On 14 December, the 22nd Unforgettable Gala (UNFO) took place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, continuing the event’s tradition of recognizing excellence among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) artists, celebrities, and influencers. Produced by Golden TV and Character Media, the three-hour-long black-tie event featured a star-studded lineup of personalities who have made impactful contributions to the arts and entertainment sectors.
Co-hosted by actors Stephanie Hsu, JR De Guzman, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, this year’s UNFO celebrated API luminaries and emerging talent with honoree speeches, montages illustrating API history, and a special decade-spanning performance from The Jets, the iconic 80s Tongan American band, R&B singer Thúy, who made history this year as the first Vietnamese American singer to perform at Coachella, and Hawaiian boy band Party Foul, previously known as Crossing Rain.
According to Golden TV CEO Takashi Cheng, this year’s gala celebrated the past and present. ”We have a really past, present and future type of a mentality where let’s take a look at how we got here and let’s bring in the people that we can honor and celebrate and keep them involved,” said Cheng.
Honourees of this year’s UNFO included Shōgun stars Hiroyuki Sanada (Global Icon Award) and Anna Sawai (Actor in TV Award). The FX-produced series on feudal Japan won 14 Creative Arts Emmys, including acting and technical awards, and triumphed at the Television Critics Association Awards, solidifying its place as a standout epic of the year. Notably, Sanada and Sawai became the first Japanese actors to win Emmys, for Best Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, respectively.
Meanwhile, Joan Chen and Izaac Wang, who play mother and son in the Sundance-standout comedy Dìdi, were presented with awards in their respective categories for Actor in Film and Breakout in Film. The coming-of-age story follows 13-year-old Taiwanese-American Chris (played by Wang) as he overcomes the complexities of growing up, cultural clashes, and personal growth at the dawn of the social media age.
The full list of this year’s UNFO honourees:
Joan Chen: Actor in Film Award
Anna Sawai: Actor in TV Award
Izaac Wang: Breakout in Film Award
Hoa Xuande: Breakout in TV Award
Sean Wang: Director Award
Rachel Kondo: Writer Award
Vivian Tu: Digital Influencer Award
Avatar: The Last Airbender: Vanguard Award
Naomi Watanabe: Global Groundbreaker Award
Hiroyuki Sanada: Global Icon Award
Prabal Gurung: Cultural Icon Award
Lakers Legends: Community Impact Award
Like the years before, the awards are determined by a selection committee. Co-chaired by Adele Lim and Eugene Lee Yang, members of this year’s committee also included Awkwafina, Bing Chen, Destin Daniel Cretton, Daniel Dae Kim, Lisa Ling, Simu Liu, Randall Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Janet Yang, and more. Presenters included actor Daniel Wu and Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) executive director Michelle Sugihara.
Adele Lim and Eugene Lee Yang at this year’s UNFO. Banner image via Unforgettable Gala’s Instagram page.
