Yahoo Lifestyle 29 API Directors Who've Taken Hollywood By Storm With Some Legendary Films
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we're highlighting 29 API film directors who've found success in Hollywood. Combined, they've directed everything from major blockbusters to beloved comedies to Best Picture winners and everything in between:
Notable filmography: Eagle vs Shark (2007); Boy (2010); What We Do in the Shadows (2014), co-directed with Jemaine Clement; Thor: Ragnarok (2017); Jojo Rabbit (2019); Thor: Love and Thunder (2022); and Next Goal Wins (2023)
Accolades: Three-time Oscar nominee, winning Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit in 2020
2.Jemaine Clement
Notable filmography: What We Do in the Shadows (2014), his feature directorial debut and co-directed with Taika Waititi
Notable TV shows (as creator): What We Do in the Shadows (2019)
3.Celine Song
Notable filmography: Past Lives (2023), her feature directorial debut
Accolades: Oscar-nominee for Best Original Screenplay for Past Lives in 2024
4.Dev Patel
Notable filmography: Monkey Man (2024), his feature directorial debut
5.Chloé Zhao
Notable filmography: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), The Rider (2017), Nomadland (2020), and Eternals (2021)
Accolades: Four-time Oscar nominee, winning Best Picture and Best Director in 2021 for Nomadland
6.Ang Lee
Notable filmography: Sense and Sensibility (1995); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); Brokeback Mountain (2005); Life of Pi (2012), and Gemini Man (2019)
Accolades: Five-time Academy Award nominee, winning Best Director for Brokeback Mountain in 2006 and for Life of Pi in 2013
7.M. Night Shyamalan
Notable filmography: The Sixth Sense (1999), The Village (2004), The Last Airbender (2010), Split (2016), Glass (2019), Old (2021), Knock at the Cabin (2023), and Trap (2024)
Accolades: Two-time Oscar nominee, including Best Director for The Sixth Sense in 2000
8.Ishana Night Shyamalan
Notable filmography: The Watchers (2024), her feature directorial debut
9.Tusi Tamasese
Notable filmography: The Orator (2011) and One Thousand Ropes (2017)
10.Daniel Kwan
Notable filmography (alongside directing partner Daniel Scheinert): Swiss Army Man (2016) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Accolades: Three-time Oscar winner (alongside Daniel Scheinert), including Best Picture and Best Director for Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2023
11.Bong Joon-ho
Notable filmography: Mother (2009), Snowpiercer (2013), Okja (2017), Parasite (2019), and Mickey 17 (2025)
Accolades: Three-time Oscar winner, including Best Picture and Best Director for Parasite in 2020
12.Lee Tamahori
Notable filmography: Once Were Warriors (1994), Mulholland Falls (1996), The Edge (1997), Die Another Day (2002), xXx: State of the Union (2005), Next (2007), The Devil's Double (2011), The Patriarch (2016), and The Convert (2023)
13.Rachel House
Notable filmography: The Mountain in 2024, her feature directorial debut
14.Asif Kapadia
Notable filmography: Senna (2010); Amy (2015); Diego Maradona (2019); and Federer: Twelve Finals Days (2024), co-directed with Joe Sabia
Accolades: Oscar winner (alongside James Gay-Rees) for Best Documentary Feature for Amy in 2016
15.Adele Lim
Notable filmography: Joy Ride (2023), her feature directorial debut
16.Lee Isaac Chung
Notable filmography: Munyurangabo (2007), Minari (2020), and Twisters (2024)
Accolades: Two-time Oscar nominee, including Best Director for Minari in 2021
17.Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Notable filmography: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), The Darkest Minds (2018)
Accolades: Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature for Kung Fu Panda 2 in 2012
18.Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Notable filmography: Happy Hour (2015), Asako I & II (2018), Drive My Car (2021), and Evil Does Not Exist (2023)
Accolades: Two-time Oscar nominee, including Best Director for Drive My Car in 2022
19.Destin Daniel Cretton
Notable filmography: Short Term 12 (2013), The Glass Castle (2017), Just Mercy (2019), and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
20.Andrew Ahn
Notable filmography: Spa Night (2016), Driveways (2019), and Fire Island (2022)
21.Jessica Yu
Notable filmography: Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien (1996), Ping Pong Playa (2007), Misconception (2014), and Quiz Lady (2023)
Accolades: Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short Subject for Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien in 1997
22.Wayne Wang
Notable filmography: Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1985), The Joy Luck Club (1993), Smoke (1995), Chinese Box (1997), Anywhere But Here (1999), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Last Holiday (2006), A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2007), and Coming Home Again (2019)
23.Christopher Kahunahana
Notable filmography: Waikiki (2020), his feature directorial debut
24.Gurinder Chadha
Notable filmography: Bend It Like Beckham (2002); Bride and Prejudice (2004); Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008); and Blinded by the Light (2019)
Notable TV shows (as co-creator): Beecham House (2019)
25.Randall Park
Notable filmography: Shortcomings (2023), his feature directorial debut
26.Park Chan-wook
Notable filmography: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), Thirst (2009), Stoker (2013), The Handmaiden (2016), and Decision to Leave (2022)
Notable TV shows (as creator or co-creator): The Little Drummer Girl (2018) and The Sympathizer (2024)
27.Lulu Wang
Notable filmography: Posthumous (2014) and The Farewell (2019)
Notable TV shows (as creator): Expats (2024)
28.Shekhar Kapur
Notable filmography: Masoom (1983), Mr. India (1987), Bandit Queen (1994), Elizabeth (1998), The Four Feathers (2002), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), and What's Love Got to Do with It? (2022)
29.Finally, John M. Chu
Notable filmography: Step U 2: The Streets (2008), Step Up 3D (200), Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Justin Bieber's Believe (2013), Jem and the Holograms (2015), Crazy Rich Asians (2018), In the Heights (2021), Wicked (2024), and Wicked: Part Two (2025)
Check out more API-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest API content year-round.
