Two Years After #StarringJohnCho, John Cho Is Finally a Leading Man

John Cho, best known for playing Sulu in the rebooted Star Trek franchise and Harold in the Harold & Kumar films, is making history with his latest performance. Cho’s new movie, Searching, is the first mainstream, contemporary thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor.

“I accept that it’s a big deal. I’m excited,” Cho said of the milestone Wednesday, on the first night of the 41st annual Asian American International Film Festival, opened by a screening of Searching.

“I haven’t thought of that, but what is meaningful to me is seeing the image of a whole, loving Asian-American family [more] than anything else,” he continued. “It’s very rare in movies. The image of that is much more startling than it should be. It was surprising to me how powerful it was. I want the future to be where it’s completely normal to see an Asian-American family on-screen.”

In Searching, out in select theaters on August 24, Cho stars as David Kim, a doting husband to Pam (Sara Sohn) and a caring father to 16-year-old daughter Margot (Michelle La). When Margot suddenly vanishes, an investigation led by a detective (Debra Messing) begins. With no clues, David decides to search his daughter’s laptop computer. Written and directed by Indian filmmaker Aneesh Chaganty, the movie is told from the point of view of computer screens and smartphones. The film also presents its characters— predominately an Asian cast—free of clichés or stereotypes.

“For so long, identity has to be justified in a narrative. You always have to explain why, especially when you’re casting anybody who isn’t white in a movie,” said Chaganty. “There has to be this element explaining what the Asian-American hook is. In our movie, there’s no justifying it. We are trying to not make it an issue. That’s the victory to us. When we got the opportunity to tell a movie, we figured, why not take this opportunity and do something that we always wanted to do, to see various versions of ourselves on-screen, since it never happens?”

In 2016, digital strategist William Yu created a viral social-media movement with the hashtag #StarringJohnCho, which advocated for more Asian-American actors to be cast in traditional leading roles—and to end the ongoing whitewashing of Asian parts in Hollywood. The campaign reimagined Cho as the protagonist of action flicks and romantic comedies by Photoshopping him into various movie posters, like Spectre and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Cho, who was not affiliated with the online campaign, appreciated the movement for igniting a conversation about the lack of Asian-American leading roles.

“I think it started a discussion in a positive way,” said Cho, who participated in a Q&A panel moderated by Yu following the screening. “The visual of seeing an Asian-American face on a poster said a lot in a moment. It was simple and impactful. We are taking the same idea and showing an Asian-American family as a simple thing. It says more in that moment than an entire Asian-American studies class could.”

Although #StarringJohnCho has stopped trending, and the Asian-American acting community has been largely left out of the #OscarsSoWhite conversation, Asian representation both in movies and television is slowly progressing. With Searching and next month’s film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, featuring an all-Asian cast, Cho is optimistic that Asian-American artists will continue to be more visible in Hollywood.

“I hope it’s not a peak. I hope it’s the beginning, leading to more,” said Cho. “I’ve been thinking it’s less about casting, and more about creation and expression. That’s the real starting point for change. I’m hopeful it will lead to more Asian creative content.”

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