appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Susan Hornik

Daniel Dae Kim is easily one of the hardest working Asian actors in Hollywood – starring in Netflix’s upcoming live-action series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, executive producing the hit ABC series, The Good Doctor (based on the 2013 South Korean series) and recently guest starring on FX’s The Premise.
How does he manage to juggle it all?
“It can be challenging,” acknowledged Kim. “I’ve put my fair share of frequent flyer miles on this body and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it! But it’s rewarding, ultimately.”

But Kim said he “can’t complain” about his success because he knows how privileged he is to get a variety of quality roles.
“I’m lucky to be able to do these things; these are good projects that I’m associated with. And the fact that people want me to be a part of them, I am just grateful for it. All we can ask for as actors is the luxury to choose good projects to be in, because for so long in my career, I would take whatever I could do – that wasn’t offensive to me, because I had a family to feed.”
Who are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s closest celebrity friends?
A groundbreaking moment

Kim’s latest achievement, starring in National Geographic’s new series, The Hot Zone: Anthrax, is a milestone moment for the veteran actor – this is his first leading role after working for 31 years in television.
“This has meant a lot to me, because it was a goal of mine. I fully understand that there are some actors for whom it is not a goal. And they say, ‘I’m just happy doing this kind of character, a part or working here and there.’ But from the time I started 30 years ago, it was my goal to be a leading man. And the fact that I was able to achieve that goal is really satisfying.”
Kim fully realises his privilege. “There’s nothing written in stone that says ‘if you work 30 years, you’re going to be the No 1 on the call sheet.’ Nothing is guaranteed like that. And I know a lot of actors who work for much longer with the same goal who have not been able to do it. And so I don’t take it for granted for a second. And I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

The Hot Zone: Anthrax is based on a true story, profiling the frightening events that followed in the weeks after September 11, when letters containing anthrax, a poisonous white powder, were sent to several victims. Kim plays an investigative FBI agent desperately trying to finding the culprit.
Brutal freezing weather made this a complex role to take on. “Off camera, the circumstances trying to shoot the series during Covid was not easy,” he said. “We were shooting in Canada and there was not only a full lockdown during the entire time I was there, but it was also super cold. There wasn’t really any way to get outside and even take a walk.”

The seriousness of the script was equally intense to deal with. “The subject matter was pretty heavy,” said Kim. “The kind of changes of pace that were necessary and escapes that I was hoping for, to take a break from the character and get back into a different head space weren’t there in the same way that I would have liked. So it made it, on one hand, difficult. On the other hand, it allowed me to live in the skin of this character 24/7. And that was both a blessing and a curse.”
Camila Cabello is selling the love nest she shared with Shawn Mendes
Making a difference in the world

When he is not working professionally, Kim dedicates much of his time to his activism with his non-profit organisation, the Asian-American Foundation, which focuses on fighting hate crimes.
“This is the first of its kind that has become a national organisation for the interest of Asian Americans. We’ve been here literally for a hundred years and yet we haven’t had something like this to look out and protect our interests. And so, one of the silver linings of all the tragic events of this past year for the community, is that something like this has finally come to fruition.”

Kim is focused on changing the narrative on how Asian Americans are perceived. “It’s about empowering local organizations, and being able to fund them and provide a network as well, so that there can be better communication to help the needs of our specific communities. One of the initiatives the organisation is working on is providing better research and data as it pertains to Asian Americans. So we understand what the needs of the specific ethnic groups within Asian America actually need.”

Kim pointed out the numerous cultural differences within Asian culture. “When people think of Asian Americans as Chinese or Korean or Japanese, that’s just the tip of the iceberg; we represent over 40 different ethnicities, with 100 different languages. The needs of Taiwan or Malaysia are very different from the needs of Asian Americans from Bhutan or Laos. And so it’s about really finding ways to identify the elements of a specific community to target ways to better help us collectively.”
How did Jake Paul become one of the highest-paid athletes in the world?
Where to in the future?

With K-pop, Squid Game, Marvel’s Eternals director Chloé Zhao and actress Gemma Chan so popular now, Kim believes this positively influences sentiment toward Asians in the US and the welfare of Asian actors in Hollywood.
“I think every bit of positive representation helps us,” stated Kim. “When we see Asian women leading major studio projects, directing films and Asian men starring in series like The Hot Zone, these are all ways that we move the needle in the right direction.”
He continued: “We’re not looking to get any more than anyone else. What we are looking to do is lift ourselves beyond the place where we can be stereotyped or considered other than American. We want to be part of the fabric of this country, which is why I think it’s really significant that the face of the FBI during one of the most significant chapters in American history is one that looks like mine.”
Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.


