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The Unforgettable Gala, an end-of-year award celebration that honors the Api community’s brightest talents in entertainment, arts and culture, held its 2024 ceremony at the Beverly Hilton over the weekend.

Co-hosted by Stephanie Hsu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Jr De Guzman, the awards ceremony’s 2024 theme was “unforgettable together” and featured one-of-a-kind segments and performances. The event was produced by GoldenTV and Character Media.

Shogun star Hiroyuki Sanada was honored with the global icon award, while his co-star Anna Sawai was presented with the actor in TV honor. Sawai was unable to attend in person, but the Emmy-winning actress sent in a video thanking the crowd for the honor. Unforgettable also honored the cast of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender with the vanguard award, with much of the young cast in attendance.

GoldenTV CEO Takashi Cheng previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the gala continuously brings visibility to talent who...

With FX’s “Shōgun” winning 18 primetime and creative arts Emmys (the most ever for a single TV season), Netflix’s live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” racking billions of minutes viewed, and the indie coming-of-age story “Didi” receiving four Independent Spirit Award nominations, Asian and Asian American-led productions enjoyed a well-earned list of Hollywood successes in 2024, as celebrated at Saturday’s star-studded Unforgettable: The 22nd annual Asian American Awards at the Beverly Hilton.

“I’m feeling the Hollywood doors open wider than 20 years ago, when I came here for the first time,” Hiroyuki Sanada, who was honored Saturday as a “global icon,” told Variety.

“Step by step, they are understanding our culture. Especially like ‘Shōgun,’ they respect our culture,” Sanada said. “It’s a great steppingstone for the next generation. I feel more comfortable, year by year. I want to introduce Asian talent for stories to the world as a producer,...

The Unforgettable Gala, an end-of-year award celebration that honors the Api community’s brightest talents in entertainment, arts and culture, has announced several additions to its lineup ahead of Saturday’s awards gala.

The event, taking place this year on Dec. 14, is produced by GoldenTV and Character Media. GoldenTV founder and CEO Takashi Cheng tells The Hollywood Reporter that the gala has continuously brought visibility to talent who were underrepresented in mainstream media. “The greatest mission for us is to really bring its visibility to mainstream,” he says, adding that the production “aims to inspire younger generations by showcasing these role models.”

The evening, hosted by Stephane Hsu, Jr De Guzman and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, will feature several one-of-a-kind segments. Among them is a “very special Aapi timeline performance” that will bring the audience through the decades, including The Jets, who were the first Aapi group to get into the top...

“Maborosi” is based on the novel “Maboroshi no Hikari” “by Teru Miyamoto. The title of the book and movie adaptation translates to “phantom light.” Writing the screenplay is Yoshihisa Ogita. Hirokazu Koreeda's first fictional feature would be a critical and financial success. It would be a major hit at the 1995 Venice Film Festival, winning a Golden Osella Award for Best Cinematography. Many viewers have described the feature as having the calm stillness of a Yasujiro Ozu picture with the emotional tone of a work by Mikio Naruse.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The story begins in Osaka. Yumiko is a happy young woman who embraces life and dearly loves her husband, Ikuo, and child, Yuichi. She is frequently troubled by dreams regarding the passing of her grandmother. Despite this, she finds happiness in her new life. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when her husband dies...

Hiroshi Sasaki, the Games’ creative director, resigned after Japanese magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that he suggested female Japanese celebrity, Naomi Watanabe, dress as a pig during the games’ opening ceremony, according to a Tokyo Olympics press release. Shukan Bunshun reported that Sasaki said Watanabe should appear in the ceremony as an “olympig.” New Tokyo Olympics […]

The post Tokyo Olympics Official Hiroshi Sasaki Resigns After Calling Female Celebrity An ‘Olympig’ appeared first on uInterview.

Tokyo, March 18 (Ians) Tokyo Olympic chief creative director Hiroshi Sasaki has resigned after making derogatory remarks about a popular female Japanese entertainer, dealing another blow to the postponed Olympic Games with four months to go until the opening ceremony.

Japan's weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported on Wednesday that the 66-year-old told staff members that Naomi Watanabe could perform at the ceremony as an "Olympig", a play on the word "Olympic", Xinhua news agency reported.

Watanabe, 33, is a heavy-set Japanese comedian, actress, and fashion designer, and is a very popular figure in Japan.

Sasaki took over as the chief creative director after replacing actor Nomura Mansai last December and is responsible for revising the program for the opening and closing ceremonies for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He made a lengthy apology early morning on Thursday and told Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto he will step down.

"My idea and comments are a big insult.

Sneak Peek the new TV series "Followers", focusing on stories of people working, living and playing in Tokyo, Japan, influenced by social media networks, starring Miki Nakatani and Elaiza Ikeda, streaming February 27, 2020 on Netflix:

"...'Rimi Nara' (Nakatani) is a popular photographer. 

"'Natsume Hyakuta' (Ikeda) came to Tokyo to achieve her dream of becoming an actress. But it's not so easy for Natsume to achieve her dream..."

