Researchers at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative have released a report showcasing “an epidemic of invisibility” for Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) in movies released from 2007 to 2019. As per Reuters, the under-representation and stereotypical portrayals of the races have contributed to recent incidents of violence and harassment against Asians in the United States.

About 7.1 per cent of the US population identifies as Asian or Pacific Islander. Among the 1,300 top-grossing films released during the study period, 3.4 per cent of leads or co-leads were played by API actors, the researchers found. Of 44 films with API actors in leading roles, 14 starred Dwayne Johnson, the former wrestler known for the Fast & Furious franchise, and Jumanji. Johnson’s mother is from the Pacific island of American Samoa.