Who is Rande Gerber, the late Presley Gerber’s father and Cindy Crawford’s husband?

Who is Frank Adams, WNBA star Sophie Cunningham’s rumoured new beau?

Mariko Mori’s ‘All That Shines’ at Mori Art Museum: inside her landmark Tokyo exhibition

Meet Catrine Spencer, the 4th wife of Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer

Fame and celebrity

Daniel Dae Kim on starring in Netflix series Avatar: The Last Airbender, landing his first lead role on TV as an FBI agent and fighting anti-Asian hate – interview

With the rising popularity of Asian figures, Daniel Dae Kim looks forward to a positive future for Asian representation in Hollywood. Photo: @danieldaekim/Instagram

Daniel Dae Kim stars in Netflix’s upcoming live-action series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Photo: AP

Daniel Dae Kim in National Geographic’s new series The Hot Zone: Anthrax. Photo: National Geographic

Daniel Dae Kim landed his first leading role in TV show The Hot Zone: Anthrax. Photo: National Geographic

Daniel Dae Kim plays an FBI agent in The Hot Zone: Anthrax. Photo: @danieldaekim/Instagram

Daniel Dae Kim dedicated a lot of his time to activism. Photo: @danieldaekim/Instagram

Daniel Dae Kim started the non-profit organisation Asian-American Foundation. Photo: Shutterstock

Daniel Dae Kim with his friends. Photo: @danieldaekim/Instagram

Daniel Dae Kim at the The Hot Zone: Anthrax New York Premiere at Lincoln Center on November 22, 2021 in New York City. Photo: AFP

Is Kanye West really dating a Kim Kardashian superfan? Meet Vinetria, Ye’s 22-year-old new girlfriend who’s a Victoria’s Secret model and Instagram influencer

Kanye West was spotted with new girlfriend Vinetria at a basketball game. 
Photos: @VINETTRIA, @Complex/Twitter

Victoria’s Secret model Vinetria was spotted with Kanye West recently. Photo: @VINETTRIA/Twitter

Kanye West’s 22-year-old girlfriend Vinetria is a Kardashian superfan. Photo: @VINETTRIA/Twitter

Victoria’s Secret model Vinetria is a social media influencer. Photo: @VINETTRIA/Twitter

Kanye West’s girlfriend Vinetria modelled for Pat Macgrath Labs. Photo: @goblinarchive/Twitter

Vinetria shares a love of music and basketball with beau Kanye West. Photo: @VINETTRIA/Twitter

Who are Blackpink member Jennie’s celebrity friends? From Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Dua Lipa, to the Khadra sisters, Will Smith’s family and even Elon Musk’s ex, Grimes

Blackpink’s Jennie’s besties: Dua Lipa, Squid Game’s Jung Ho-yeon and Ariana Grande. Photos: @dualipa, @hoooooyeony/Instagram; @arianagrande/Twitter

Blackpink with Ariana Grande, who co-wrote Blackpink’s 2020 single, Ice Cream. Photo: @arianagrande/Instagram

Jennie and Dua Lipa often fangirl over each other, and seem to be genuinely good friends. Photo: @dualipa/Twitter

Jennie and Simi Khadra off to a Halloween party together last month. Photo: @simihaze/Instagram

Jennie and Rosé with the Khadra twins. Photo: @simihaze/Instagram

Jennie surprised her fans this summer when she posted several photos with Elon Musk’s ex-girlfriend, Grimes. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Jennie and Jung Ho-yeon looking fabulous at the LACMA Art & Film Gala in LA. Photo: @hoooooyeony/Instagram

Jennie visited the set of Squid Game to show her support for the cast and crew. Photo: @hoooooyeony/Instagram

Jennie and Mino go back to Blackpink’s training days. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Jennie and Winner’s Mino mimicking the art works at his 2018 art exhibition. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Meet Bill Gates’ youngest daughter, Phoebe – the jet-setting, Instagram-shy ballerina who lives it up in her billionaire dad’s eco-mansion and loves John Green novels

Bill Gates with his youngest daughter, Phoebe. Photos: @thisisbillgates, @pheebeegates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

