Hollywood talent manager sees rising demand for Asian actors

FOR 29 years, Hollywood talent manager Andrew Ooi believed there would come a time when Asian actors would no longer have to play bit parts in Hollywood productions. “That time is now,” he says in a Zoom interview with The Business Times. 

The Oscar success of the Michelle Yeoh-led movie Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) featuring a predominantly Asian cast, along with other Asian-led films such as Minari (2020) and Parasite (2019), has led to a shift in opportunities for Asian actors. They are now being considered for plum roles rather than being confined to playing stereotypical, nameless characters.

As CEO and president of Echelon Talent Management, a Vancouver-based agency, Singapore-born Ooi represents numerous Asian actors including Chin Han (The Dark Knight), Yeo Yann Yann (American Born Chinese), Celina Jade (Wolf Warrior 2), Osric Chau (Supernatural), and Lisa Lu Yan (Crazy Rich Asians). Among his clients is 76-year-old Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Minari in 2021 – an unforgettable moment for Ooi.