Cast also includes Mari Natsuki as 'Eriko', Yuka Itaya as 'Akane', Kom I as 'Sani', Shuhei Uesugi as 'Hiraku', Nobuaki Kaneko as 'Yuruko', Yutaro as 'Nori', Mika Nakashima, Tadanobu Asano, Hidekazu Mashima, Show Kasamatsu, Naomi Watanabe and Tina Tamashiro.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Followers"...

In today’s TV news roundup, “Rick and Morty” Season 4 gets a premiere date and Showtime renews “Couples Therapy.”

Casting

Nat Faxon (“Disenchantment”) and Nicole Byer (“Tuca & Bertie”) have been cast in the upcoming HBO Max pilot “Delilah.” The comedy follows Tom Childs, Sr. (Michael McKean), a man grieving the recent death of his wife, whose life is interrupted by the titular Delilah (Jessica Rothe) arrival of a young woman claiming to be his daughter. Faxon plays Brian, Tom’s oldest and angriest son, while Byer plays Cassie, the only person to welcome Delilah to town.

Renewals

Showtime has picked up a second season of “Couples Therapy.” Created by Sundance Award-winning filmmakers Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg and Eli Despres, the docuseries follows the weekly therapy sessions of four different couples. The second season will feature world-class therapist Dr. Orna Guralnik. Episodes currently air Fridays at 10 p.m.

Dates

Adult Swim...

We're getting a special miniseason of Queer Eye come November, and surprise, surprise, we're already crying just from watching the trailer.

In the special four-episode event, which drops globally on Netflix on Nov. 1 and is officially titled Queer Eye: We're in Japan!, the Fab Five head to Japan to meet with a whole new roster of deserving heroes. Model and actress Kiko Mizuhara serves as the guide to Antoni Porowski (Food and Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), Karamo Brown (Culture), and Tan France (Fashion) as they make their way through the country, and meet up with guest star and comedian Naomi Watanabe.

Related: Just a Whole Bunch of Inspiring Quotes From Queer Eye to Brighten Your Day

In the trailer for the new episodes, above, the Fab Five "roll up their gorgeous little gay sleeves and get to work" on transforming the lives of four special people.

We're not in Kansas City anymore.  Queer Eye is heading to Tokyo, Japan for a special four-episode season, and Netflix just released a brand new trailer for the adventure, filled with all the tears and emotional moments we've come to expect from the Fab Five wherever they may go.  While Jonathan Van Ness, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowksi, and Tan France will still be working their magic on a new group of heroes, they'll also be learning about Japanese cuisine, fashion, design, grooming, and culture as they go. They'll be guided through the country by model and actress Kiko Mizuhara, and will be joined by comedian and special guest Naomi Watanabe.  The heroes...

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A post shared by Queer Eye (@queereye) on Sep 5, 2019 at 4:00pm Pdt

Queer Eye just announced more new episodes, because there really can never be enough. This time, the Fab Five is heading to Japan for a four-episode special season. Queer Eye: We're in Japan! will debut globally on Netflix on Nov. 1, and along with Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, and Tan France, the mini season features model and actress Kiko Mizuhara as the crew's Japan guide and comedian Naomi Watanabe as a special guest. Netflix has already released four seasons of Queer Eye, and the heartwarming show took home an Emmy for outstanding structured reality program. Clear some space in your Fall TV calendar, because this is going to be good.

At long last, Netflix has set a date for “Queer Eye: We’re in Japan!”

The four-episode special season will premiere on Nov. 1. Japanese model and actress Kiko Mizuhara will be featured as the Fab Five’s guide through Tokyo — plus, comedian Naomi Watanabe will make a special appearance.

Food & wine expert Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk, grooming guru Jonathan Van Ness, culture expert Karamo Brown, and fashion specialist Tan France “will bring their expertise to Tokyo to make-better four heroes while experiencing Japanese cuisine, fashion, design, grooming and culture firsthand,” according to Netflix.

Watch the trailer below right now:

こんにちは Tokyo!!! Our special season, Queer Eye: We’re in Japan! is coming to Netflix November 1! Can. You. Believe. ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/YSEncMQcQC

— Queer Eye (@QueerEye) September 5, 2019

Also Read: Lgbtq Comedians Respond to Dave Chappelle's 'Sticks and Stones'

Season 4 of “Queer Eye” premiered on Netflix July...

After launching his very own lifestyle brand, Common Culture, vlogger Connor Franta is continuing his fashion foray as one of several new faces of famed retailer Gap.

Franta appears in the company’s latest ad campaign alongside singer-songwriter Sza, producer Metro Boomin, actress Naomi Watanabe, and more. The ads celebrate Gap’s new Archive Reissue -- Logo Remix collection, which showcases the evolution of the Gap logo over time. In a video component (see below), Franta and the rest of the crew -- including rapper Awkwafina and actor Miles Heizer -- can be seen dancing to a remixed version of the '80s anthem "Hold Me Now" by the Thompson Twins.

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