SHAOLIN Entertainment Group as they performed a traditional Chinese lion dance, and of course, posed with his well-deserved star.
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