Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jet Li, Charles Melton, Simu Liu, Eileen Gu and Revathi Advaithi Honored Alongside the 2026 Gold100 at the Fifth Annual Gold Gala; Iconic Landmarks From New York City to Vancouver Illuminate in Gold
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 29, 2026 / Gold House, the cultural platform shaping global opportunity, marked Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) with a series of defining moments that underscored the growing power of Asian Pacific culture to shape the world. Throughout May 2026, Gold House unveiled the 2026 Gold100 – its annual list of the 100 leaders most responsible for defining global culture – illuminated iconic landmarks across North America in gold, and convened over 650 of the most influential Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders at its fifth annual Gold Gala at the historic Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. Taken together, these efforts represent Gold House’s most expansive celebration of Asian Pacific heritage and achievement to date.
Gold Gala: The Definitive Celebration of Asian Pacific Cultural Power
Convening over 650 of the most influential Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders across industries, the Gold Gala celebrated special honors for indelible cultural change, as well as the 2026 Gold100 List of the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders over the past year. For the first time, the definitive celebration of Asian Pacific culture expanded into a global platform for cultural power that connects by convening influential creatives and executives across North America and Asia.
Program highlights included:
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Bowen Yang opened the award show with a special monologue offering his trademark insights on culture, setting the tone for an evening celebrating A New Gold World.
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Award-winning actor, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Priyanka Chopra Jonas received the inaugural Global Vanguard Honor, presented by Founder and CEO of 5 Junction Records and A-Series Investments and Management Anjula Acharia, Head of Film, Streaming and Theatrical at Amazon MGM Studios Courtenay Valenti, and Academy Award-winning director of KPop Demon Hunters Maggie Kang, recognizing her unprecedented 25-year career bridging Asian Pacific and Western cultures through acclaimed work across Hindi cinema and Hollywood, and her continued work to amplify emerging and underrepresented voices through her production company Purple Pebble Pictures.
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Martial arts icon, actor, and philanthropist Jet Li received the Gold Legend Honor, presented by his daughter Jane Li, Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee and CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, Hollywood powerhouse and global humanitarian Maggie Q, and Expendables co-star Terry Crews, for inspiring generations of Asian Pacific talent by bringing wushu to a global stage and building an enduring legacy through his films and One Foundation charity.
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Charles Melton received the inaugural Gold Artistic Achievement Honor, presented by filmmaker Lee Sung Jin and Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, for his critically acclaimed work in May December and BEEF Season Two, cementing his place as a defining voice for Asian Pacific talent and one of Hollywood’s most compelling dramatic actors.
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Simu Liu accepted the Gold Mogul Honor, presented by filmmakers Destin Daniel Cretton and James Wan, honoring his multi-hyphenate success as an actor, author, producer, and advocate who has established himself as a defining Asian Pacific voice in mainstream Hollywood and a tireless champion for representation on and off screen.
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The most decorated Olympic freestyle skier in history, Eileen Gu, received the Gold Impact Honor, presented by Marriott Bonvoy®. Olympic champion and WNBA star Candace Parker and EVP & Chief Customer Officer of Marriott International Peggy Roe gave Gu the award onstage in recognition of her fearless ambition and her passionate advocacy for women in sports.
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Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex, was presented with the inaugural Forbes Gold Honor, presented by Eric Feng, General Partner of Gold House Ventures, and Viral Patel, CEO of BXPE, recognizing her extraordinary rise from shop floor supervisor to the helm of a $26 billion global manufacturing leader and her championing of diversity, women in STEM, and sustainable innovation across 30 countries.
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Representing their respective Gold100 categories, Theresia Gouw (Business and Technology), EJAE (Entertainment and Media), Rei Matsunuma and Rehito Hatoyama of HUMAN MADE (Fashion and Lifestyle), Tejasvi Manoj (New Gold Social Impact), and Paralympic sled hockey gold medalists Jen Lee and Brett Bolton (Sports and Gaming) each presented a video celebrating their category and delivered forward-looking addresses sharing their singular visions for the future of their industries.
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ARKAI opened the evening with a stirring string rendition of celebrated Asian Pacific film and television scores and debuted a new song with special guest Lindsey Stirling.
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Hayley Kiyoko performed a special rendition of “Girls Like Girls” with ARKAI and Lindsey Stirling ahead of the release of her directorial debut.
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The stars of Hulu’s acclaimed comedy series Deli Boys – Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Poorna Jagannathan – opened the second half of the show.
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Maia Kealoha, star of last summer’s hit Lilo and Stitch, welcomed Catherine Laga’aia to the Disney family with an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming live-action Moana.1
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Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R. and actress Liza Soberano shared an exclusive first look at their upcoming film, Forgotten Island.
