20 of the most powerful AAPI women in TV, music, and film

We all know Mindy Kaling. The Indian-American actor rose to fame as Kelly on The Office, and since then, she's accomplished so much more. Mindy is the creator of several popular television shows, including the Netflix series Never Have I Ever and the Max original The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Michelle Yeoh has been nailing roles since breaking into the industry in the early '80s. However, she reached a new level of stardom after her stellar performance in the 2022 comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once, in which she became the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Stephanie Hsu also garnered widespread acclaim for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Since then, she's snagged roles in Joy Ride and the 2024 film The Fall Guy , which stars Ryan Gosling. 

Constance Wu wowed us with her performance in the ABC comedy Fresh Off the Boat, but that's not the only role the Asian-American actress has slayed in recent years. She also received praise from fans for her job well done in Crazy Rich Asians, Hustlers, and the Scooby-Doo spin-off, Velma.

Olivia Rodrigo rose to fame after starring in the Disney+ High School Musical spin-off. However, her chart-topping singles and albums are what had everybody singing her praises for months. Since debuting in 2021, she's snagged three Grammys, four MTV VMAs, and a handful of other accolades. You go, girl!

Since debuting in 2014, Midori Francis has accomplished more than one could imagine. The actress has starred in Off-Broadway productions as well as blockbuster films, including Ocean's 8 and Good Boys. When she's not filming for the big screen, you can catch her on the small screen in works like Grey's Anatomy, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Dash & Lily.

Greta Lee has done it all, from film to Broadway, but our favorite role by the actress has to be in the Apple TV+ original, The Morning Show. In it, she plays Stella, an ambitious leader running an online media company for her millennial and Gen Z audience.

You know Sandra Oh from being one of the breakout stars of Grey's Anatomy, but since her departure from the series, she's done so much more, like Killing Eve, The Chair, and Invincible.

H.E.R. is a stellar performer with an even more amazing voice. The singer has released popular songs like "Back of My Mind" and "Come Through" and has amassed a huge following of fans since then. In the early 2020s, when accepting an award from Billboard, she spoke about her heritage and how it has shaped her music:

"Being a Black and Filipino woman, I’ve never really fit in anywhere. It’s not something you see all the time, especially in music, not really knowing where to fit in and trying to find my identity. But I found my voice as a blend of the two. I take a lot from my father’s culture, and I take a lot from my mother’s, but both have embraced me so much, so I’m really thankful for that.”

Saweetie, who's known for creating big hits "My Type" and "Tap In," is also half-Filipino. In her 2021 interview with Teen Vogue, she discussed her upbringing and how her mother's expectations helped her reach the level she's at today. 

“My mom’s a tiger mom. She would make me rewrite homework assignments if she thought the penmanship was sloppy. She wanted straight A’s. Her disciplining me at a young age got me into the habit of achieving high goals.”

Nicole Scherzy is Hollywood royalty. The singer, who is of Filipino, Native Hawaiian, and Ukrainian descent, has been a chart-topping singer, dancer, and television personality for many years. She's released music with The Püssycat Dolls, starred on the X-Factor and The Masked Singer, and performed in Broadway productions of Cats and Rent.

We could never forget to mention Lucy Liu. The iconic actress has been killing it since Charlie's Angels and Kill Bill in the early 2000s. Since then, she's had more success thanks to her spots in Kung Fu Panda and the CBS series Elementary.

Oliva Munn has been making a name for herself since 2006 after her role in Beyond the Break. However, her role in the Hulu animated series Hit-Monkey is what really did it for us.

Jhené Aiko is one heck of a singer. With Billboard hits featuring other artists like Chirs Brown, Omarion, Lil Wayne, and H.E.R., it's no surprise that the 36-year-old's star is rising steadily each day.

Although Ali Wong has appeared in scripted shows like Fresh Off the Boat and American Housewife, she is best known for her stand-up comedy specials on Netflix. In 2023, Wong starred in the Netflix comedy series Beef, for which the performer won two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy.

Auliʻi Cravalho made her acting debut at the age of 16 in the Disney film Moana. Since then, she's been living her best life, starring in the NBC drama Rise, the Netflix series All Together Now, and, in 2024, the film adaptation of the Mean Girls musical. 

Shay Mitchell captured our hearts as Emily in Pretty Little Liars, and since then, she's done even more to make us sing her praises. In 2019, she starred in the Hulu original Dollface, had a voice role in the Netflix production Trese in 2021, and, in 2023, appeared alongside Constance Wu in the Scooby-Doo spin-off Velma. And since we're bragging about her accomplishments, we can't forget that Esquire named her the sexiest woman alive in 2014. 

Hailee Steinfeld is a double threat, thanks to her skills as an actress and a singer. She had her breakthrough in the industry after starring in the western film True Grit. However, she experienced even more success when she appeared as Emily Junk in the Pitch Perfect series, where she sang "Flashlight" by Jessie J.

When we say Priyanka Chopra is a jack of all trades, we mean it! Not only has she starred in critically acclaimed productions like Quantico, but the actress also doubles as a singer. In 2013, she released "In My City" featuring Will.I.Am, which went three-times platinum according to the Indian Music Industry.

Chloe Bennet, originally born Chloe Wang, gained widespread acclaim after originating the role of Daisy Johnson in the ABC series Agents of SHIELD. Although the actress has experienced success in the industry, she spoke about changing her last name due to racism in show business. 

“Hollywood is racist and wouldn’t cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable," she wrote on Instagram. "Changing my name doesn't change the fact that my blood is half Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin, or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese. It means I had to pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn't cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable. I'm doing everything I can with the platform I have to make sure no one has to change their name again just to get work."