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Lana Condor
Jason Kim/Trunk Archive
How you know her:Condor, 26, played Lara Jean Covey, the heroine of the super-popularTo All the Boysmovies.
Changing priorities:“I have a fiancé now,” the actress, who is engaged to musician Anthony De La Torre, says. “I decided to buy a house instead of do a big wedding, so we’re going to do a backyard wedding.”
02of 08Nico SantosJC Olivera/GettyHow you know him:Santos, 44, stole scenes in the 2018 smashCrazy Rich Asiansand in the 2015-2021 NBC seriesSuperstoreand can currently be seen as the villainous Theel inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.Beating the odds:“When I moved to L.A., I was focused on stand-up because I believed what a college professor told me — that acting was not for me,” says the Manila native, who is engaged toSurvivoralumnus Zeke Smith. “I’m a Brown immigrant who’s not sample size. That I’m working at this level is truly amazing to me.“Up next:He has a supporting role on the Netflix rom-comHappiness for Beginners, due July 27.
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Nico Santos
JC Olivera/Getty
How you know him:Santos, 44, stole scenes in the 2018 smashCrazy Rich Asiansand in the 2015-2021 NBC seriesSuperstoreand can currently be seen as the villainous Theel inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Beating the odds:“When I moved to L.A., I was focused on stand-up because I believed what a college professor told me — that acting was not for me,” says the Manila native, who is engaged toSurvivoralumnus Zeke Smith. “I’m a Brown immigrant who’s not sample size. That I’m working at this level is truly amazing to me.”
Up next:He has a supporting role on the Netflix rom-comHappiness for Beginners, due July 27.
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Joel Kim Booster
nelson huang
Classics to comedy:“I was studying Shakespeare in theater school and wanted to be a very ‘Capital S’-serious actor,” says the South Korea native, who was raised in Illinois. “I did a lot of dramatic work as a theater actor in Chicago before starting stand-up. You have all these plans for yourself, and then life takes you in a completely different direction, and you sort of ride the wave.”
Up next:Season 2 ofLootis scheduled to debut in August.
04of 08Sherry ColaJonny MarlowHow you know her:Cola, 33, has played straight shooter Alice in the Freeform drama seriesGood Troublesince 2019.On smashing stereotypes:“I graduated high school with a 2.5 GPA,” says the Shanghai-born Californian, who regularly performs stand-up at Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store. “I was never the model minority or the perfect Asian daughter. I was a party animal and all these things. [Joy Ridecharacter] Lolo is very much that — the messy side of me that I’ve been dying to unleash on the big screen.“Good-luck charm:“I find any reason to say in my head three times, ‘Buddha, bless me,’ " says Cola, who was raised Buddhist. “That is my thing. I’ll probably say that 30 times a day because that is what I believe. Buddha is protecting me.“Up next:She costars with Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu in the raunchy big-screen comedyJoy Ride, out July 7.
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Sherry Cola
Jonny Marlow
How you know her:Cola, 33, has played straight shooter Alice in the Freeform drama seriesGood Troublesince 2019.
On smashing stereotypes:“I graduated high school with a 2.5 GPA,” says the Shanghai-born Californian, who regularly performs stand-up at Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store. “I was never the model minority or the perfect Asian daughter. I was a party animal and all these things. [Joy Ridecharacter] Lolo is very much that — the messy side of me that I’ve been dying to unleash on the big screen.”
Good-luck charm:“I find any reason to say in my head three times, ‘Buddha, bless me,’ " says Cola, who was raised Buddhist. “That is my thing. I’ll probably say that 30 times a day because that is what I believe. Buddha is protecting me.”
Up next:She costars with Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu and Sabrina Wu in the raunchy big-screen comedyJoy Ride, out July 7.
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Zoë Chao
Corey Nickols/Getty
Life lessons:“My nana came from Shanghai when she was 10, without her parents,” says the Rhode Island native, who has a B.A. in art history from Brown University and an M.F.A. from UCSD. “I’m like, ‘Well, Nana did that, so I can definitely do this!’ She’s 92 now and still a firecracker and totally limitless.”
Childhood weekend ritual:“My sister was like, ‘Can we play Frank Sinatra but not be drunk?’ We’d play Sinatra’s albumIn the Wee Small Hoursand smoke crayon cigarettes and drink water. And that would be a Saturday.”
Up next:The Afterparty’s second season premieres on July 12.
06of 08Richa MoorjaniYASARA GUNAWARDENA/NETFLIXHow you know her:Moorjani, 33, plays Kamala Nandiwadal, Devi Vishwakumar’s scientist cousin in the Netflix seriesNever Have I Ever.Raised on Bollywood:“I watched American shows and movies, but nobody looked like me,” says the San Francisco Bay-area native. “I do Bollywood dance and Indian classical dance, and Bollywood musicals are full of songs and dance and acting and stories that resonated with me, so that really inspired me to become an actor.“Appreciation at 35,000 feet:“In the middle of a flight, this young woman handed me a note. She talked about how much this show has meant to her as a South Asian person and how much she looks up to me. It was the most moving and wonderful letter.“Up next:The fourth and final season ofNever Have I Everdebuts June 8.
06of 08
Richa Moorjani
YASARA GUNAWARDENA/NETFLIX
How you know her:Moorjani, 33, plays Kamala Nandiwadal, Devi Vishwakumar’s scientist cousin in the Netflix seriesNever Have I Ever.
Raised on Bollywood:“I watched American shows and movies, but nobody looked like me,” says the San Francisco Bay-area native. “I do Bollywood dance and Indian classical dance, and Bollywood musicals are full of songs and dance and acting and stories that resonated with me, so that really inspired me to become an actor.”
Appreciation at 35,000 feet:“In the middle of a flight, this young woman handed me a note. She talked about how much this show has meant to her as a South Asian person and how much she looks up to me. It was the most moving and wonderful letter.”
Up next:The fourth and final season ofNever Have I Everdebuts June 8.
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Jimmy O. Yang
Sela Shiloni
PlayingLove Hard’s romantic lead:“I was just trying to focus on the role, but I think it became something a little more than that — being an Asian lead of a rom-com. And the audience connected to it. I’m very proud of that.”
Up next:He costars with Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan in the Disney+ action-comedy seriesAmerican Born Chinese, debuting May 24.
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Joseph Lee
Timothy Fernadez
How you know him:Lee, 35, played George Nakai, the sculptor husband of Ali Wong’s character, in Netflix’s angsty limited seriesBeef.
Growing up an only child:“I had to entertain myself with the things around me, being glued in front of a television or picking up a pencil and doodling,” the Korean American actor says. “I feel like that same kid. I just happen to be playing with different toys.”
Up next:WithBeefgaining Emmy buzz, he’ll likely be a red carpet fixture in the coming months, and the accomplished artist will debut a solo painting exhibition in Tokyo this September.
source: people.com
