Why Jimmy O. Yang ‘feels like Blackpink', and his rise from Uber driver to king of comedy
Back in 2014, between the first and second seasons of the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley in which he had a supporting role, Jimmy O. Yang spent his days moonlighting as an Uber driver.
Advertisement
The Hong Kong-born Hollywood hopeful used a pay cheque for his role in the series as Jian-Yang – he received the Screen Actors Guild minimum of US$900 a day – to buy a used Toyota Prius hybrid, which he would drive around Los Angeles to earn the money to pay his rent.
'You never know, especially as an actor, where your next pay cheque comes from,' he tells the Post. Only when he was promoted to a series regular did he finally feel he had the safety net he had long desired. 'At least now all my rent will be paid for,' he recalls thinking.
Fast forward a decade and O. Yang has achieved the rarefied success that eludes many Asian actors in
Hollywood . It was a long time coming.
Jimmy O. Yang as Jian-Yang in Silicon Valley. Photo: HBO
Towards the end of Silicon Valley's run, he appeared as the scene-stealing Bernard Tai in
Crazy Rich Asians (2018). Three years later, he starred as the main love interest in Love Hard, and finally became number one on the call sheet for the action comedy series Interior Chinatown, which premiered last year on Hulu and
Disney+ to rave reviews.
Advertisement
At the same time, his stand-up comedy tours – clips from O. Yang's Amazon Prime specials Good Deal (2020) and Guess How Much? (2023) have gone viral – catapulted O. Yang into the social media spotlight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Meet stylist Taylor McNeill, who's working with Brad Pitt on the F1 movie press tour: she was a fashion assistant at Vogue and turned Timothée Chalamet into Hollywood's best-dressed man
Brad Pitt is not having a midlife crisis. He's just hired a new stylist. The 61-year-old actor has been raising eyebrows for his experimental new ensembles while on a press tour for his upcoming sports drama flick, F1. Perhaps he was also inspired by the film's always dapper producer Lewis Hamilton , who also has a cameo in the film. Brad Pitt and Inés de Ramon went on a double date with Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper in New York on June 13. Photo: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Ahead of F1's American premiere on June 27, Pitt was spotted with his girlfriend of two and a half years, Inés de Ramon , 32, enjoying a double date in New York with Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid Advertisement For the night out, the Babylon actor sported a silky lilac button-down by Argentinian brand Taverniti, loose velvet pants by Italian label Magliano and square-toed loafers. A few days later, the Bullet Train actor wore his most striking ensemble yet: a crushed velvet blazer from Willy Chavarria's autumn 2025 collection, worn over a striped shirt and extra baggy jeans. Brad Pitt wore an eye-catching ensemble while out with girlfriend Inés de Ramon in New York on June 14. Photo: XNY/Star Max/GC Images The slouchy silhouette, and playful mix of colours and textures is a fun departure from Pitt's usual tailored suits and elevated casuals, and a signature for celebrity stylist Taylor McNeill, who's known for styling clients like Timothée Chalamet in eye-catching ensembles. Here's everything you need to know about Brad Pitt's latest stylist, Taylor McNeill. She graduated from a prestigious university Taylor McNeill attended the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York. Photo: Taylor McNeill/LinkedIn
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Does Elio, Pixar's worst box office opener, show people only want animated film sequels?
For decades, Pixar could hardly miss with its original animated films. Advertisement Whether the subject was toys, fish or a cantankerous old man, the California-based computer animation studio churned out hit after hit. But since the Covid-19 pandemic, Walt Disney-owned Pixar and other animation studios have struggled to break through at the box office with the same kinds of original films that defined the industry. Instead, sequels such as Inside Out 2 have ruled the genre. The weekend release of Elio, an original film from Pixar about a young boy who seeks connection with aliens to make up for his loneliness on Earth, saw box office takings in North America from Thursday evening to Sunday amount to an estimated US$21 million, making it Pixar's worst opening-weekend result ever. A still from Pixar's Inside Out 2. Photo: TNS That also highlights the dilemma the animation business – and the movie industry at large – faces with original content. While audiences often say they want to see new stories, box office ticket sales show they gravitate toward sequels, reboots and other familiar fare.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Cinnamoroll vs Pompompurin: who's winning the 2025 Sanrio Character Ranking?
Last month's papal conclave may have drawn global attention, but elsewhere, another vote stirred near-religious fervour: Sanrio 's annual popularity contest. Millions of fans cast ballots not for a pope, but for the crown of cutest Sanrio pup. On one side, the reigning champ for five straight years: Cinnamoroll. On the other: Pompompurin. Online, the passion can verge on the unhinged. 'I swear to f***ing God if you troglodytes let that greedy f***ing capitalist Dog win for the seventh year in a row I am going to commit an act of resistance that is so vile,' one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). Harsh words for an adorable pup born on a cloud, but that's the kind of fervour Sanrio characters inspire. Cinnamoroll has been reigning champ in Sanrio's annual popularity contest for five straight years. Illustration: @sanrio/Instagram From April 10 to May 25, fans cast ballots for their favourites among 90 Sanrio characters in the 40th Annual Sanrio Character Ranking . For the first time, votes could be cast in Sanrio stores or Hello Kitty Cafes – complete with an 'I voted' sticker – not just online. Fans could also head to Don Don Donki for a Hong Kong exclusive promotion, where they received a complimentary character ranking sticker and a character table flag when buying Sanrio products. The brand also held a special pop-up at Sha Tin's New Town Plaza from April 28 to March 27. Sanrio , the Japanese entertainment company behind cultural icons such as Hello Kitty , has more than 450 characters under its name and is perhaps the biggest exporter of Japan's beloved kawaii culture A white puppy with a quiet but friendly demeanour, Cinnamoroll was introduced in 2001 and for several years, fans mistook him for a bunny because of his long ears that double as wings. He's dominated recent contests, winning seven of the past eight years, with a consecutive first place streak between 2020 and 2024.
