Asian actors rule Netflix: 5 new TV shows and films to watch this autumn, from Cobra Kai season 4 to Cowboy Bebop starring Star Trek’s John Cho
- From Never Have I Ever to To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before featuring Lana Condor, Asian representation is on the rise on Netflix
- Following her breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire, Freida Pinto stars in new thriller Intrusion while Joe Seo reprises his role as Kyler in the Karate Kid spin-off
From the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film series starring Lana Condor to the more recent Never Have I Ever, which features a heavy Asian cast, Asian representation in TV and film has been on the rise in the US – especially over at Netflix.
Here are the latest Asian-led shows and films to make a splash on the streaming giant this year.
Ensemble cast in Ankahi Kahaniya – September release
From blockbuster Valentine’s Day to Amazon Prime’s Modern Love, Hollywood can’t get enough of ensemble cast stories. Now Netflix – which streamed reality show Indian Matchmaking last summer – is telling “three tales of love, loss and longing” in this romantic drama.
Acclaimed Bollywood directors Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Abhishek Chaubey and Saket Chaudhary detail how lonely souls in a busy city find connections.
Miku Martineau in Kate – September release
Miku Martineau is fairly new on the mainstream acting scene. Kate is only her third acting credit (and first live-action), with her previous voice roles in children’s animations Finny and the Shark and Carl’s Car Wash. Born in Toronto to a Japanese mother and Canadian father, Martineau is only 16 years old. In Kate, she plays a teenager named Ani who unexpectedly bonds with the title character – a ruthless criminal operative who has less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her enemies after she is poisoned in Tokyo.
The pair build a close relationship, even though one of Kate’s victims is Ani’s father. In an interview with Screen Rant, Martineau said her “fun, bold, rebellious, outgoing” character in the film – also starring Woody Harrelson – is “very different” compared to how she is in real life.