At Abu Dhabi’s BRIDGE Summit, Asian stars call for global hits rooted in authentic stories

Aussie actor Chris Pang, best known for his role in the 2018 breakout hit Crazy Rich Asians, joined fellow Hollywood actors Osric Chau and Ross Butler at the BRIDGE Summit 2025 – the world’s largest debut media event – on Monday to explore how local narratives can become global hits without losing cultural integrity.

The packed session ‘Global Blockbusters, Local Roots’ saw the popular actors and producers with Asian roots, engage in a free-wheeling chat on why Hollywood may no longer be the ‘epicenter of global cinema’ at a time when streaming platforms, social media and global fan communities are dissolving traditional borders.

Talking about how his 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians proved to be a ‘turning point’ for Asians in Hollywood, Aussie actor Pang, also famous for his role as Lee Takkam in Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010), said: "Before that, the excuse of not to greenlight diverse projects was always that they wouldn’t perform at the box office. After that year, that argument didn’t hold, and suddenly more authentic stories started getting developed. But Hollywood hasn’t fully capitalized on that moment. What I’ve learned from the Korean wave is that for nearly a decade, we’ve tried to change Hollywood from the inside, showing these stories are profitable but the change hasn’t come. Now, we’re taking an ‘outside-in’ approach: bringing local stories from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Korea, proving they can succeed globally.”

Citing the global success of Korean media like Parasite and K-pop phenomena and how movies are often the ‘best forms of advertisement’ for cultures around the world, American actor Butler – best known for his role as Zach Dempsey in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and as Brett Willis on K.C. Undercover – called for more authenticity on screen. “As entertainment becomes more global, our screens are only going to get more diverse – and that’s a good thing, it has to be. But with that diversity comes a responsibility: we need to preserve artistic education.

Without it, mass entertainment always defaults to the easiest, most instantly consumable version of itself. If we want stories that challenge us rather than just occupy us, we have to keep teaching and valuing the arts so audiences know how to appreciate more than what the algorithm pushes,” said the Singapore-born actor, who in 2019, joined the DC Extended Universe as Superhero Eugene Choi in the film Shazam!

The discussion, moderated by Shaina Zafar, also explored aspects of storytelling that resonate across continents while remaining grounded in lived experience and how newer platforms are further disrupting the space. “Streaming has completely rewritten the rules of storytelling,” said Canadian actor Chau, best known for his role as Kevin Tran in the CW series Supernatural and Ryan Choi in the TV shows set in the Arrowverse.

“As new platforms shape the creator economy, formats keep evolving — from home videos to documentaries to the rise of vertical series. What excites me most is the next wave we haven’t named yet, a new format driven by technology and intention. With AI accelerating how we create and consume, audiences will experience stories in ways we never imagined – maybe on screens, maybe on stage, maybe somewhere entirely new. The future of narrative content is about capturing interest, holding attention, and embracing whatever form comes next.”

The session formed part of a 300+ session program that reflects BRIDGE Summit’s scale and ambition. The debut edition of BRIDGE Summit takes place from 8–10 December 2025 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi.

BRIDGE Summit 2025: What you need to know

Organised by the UAE National Media Office, the BRIDGE Summit 2025 is a global media, content and entertainment event taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from December 8 to 10, 2025.

The summit will bring together more than 60,000 participants — including creators, producers, journalists, artists, investors and policymakers — along with over 400 international speakers and around 300 exhibitors.

Across three days, attendees will join more than 300 sessions, including over 200+ panel discussions, 50+ workshops and interactive events covering seven content tracks: media, creator economy, music, gaming, technology, marketing and visual storytelling.

The summit aims to shape the global media landscape by fostering collaboration, supporting creative talent and enabling new business deals, investments and partnerships across the entertainment and content industries.