Bowen Yang has officially made Emmy history by becoming the most-nominated Asian male performer in the acting categories, securing his fourth nomination for Saturday Night Live.
Yang earned the nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, thanks to another season of standout performances and unforgettable sketches on the legendary NBC late-night show.
He joins a talented list of fellow nominees this year, including Ike Barinholtz for The Studio, Colman Domingo for The Four Seasons, Harrison Ford and Michael Urie for Shrinking, Jeff Hiller for Somebody Somewhere, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach for The Bear.
While Sandra Oh still holds the overall record for most nominations by an Asian performer with fourteen, Yang’s fourth acting nomination cements his legacy as a trailblazer for Asian men in television comedy.
Yang first made headlines in 2018 when he was hired as a writer on SNL before becoming the show’s first Asian cast member.
In 2021, he became the first featured player on the show to be nominated for an Emmy in an acting category, a historic moment that set the stage for the accolades to come.
This year, SNL celebrated its 50th anniversary, and Yang featured prominently in the commemorative specials.
Reflecting on the experience, Yang called being a part of SNL 50 “something I’ll reflect on for the rest of my life.”
His season highlights included a wide range of comedic brilliance, from reuniting with his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande in “Charades With Mom,” to the college-bro spoof “One Uppers” alongside Jack Black.
But perhaps the most laugh-out-loud moment was Yang’s portrayal of Moo Deng, a talking baby hippo with serious sass.
Outside the studio, Yang continues to make waves in entertainment.
He co-hosts the popular podcast Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and was recently named to Variety’s Comedy Impact List for 2025.
He also stars as Pfannee in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, opposite Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jeff Goldblum.
The film marks the first of two major motion picture releases based on the hit Broadway musical, with Wicked: For Good scheduled to follow on November 21.
From breaking barriers on SNL to casting spells on the big screen, Bowen Yang continues to shine—one joke, one nomination, and one fierce performance at a time.