The struggle for diversity in Hollywood has no doubt been a slow uphill climb for Asian Americans.
Right in the center of it all, according to an article in AA Film Lab, is Keli Lee, head of casting for ABC.
Lee moved to the United States from South Korea as a toddler. Her mother moved the family every six or 7 months from one state to the next.
“Up until I was 13, I never started or finished the same school, so I met thousands of people from around the country,” says Lee. “It forced me to socialize and understand people, and ultimately I think that’s how I got to be good at what I do. I’m searching for people and learning about their emotional core.”
Lee started the ABC Casting Department Talent Showcase for actors of color 12 years ago. Among the Asian Americans who have come out of the program are Carrie Ann Inaba of Dancing with the Stars, Archie Kao of CSI and Aaron Yoo of 21.
“My goal is to change the face of television,” says Lee. “When I came to the U.S. at age 2, there wasn’t much diversity on television, and now, it’s such a different time.”
You can read more about her outreach efforts, including her talent search in Asia and the first digital talent competition in AA Film Lab,