James Hong Is Everywhere All at Once!

Yours truly with James Hong in June 2010.

At the 95th Academy Awards, 94-year-old actor James Hong took to the Oscar stage after Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) was announced as the Best Picture winner, celebrating the victory with his fellow cast and crew from the film. Naturally, Mr. Hong's acting career runs the gamut of decades, and his legendary list of credits even touches the Godzilla series. In particular, he provides the voices of Ogata and Dr. Serizawa in Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956).

James Hong writes a congratulatory message to Akira Takarada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In June 2010, Mr. Hong wrote a congratulatory message on the back of a receipt at the Corner Bakery Cafe (see the above photo) in Los Angeles to Akira Takarada, whose performance he dubbed in 1956, who would be presented with a fan award the following month. I asked him to write the message, as I couldn't think of anyone better to congratulate Mr. Takarada than the man who helped bring his performance to the attention of international audiences. Besides, Mr. Hong's legacy speaks for itself, and (as the Oscars showed) it has only grown in leaps and bounds since then.

Seeing James Hong onstage at the Academy Awards after Everything Everywhere All at Once won the Best Picture Oscar was extremely gratifying, as he is a heck of a nice guy who deserves all the attention and success he's currently getting. I wanted to share this happy memory of the first time I met the legend himself in person. Here's to your continued success in Hollywood, good sir!