10 Inspiring Asian celebrities we can look up to

Star Power: 10 Asian celebrities that are both talented and inspiring

Amanda Lim

21 Oct 2015

1/10
Jet Li
Jet Li grew up in a struggling household after his father died when he was two. His talent for wushu developed at an early age and won competitions against adults as a teen. He was even offered to be Richard Nixon’s personal bodyguard, to which he replied, "I don't want to protect any individual, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!"
2/10
Michelle Yeoh
The elegant and beautiful Michelle Yeoh was once poised to become a prima ballerina till a spinal cord injury destroyed her dream. She has since then starred in numerous prominent roles, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Tomorrow Never Dies. Though a successful international actress, the down-to-earth Yeoh never forgets her roots and spends a lot of her time in her hometown of Ipoh.
3/10
Manny Pacqiao
Once a 12 year-old runaway who had to sleep in a cardboard box, Pacquiao is one of the most successful boxers today. Just this year Pacquiao was in a highly publicised David and Goliath battle with American Floyd Mayweather. Though he lost, the boxer displayed grace in defeat and still remained a hero in the eyes of his fans.
4/10
Archie Panjabi
Many will recall Archie Panjabi as the ditzy Pinky in Bend it Like Beckham. Since then she has gone onto score awards for several television and movie roles. She was awarded the Chopard Trophy during the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for Female Revelation of the Year. Panjabi is also a champion of female rights in India, and has headed Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
5/10
Jackie Chan
A modern cultural icon, Jackie Chan is famous for his comedic and over the top stunts. However, Chan is also a philanthropist who donates generously to many different causes from animal preservation to victims of disaster. He has even pledged half his assets to charity upon his death.
6/10
Rain
Before becoming an international K-Pop superstar, Rain was rejected several times by record labels because of his looks. He was even encouraged to undergo surgery to get double eyelids. He refused and was finally signed by JYP Entertainment after he impressed Park Jin-young with his dedication and perseverance.
7/10
Kristi Yamaguchi
You may not be able to tell now, but figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi was born with clubfeet and only started skating as part of her physical therapy. Skating quickly turned into a passion for Yamaguchi and she started competing as a teenager before becoming an Olympic gold medalist. In 1996, Yamaguchi founded the Always Dream Foundation that champions underprivileged and disabled youths.
8/10
Mindy Kaling
From being “that Indian girl” on The Office, Mindy Kaling has gone onto to write and produce her own hit show The Mindy Project. Kaling is considered a pioneer for having a successful show whose lead is an Indian woman.
9/10
Chow Yun Fatt
Before becoming an international movie star, Chow Yun Fatt grew up on a farm with no electricity in Lamma Island, Hong Kong. He woke up at dawn everyday just to help his mother peddle food on the streets. At 17, he dropped out of school to work odd jobs to support his family. His luck changed when he responded to a local network’s advertisement that turned him into a local television heartthrob.
10/10
Jeremy Lin
Linsanity may be a global buzzword now, but there was a time when Jeremy Lin was deemed not good enough for a spot in the NBA. After becoming undrafted, he was signed to his hometown team but rarely played, spending a lot of time in the D-league. After a lot of hard work and determination, Lin was finally promoted to the New York Knicks starting line up in 2012.

The west doesn’t have the market cornered on talent. We round up a list of inspiring celebs that make us proud to be Asian.

A world where little girls can dream about growing up to be like Kim Kardashian is disheartening. Fortunately, we are not in short supply of celebrities who are famous for something more worthwhile.

While Asia is brimming with talent, there are only handfuls we can truly label as inspirational. From prejudice to poverty, these famous Asian celebrities have had to overcome astounding adversities. Their stories inspire us to dream big and persevere at all costs.

Even with their fame, these once ordinary people have used their celebrity for good. Some lend their names, position and money to charities and champion noble causes, making them truly worthy to be deemed inspiring.

In tribute, we have put together a list of inspiring Asian celebrities. From actors to athletes, we handpicked the top 10 that we can be proud to look up to.

Amanda Lim

Photos: Getty Images

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