Asian Americans were waiting, watching, and hoping as "Big Hero 6" went on to win Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, dubbed by many as the “whitest” Oscars in years. In an industry long accused of everything from using yellowface and race-bending to whitewashing characters of color and employing harmful stereotypes, a sweet story about a hapa Asian-American boy genius and his robot managed to win over not only millions of moviegoers but Academy members as well.
Set in futuristic San Fransokyo, the movie features a diverse, multiracial and multicultural cast of characters including the voices of Daniel Henney, Ryan Potter, and Jamie Chung.
As the Oscars ceremony began, Asian Americans were glued to their sets, live-tweeting, and cheering on the cast.
The hashtag of the night may have been #OscarsSoWhite, but that didn't stop folks from playing #SpotTheAsian from the comfort of their couches.
When the envelope for Best Animated Feature was opened, fans took to Twitter to celebrate the win, and share its significance.