The Gates family. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates in Palm Springs. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Bill Gates and his youngest daughter, Phoebe, are very much alike. Photo: @thisisbillgates/Instagram

Phoebe and Jennifer Gates share a close relationship. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates’ boyfriend, Chaz Flynn. Photo: @chazflynnn/Instagram

A tongue-in-cheek photo on Phoebe Gates’ Instagram. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

The Gates family. Photo: Melinda French Gates/Facebook

Phoebe Gates on one of her many trips. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates is a nature lover. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Phoebe Gates will inherit millions. Photo: @pheebeegates/Instagram

Inside Jeff Bezos’ US$78 million Hawaiian mansion – the Amazon billionaire’s new beachfront property comes with an outdoor kitchen with ocean views and massive pool

Find out more about the beachfront mansion worth US$78 million that Jeff Bezos just bought. Photos: Anthony Sayles, AFP

An aerial view of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s US$78 million Hawaiian mansion. Photo: Anthony Sayles

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s new Hawaiian mansion is secluded and surrounded by lush greenery. Photo: Google Maps

Jeff Bezos’ Hawaii mansion has a large pool that looks out towards a gorgeous view. Photo: @emauirealestate/YouTube

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with girlfriend Lauren Sánchez at a blue carpet event organised by Amazon Prime Video in Mumbai, India, in January 2020. Photo: AP 

Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sánchez pose for a picture during their visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in 2020. Photo: AP 

Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sánchez. Photo: @laurenwsanchez/Instagram

Jeff Bezos’ US$78 million holiday home. Photo: Luxurylaunches.com

Inside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ luxurious new home. Photo: Luxurylaunches.com

Who’s the richest Baldwin? The family’s net worths, ranked: from Alec’s film fortune and Hailey’s model millions, to Hilaria’s not-so-Spanish yoga business (and don’t forget Justin Bieber)

The extended Baldwin clan are collectively worth millions – but who’s raking in the most? Photos: Instagram, Getty

The four Baldwin brothers: Billy, Stephen, Alec and Daniel. Photo: Getty Images

Alec Baldwin is the most successful of the acting brothers, seen posing here with his Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for SNL. Photo: Reuters

Alec Baldwin as then president elect Donald J. Trump on the set of Saturday Night Live. Photo: AP

Hailey Bieber has carved out her own career as a model for brands like Levi’s and Yves Saint Laurent. Photo: Reuters

Hailey Baldwin and husband Justin Bieber at the Élysée Palace with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife. Photo: @haileybieber/Instagram

Kim Basinger in Charlie St. Cloud. Photo: Universal Pictures

Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin divorced in 2002 after 13 years of marriage. Photo: Reuters

Hilaria Baldwin has six children with Alec Baldwin. Photo: @hilariabaldwin/Instagram

Glamorous Hilaria Baldwin was born Hillary Thomas in Massachusetts and married Alec in 2012. Photo: @hilariabaldwin/Instagram

William “Billy” Baldwin remains a prolific actor and producer to this day. Photo: @thebillybaldwin

Chyna Baldwin is the daughter of two members of American folk rock group from the 60s, the Mamas & the Papas. Photo: @chynna_phillips/Instagram

Alaia Baldwin with her daughter Iris Elle Aronow. Photo: @alaiabaldwin/Instagram

Stephen Baldwin, the father of Hailey and Alaia Stephen Baldwin, has appeared in several reality TV shows. Photo: AP

Model, actress and animal rights campaigner Ireland Baldwin is one of the more outspoken members of the family. Photo: @irelandbasingerbaldwin/Instagram

Daniel Baldwin hasn’t been as financially successful as his brothers due to a number of personal struggles. Photo: @thedanielbaldwin/Instagram

Singer Justin Bieber got his big break when Usher spotted his talent at age 13, and he has been raking in the cash ever since. Photo: Reuters

Magazines

Style

Celebrities

The Asian-American actor landed his first lead role in TV series and September 11 drama The Hot Zone: Anthrax – a goal he’s harboured for 30 years
Kim notes K-pop, Squid Game and Marvel’s Eternals director Chloé Zhao have all positively influenced sentiment toward Asian actors in Hollywood


The veteran actor is juggling many Hollywood projects and recently fulfilled his dream of landing a lead role by starring in September 11 drama The Hot Zone: Anthrax
