The Gold Gala 2026, an annual event celebrating Asian Pacific changemakers, was a star-studded affair in downtown Los Angeles. The glitzy celebration, hosted by Gold House, brought together talent and executives from various industries, including media, entertainment, and business. The event, previously dubbed the 'Asian Met Gala', was a spectacle of diversity and talent, with a focus on recognizing the achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields.
One of the highlights of the evening was the tongue-in-cheek kick-off speech by Gold House co-founder and CEO, who reminded the stars in attendance to get to their seats so the program could begin. The routine was effective in getting the chatty guests to find their seats, and it set the tone for the rest of the evening.
The onstage program kicked off with remarks from Bowen Young, a Saturday Night Live alum, whose introduction was part celebration and part roast. Young joked with the crowd that he was happy to be a part of the 'group audition for Beef season three', and he took a playful dig at Chen, likening the founder's dating life to the nearby Chinatown neighborhood. Yang celebrated the API community's wins and failures, and he pondered if the community had moved past representation and into ownership.
The entertainment and media honorees from Gold House's Gold 100 power list were introduced by KPop Demon Hunters star EJAE. Heated Rivalry breakout Hudson Williams, Grammy award-winning singers Kehlani, Laufey and Lola Young, actress Lola Tung, director Chloe Zhao, and girl group KATSEYE were among the entertainment figures honored in the video.
Simu Liu was presented with the Gold Mogul honor by filmmakers Destin Daniel Cretton and James Wan. Eileen Gu, the most decorated freestyle skier, accepted the Gold Impact honor, which was presented to her by WNBA star Candace Parker and EVP and chief customer officer of Marriott International Peggy Roe. Priyanka Chopra Jonas received the inaugural Global Vanguard Honor, while Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex, received the inaugural Forbes Gold honor.
Charles Melton, who plays Austin in season two of Beef, was presented with the inaugural Gold Artistic Achievement honor by Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Jet Li, a legendary martial artist and actor, received the Gold Legend honor award, and Maggie Q and Terry Crews introduced Li's daughter, Jane Li, and the daughter of Bruce Lee, Shannon Lee.
Li preached about the importance of living a happy and healthy life, urging those in the crowd to take care of their physical and mental health. Chen returned to the stage to close out the night, delivering an impassioned speech about community and loneliness. The event concluded with a needle drop and streamer blast to KATSEYE's 'Pinky Up', with Yang performing the girl group's choreography in his seat.
The Gold Gala 2026 was a celebration of diversity and talent, and it served as a reminder of the importance of representation and ownership within the API community. The event was a glitzy affair, with a focus on recognizing the achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields. In my opinion, the Gold Gala is a much-needed celebration of the API community's achievements, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity and representation in the entertainment and business industries.
