Front Lawn Film Nights: 'To Be Takei'

Get a bit of fun and fresh air with Asia Society this spring as we screen a collection of Asian and Asian American films outdoors on our front lawn! Spanning decades, genres, and cultures, our Front Lawn Film Nights series showcases groundbreaking filmmakers and artists who have made their mark in popular cinema.

To Be Takei traces the impact of actor and activist George Takei, following his journey from his childhood internment at a Japanese location camp through his Hollywood career and long-time activism. Looking beyond the fame he found in his portrayal of Star Trek's Sulu, the documentary highlights Takei's work in standing up for the Japanese American and LGBTQ communities and his journey to becoming an unexpected social media sensation — all with the support of his husband, Brad.

View the film socially distanced from your own lawn pod — we've outlined a series of eight-foot circles across our festival lawn, each of which can accommodate up to four people, giving you and your friends or family space to cozy up in. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy during the film!

We're also offering a Popcorn and Candy Package, which includes a candy box sampling some of our favorite Asian sweet treats, plus popcorn made fresh onsite. Each box serves two people; purchase your box online along with your tickets.

Please note we'll strictly adhere to protocols to keep our guests and staff safe throughout each event. Learn more about our health and safety protocols and procedures.

Front Lawn Film Nights at a Glance

March 5・Crazy Rich Asians
March 19・Bend It Like Beckham
April 23・Enter the Dragon
May 7・Minari
June 18・To Be Takei
June 25・Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Film screenings begin at 8 p.m. each evening.

Lawn Seating Pod (seats four): $30 Asia Society Members, $40 Nonmembers
Popcorn and Candy Package (serves two): $10

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About To Be Takei

George Takei doesn’t shy away from digging into his remarkable career and personal life in Jennifer Kroot’s delightful and incisive film To Be Takei. As a child forced into Japanese-American internment camps, the actor-turned-activist reveals the ways that racism affected him well into his early acting career, where he played stereotypical Asian stock characters in film and television shows. Even after landing the iconic role of Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek, Takei’s sharp eye, coupled with his wicked sense of humor, continued to challenge the status quo well into the twenty-first century.

Now at 76, nine years after formally coming out of the closet, Takei and his husband, Brad, have become the poster couple for marriage equality, highlighting homophobia through television interviews and hilarious skits, many of which have gone viral and garnered widespread attention. Whether dishing on William Shatner or parodying the now-infamous comments made by Tim Hardaway, Takei proves time and again why his presence in popular culture remains as fresh and necessary as ever.

Major support for Performing Arts programs comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Ellen Gritz and Milton Rosenau, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, The Hearst Foundation Inc., The Brown Foundation Inc., Mary Lawrence Porter, and the Anchorage Foundation of Texas. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Clayton Fund, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, Miller Theatre Advisory Board.Additional support provided by the Wortham Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts,United Airlines, The Southmore, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas Center.

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