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Bridgit Antoinette Evans, CEO of the Pop Culture Collaborative, spoke to the power of stories to inspire people to want more for the future of our democracy.
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In partnership with Visa, the Gold House Renegades series premiered a special feature on Gold100 Honoree Alysa Liu, celebrating the small steps that led to her historic success.
Notable Attendees
Creative Artists and Athletes: Adele Lim, Adeline Rudolph, Agnez Mo, Alex Shibutani, Ally Maki, Amber Midthunder, Amielynn Abellera, Andrew Kwon, Anna Cathcart, Anthony Keyvan, Arden Cho, Armaan Malik, Avan Jogia, Bach Mai, Bella Poarch, Bobby Hundreds, Bobby Berk, Brandon Finn, Chin Han, Chloe Kim, Chris Pang, Cole Walliser, Crystal Kung Minkoff, Dallas Liu, Daniel Martin, Daniel Dae Kim, Dhar Mann, Dianne Doan, Elaine Welteroth, Elizabeth Yu, Emily Chang, Eric Nam, Esther Yu, Eugene Lee Yang, Eunice Bae, Gia Kim, GIRLSET, Griff, Halsey, Havana Rose Liu, Ian Ousley, Janel Parrish, Janet Yang, Jeannie Mai, Jeff Staple, Jeremy Lin, Jessel Taank, Ji-young Yoo, Jonnie Park, Joyce Wrice, Kal Penn, Karen Fukuhara, Ken Kirby, Kiawentiio, Kim Shui, Kristin Villanueva, Lauren Tsai, Leah Lewis, Lisa Ling, Lucy Guo, Ludi Lin, Maia Shibutani, Manny Jacinto, Matthew Kim, Melissa King, Michelle Phan, Mikayla Geier, Miky Lee, Mina Kimes, Ming-Na Wen, No Na, Pan Yaung Chel, Patrick Ta, Piper Curda, R’Bonney Gabriel, Ramona Young, Rhea Raj, Rich Brian, Ross Butler, Ryan Bathé, Sasha Bhasin, Sev Ohanian, Simran Baidwan, Sisa Grey, Siua Ikaleʻo, Soo Joo Park, Steven Doan, Sunisa Lee, Supriya Ganesh, Sydney Agudong, Tati Gabrielle, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Thuy Tran, Tia Carrere, TOKiMONSTA, Towa Bird, Youn Yuh-Jung.
Creative and Business Executives: Abhijay Prakash (President, Blumhouse), Albert Cheng (Head of AI Studios, Amazon MGM Studios), Amy Homma (President, Academy Museum), Andrea Cherng (Chief Brand Officer, Panda Restaurant Group), Chris Suh (CFO, Visa), Chris Down (Chief Design Officer, Mattel), Eric Chan (Chief Business and Strategy Officer, Gap), Harvey Mason Jr. (CEO, Recording Academy), Jason Kwon (Chief Strategy Officer, OpenAI), Joyce Kim (Chief Brand Officer, Rare Beauty), Ken Wee (Chief Strategy Officer, Mattel), Mike Van (CEO, Billboard), Phil Sun (CEO, 1v1 Entertainment), Reynold Xin (Co-Founder, Databricks), Sam Wu (CEO, Rakuten Viki).
The theme for this year’s evening, A New Gold World, invited guests to envision and build shared abundance in a world increasingly defined by division.
Wearing “heritage-inspired black tie” from Asian Pacific designers – inspired by our Official Gala Style Guide on Pinterest – guests entered the Gold Gala by ascending a stunning gold staircase and elaborate Gold Carpet. Throughout the cocktail reception, guests were treated to custom portrait moments presented by Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠.
During the program, Gold Gala guests dined on a three-course dinner presented by OpenTable, with a menu created especially for the Gold Gala by Gold Gala Executive Chef Justin Pichetrungsi and the team behind the critically acclaimed Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks, California. Guests began with a radish and cucumber salad with ginger scallion dressing and baby spinach, followed by an entrée featuring Anajak Thai’s specialty Southern-Thai fried chicken with red nam jim sauce and sweet chili sauce, served alongside panang vegetables. The meal concluded with a dessert duet of pandan custard with salted coconut and braised plantains with coconut syrup. The dishes were accompanied by hydration provided by smartwater and wine from Silver Oak.
Throughout the night, Hennessy provided three Asian heritage-inspired cocktails, the “Festival of Happiness” and “Paper Talisman” featuring Hennessy V.S.O.P, and the “Balancing Qi” featuring Hennessy X.O, carefully curated by mixologist Kevin Nguyen from the renowned Camelia in the Arts District, Los Angeles.
