Kung Fu Panda’s James Hong on 70 years in movies, his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and why, at 93, he has no thoughts of retiring

Known as ‘the hardest working man in Hollywood’, actor James Hong has close to 700 film and TV credits and has been a trailblazer for Asian-Americans in cinema

He talks to the Post about playing football in Kowloon, coming to Hollywood when it was just ‘ground zero’ for Asian actors and why he will not be retiring

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The longevity and legacy of Hollywood’s James Hong | Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo

Sarah Vega

Published: 10:15am, 27 Aug 2022Updated: 10:15am, 27 Aug 2022

In May 2022, James Hong became the 19th Asian-American actor – and the oldest person – to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Recognition for the 93-year-old, who has close to 700 film and television credits, may have long been overdue but the actor remains humble about his achievements.

“As a young fellow, I never thought my voice would be anything,” Hong says in a Talking Post interview with South China Morning Post chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo.

Yet it is his expressive voice that has reached and touched audiences the world over – with his roles voicing animated features such as Mulan, Turning Red and Kung Fu Panda – and gamers who play World of Warcraft.

“Everybody seems to recognise Mr Ping,” says Hong, referring to the adoptive father of Kung Fu Panda’s protagonist, Po.

Hong’s many roles include voicing the adoptive father of Kung Fu Panda’s main protagonist, Po. Photo: Facebook

In July, Netflix released a new Kung Fu Panda series called The Dragon Knight, in which Hong reprises his role as the happy-go-lucky goose. It is a character he cherishes and is happy to be playing “all the way through, from the beginning to what it is now and to the future”.