May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the U.S., but the Golden Globes started celebrating early.

Asians were the big winners at the 82nd annual Golden Globes ceremony, held Jan. 5, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton.

Hulu-FX’s “Shogun” won for TV series, drama, as well as seeing its two lead actors take home trophies: Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada, as respectively female actor and actor in a TV series, drama. In addition, Tadanobu Asano won as małe actor in a TV supporting role and he gave one of the most effusive (and crowd-pleasing) acceptance speeches of the evening.

Also in the winner’s circle was Ali Wong for her televised standup comedy special, “Ali Wong: Single Lady.”

The roster of nominees in January also included multiple Asian contenders, such as Korea’s “Squid Game” as TV drama series and Maya Erskine, nominated for “Mr & Mrs Smith,” as female actor in a TV drama series.

Payal Kapadia was nominated as director of “All We Imagine As Light,” a film from India, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in the non-English-language category.

The Golden Globes have recognized Asian talents in film since the 1950s, and on TV as early as 1970.

In 1957, Sessue Hayakawa was nominated as supporting actor for “Bridge on the River Kwai” and Miyoshi Umecki received the first of her three Golden Globe nominations, for “Sayonara” (later for “Flower Drum Song” and TV’s “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”).

Best-musical contender “Flower Drum Song” (1961) was the first major Hollywood feature have a majority Asian-American cast in a contemporary Asian-American story. It would be the last film to do so for more than 30 years, until “The Joy Luck Club” (1993).

Japan’s Yoko Shimada won as best actress in a television series-drama for playing Mariko in 1980’s nine-hour miniseries “Shogun.”

Decades later, in 2006, Korean-Canadian actress Sandra Oh won the TV supporting actress trophy for her work as Cristina Yang on “Grey’s Anatomy.” “I feel like someone set me on fire!” the surprised Oh said in her speech.

In 2019, Oh made history again when she won actress in a television series-drama for “Killing Eve.” She became the first Asian-Canadian and the first of Asian descent to triumph in a lead role 38 years after Shimada won.

Oh was born to Korean immigrant parents who attended the 2019 show when she became the first Asian actress to host (or co-host) the Golden Globes. She told the press backstage after her win, “This is one of the most incredible nights of my life, so I am incredibly grateful.”