Backstage, honorees experienced specialty portrait moments shot by Kanya Iwana, hair and makeup touch-ups featuring brands from across the L’Oréal Groupe portfolio, and a content studio presented by The Walter and Shirley Wang Foundation.
Genesis Motor America once again presented special transportation and the renowned “GoldBot” camera experience, spotlighting the 2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe Prestige Black. TikTok helped amplify the Gold Gala across its platform and convened top Asian Pacific creators. Guests were also entertained throughout the evening with the latest hits from the “K-POP NOW” playlist on Amazon Music.
The Gold Gala was immediately followed by the Billboard x Gold House Founders Party. The celebration featured a performance by RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara, a DJ set by Mortal Kombat II star Joe Taslim joined by his entire cast, and the return of the Celebrity Karaoke Room presented by Maybelline New York, which included a brand-new touch-up room. Performers included Academy Award-winning filmmaker of KPop Demon Hunters Maggie Kang, Ross Butler, and Saagar Shaikh belting Linkin Park’s “In the End,” viral TikToker Maiko delivering multiple songs, Paralympic Gold Medalists Jen Lee and Brett Bolton belted Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” Eugene Lee Yang performing Mulan’s “I’ll Make A Man Out of You,” Eric Nam and Spotify’s Priscilla Chan performing “My Boo,” and more. Guests posed at custom photo booths presented by Asian entertainment streamer Viki, a mahjong area presented by Hennessy, in partnership with East Never Loses, as well as enjoyed the opportunity to personalize a bottle of Hennessy X.O with a bespoke engraving as a lasting memento from the evening. To cap the evening, guests also enjoyed late-night bites featuring American Chinese favorites from Panda Express®.
As they left, Gold Gala guests received gift bags featuring the XL Landon Neoprene Carryall from Dagne Dover – an AAPI-founded brand and the official bag sponsor for the Gold Gala, a tea experience from the Genesis Collection, the brand’s curated lifestyle line, a Hennessy X.O mini, the memoir SPIT: A Life in Battles from artist Jonnie Park (Dumbfoundead) and Third Street Books, a special gift from Marriott Bonvoy, the Barbie 2026 Lunar New Year Doll from Mattel, the Imperial Youth 2-Piece Gift Kit from The Whoo, and assorted beauty products from L’Oréal Paris, Armani Beauty, Maybelline New York, Prada Beauty, and YSL Beauty.
The Gold Gala was also made possible with the generous support of longtime Gold House partners Delta, East West Bank, and Gap.
The morning of the Gold Gala, the most influential Asian Pacific women gathered at The West Hollywood EDITION for the Gold Women Breakfast, presented by Marriott Bonvoy. Guests were treated to a special portrait moment and touch-up station presented by Rare Beauty, curated global products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques, beauty activations presented by Nordstrom (including from Allies of Skin and Augustinus Bader), special edition shirts created by Gold100 Honoree Bobby Lee from Disney, and more from Athleta, Delta, and Mixsoon.
For the fourth year in a row, the event was produced by Sequoia Productions, with stage visuals designed by Aura Studios.
Gold100: Recognizing the Leaders Defining Global Culture
On May 1st, Gold House unveiled the 2026 Gold100 – the annual list of the 100 most impactful leaders in culture – underscoring that cultural power is no longer downstream from business, politics, or technology, but a primary engine driving all three. Collectively, the 2026 Gold100 honorees lead companies worth more than $10 trillion, governments representing tens of millions of citizens, creative works that earned the most Oscar nominations in Academy Award history, and are responsible for the past year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the most-decorated Olympic freeskiing career of all time, and Team USA’s fourth consecutive Paralympic sled hockey gold. Honorees span the full breadth of industry – from Alexandr Wang, Meta’s first-ever Chief AI Officer, and Demis Hassabis, Nobel laureate and CEO of Google DeepMind, to Academy Award-nominated producers Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler of Sinners, Olympic gold medalists Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu, and new voices like NFL Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams. The Gold100 was curated by a coalition of leading Asian Pacific organizations and top creative and business leaders, reflecting the ethos that impact is built together. See the full Gold List at goldhouse.org/gold100.
Gold Lights: Illuminating a Nation in Celebration
In honor of the Gold100 and the broader Asian Pacific community, iconic landmarks across North America lit up in gold throughout May. Participating cities and landmarks included the Willis Tower in Chicago, the LV City Sign in Las Vegas, the Empire State Building and Nasdaq Tower in New York City, the Columbia Center Tower in Seattle, and BC Place & Olympic Cauldron in Vancouver. Gold100 honorees were also featured in billboards across the United States, generously donated by New Tradition, Branded Cities, and Outfront Media.
MEDIA CONTACT: press@goldhouse.org
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SOURCE: Gold House
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