9 Times Mixed-Race AAPI Celebrities Talked About Being Perceived As Racially Ambiguous, And How It Impacted Their Experiences In Hollywood

Auli’i, who is of Native Hawaiian, Puerto Rican, Portuguese, Chinese, and Irish descent, revealed successful a 2022 interview that she was described by casting professionals successful Hollywood arsenic “racially ambiguous.” She said, “People didn't cognize my face, and erstwhile casting did spot my face, they'd say, ‘You're racially ambiguous.’ I’m like, ‘That's a caller term. I've ne'er heard that 1 before,’ which near maine adjacent much internally confused due to the fact that my individuality has ever been Hawaiian.”

“Suddenly, each of these phrases were thrust astatine me: 'Well, you're white-passing, but you're besides racially ambiguous, truthful you tin play Latinx, you tin play Asian, you tin play each of these antithetic things.' I was like, 'I conscionable privation to play astute women. The barroom is there,’” the Moana prima added.