Asian Students in Action (ASiA) and Asian American Culture Club (AACC) collaborated to host a screening of the 2024 independent film “Dìdi” and interview the movie’s lead actor Izaac Wang in Ahmanson May 16. The movie follows a Chinese American teenager navigating the struggles of adolescence in the late 2000s. Izaac Wang, who portrays protagonist Chris Wang, spoke about the making of the movie and the challenges Asian Americans face in the film industry.
During the interview segment of the event, Wang said although he originally did not like the “Dìdi” script, he eventually saw himself in his character.
“I hated the script originally,” Wang said. “I didn’t like Chris as a character because he was someone that I felt like I couldn’t relate to, but once I dug deeper into myself and who I am as a person, I realized I could relate to it. I struggle to find identity sometimes. Sometimes I don’t know who I am.”
ASiA co-leader Maggie Koo ’26 said the event sought to bring attention to a unique film while also teaching about the experiences of people of color in the entertainment industry.
“The “Dìdi” screening was a fun event that aimed to expose our community to a film that centers around an Asian American experience,” Koo said. “We also wanted people to learn more about the film industry and experience as an Asian American from Izaac [Wang] himself.”
Event attendee William Lin ’26 said he enjoyed the intimate feel of the interview with Wang and appreciated the opportunity to get to know him.
“It was so exciting seeing [Wang] in person,” Lin said. “I’ve been a huge fan of “Dìdi” ever since it came out last summer, so getting the chance to see [Wang speak] was a full circle moment. What I enjoyed most was the interview itself because it didn’t feel rehearsed or formal, but like a real conversation. Izaac was cracking jokes, throwing in little stories and speaking so casually that it felt like we were all just close friends catching up. He genuinely seemed like he was having a lot of fun, so that added to the experience of making all of us feel seen and included.”
Koo said she hopes attendees walked away with a better sense of the Asian American adolescent experience in the late 2000s.
“I hope people enjoyed the movie and got a new perspective on the Asian American experience of growing up and grappling with culture and identity,” Koo said. “I also hope people were able to learn from Izaac and are inspired by his amazing work in the entertainment industry, which is notoriously hard to break into, especially as a person of color.”
Wang said although he acts because he enjoys the experience, providing Asian American representation in the media is a good side effect.
“I don’t act specifically because I want to represent my culture,” Wang said. “I act because it’s fun, and the result of that is that I get to support my people and the people who look like me.”
