Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month On Disney+
by Explore Disney+ Contributor
May 1, 2026
Discover movies and shows that showcase inspired AAPI stories, voices, and perspectives
This month, we’re shining a light on storytelling that reflects AAPI culture and experiences. Our watch guide spotlights stories about cultural roots, family bonds, and identity, all told with warmth, joy, and heart. Find more picks to stream all month in the Asian and Pacific Islander Stories Collection on Disney+.
Blockbuster Movies With Asian Leads
With AAPI characters, stories of courage and family, these fan-favorite films continue to resonate with audiences around the globe.
A Journey Of Bravery & Self Discovery: Mulan (1998)
Mulan stands out for its humor, memorable music, and heartfelt story about stepping up for family. When her father is called to serve in China’s Imperial Army, Fa Mulan makes the brave decision to take his place. Disguised as a male soldier named Ping, she proves her worth and earns the respect of her fellow warriors, with help from her outrageously funny guardian dragon, Mushu. Her adventure leads to a defining moment where her family’s honor and the fate of all of China rest in her hands.
Confronting Family Legacy: Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must face the past he thought he left behind and confront his father, leader of the dangerous Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, and Florian Munteanu, with Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan and Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu.
Add Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to Watchlist
TV Shows With Asian American Leads
Balancing Culture & Becoming A Hero: Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel
Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager of Pakistani heritage growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega fan with an oversized imagination, particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home, that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with super powers, right?
Add Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel to Watchlist
Growing Up Between Two Worlds: American Dragon: Jake Long
This action-packed comedy follows a 13-year-old Chinese-American kid balancing life as a skateboard-grinding New Yorker while learning to master his mystical powers as the American Dragon. As the protector of all magical creatures secretly living in the human world, Jake juggles his grandfather-guided training regimen with all the social hurdles of adolescence. A classic Disney Channel throwback, the show reflects a Chinese-American coming-of-age experience through moments that feel relatable and real.
Add American Dragon: Jake Long to Watchlist
A Story That Honors Pacific Islander Heritage
Through unforgettable characters and moments of warmth and humor, this move reflects Pacific Islander experiences shaped by family and personal growth.
An Energetic Movie About Found Family: Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Crash-land on the Hawaiian Islands with Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet. As he wreaks havoc, he’s adopted as a “puppy” by Lilo, an independent little girl who sees something special in him. While the chaos continues, Stitch becomes part of a fragile family dynamic and slowly helps Lilo and her sister, Nani, find stability and the true meaning of ‘Ohana. Set against a backdrop of Hawaiian music, dancing, and surf culture that feels lived-in rather than staged, this animated 2002 hit remains as meaningful as ever.
Add Lilo & Stitch (2002) to Watchlist
A Coming-Of-Age Movie From An API Director
Guided by a distinct voice, the story captures a life-change and family dynamics everyone can relate to.
When Big Feelings Take Over: Pixar’s Turning Red
Turning Red is full of the awkward, hilarious, high-emotion energy that is part of becoming a teenager and growing up. Mei Lee is a confident, ambitious Chinese-Canadian teen trying to balance friends, school, and the expectations of her close-knit family, especially her loving but overbearing mom. Things take a turn when Mei discovers she’s inherited a family “curse” that makes her poof into a giant red panda whenever she gets overwhelmed. Directed by Academy Award® winner Domee Shi, the film is laugh-out-loud funny, even as family tension runs through it. Mei’s push for independence and the friction with her parents feel deeply relatable, which is why the story feels so universal.
Add Pixar’s Turning Red to Watchlist
A Short With A Personal, API Perspective
In just a few minutes, this short delivers something personal, thoughtful, and quietly powerful.
A Brief Story That Sneaks Up On You: Disney & Pixar’s Bao
Also directed by Domee Shi, this Academy Award®-winning short tells a uniquely tender story about a Chinese mom who finds unexpected comfort when one of her dumplings comes to life. As he grows up faster than she expects, she must face the truth that nothing stays cute and small forever.
Add Disney & Pixar’s Bao to Watchlist
Reality Shows & Specials Featuring AAPI Talent
Food, laughter, music, and sports are universal sources of joy for cultures around the world. Experience and celebrate those passions through a real-life AAPIH lens with these shows and documentaries.
A Deeper Look At Food & Identity: Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, Hulu
This is the kind of show that makes you hungry and curious at the same time. As award-winning cookbook author, host, and executive producer of Indian descent, Padma Lakshmi, travels across the country, she sits down with people whose traditions have shaped what American food is today. Through shared meals and conversations with immigrant and indigenous communities, she uncovers how food connects history, identity, and experience, offering a deeper look at what it means to be American. (Hulu)*
Add Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com
A Delightfully Offbeat Stand-Up Comedy Special: Atsuko Okatsuka: Father, Hulu
Okatsuka’s career may be thriving, but Father makes it clear that adulthood is still a work in progress for her. Through stories about skipping laundry for years and delayed life lessons, the special is personal, messy, and unhinged in the best way. This Hularious comedian of Japanese and Taiwanese heritage is willing to share the awkward stuff most people keep to themselves, and it’s wonderfully easy to relate to. (Hulu)*
Add Atsuko Okatsuka: Father to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com
A Behind-The-Scenes Look At A K-Pop Phenomenon: BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star
BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star offers a closer look at the band’s journey, from their rise to worldwide success to the challenges and milestones along the way. It’s a compelling watch, whether you already know every lyric or are simply curious about how the Korean pop group became such a massive cultural force. For more, check out our watch guide with even more K-pop picks.
Add BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star to Watchlist
Inside The Story Of A One-Of-A-Kind Athlete: Shohei Ohtani – Beyond the Dream, ESPN
You don’t have to be a huge baseball fan to get into this one. Witness Shohei Ohtani’s rise from Japanese professional baseball to MLB stardom as a rare two-way player, excelling as both a pitcher and a hitter. Along the way, the film explores the discipline, setbacks, and injuries that shaped his career, along with the mindset that helped him break through barriers of language, culture, and expectation. Narrated by baseball legends Pedro Martínez in English and Hideki Matsui in Japanese, the documentary reveals what it takes to become a truly legendary athlete. (ESPN)**
Add Shohei Ohtani – Beyond the Dream to Watchlist
Looking For More AAPI Stories?
Add more to your Watchlist with the Asian and Pacific Islander Stories Collection on Disney+, featuring a variety of movies, shows, shorts, documentaries, and specials celebrating the AAPI experience.
About AAPI Heritage Month
What This Month Celebrates
AAPI Heritage Month honors the culture, history, and lasting influence of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.
A Brief History
AAPI Heritage Month takes place each May. It began as a weeklong observance in 1978 and expanded to a full month in 1992. May was chosen to align with the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.
*Available for U.S. residents, 18+ only. Location data required to watch certain content. Select Hulu content available via Disney+; additional content only available via Hulu app. Offer valid for eligible subscribers only. Subject to Disney+ and ESPN Subscriber Agreement. Additional terms, app feature and device restrictions apply. For more information visit the Disney+ Help Center. © 2026 Disney and its related entities.
**Content subject to change. U.S. residents, 18+ only. A limited sampling of content from ESPN is now available to all Disney+ subscribers. Upgrade to a plan that includes ESPN to access the full ESPN on Disney+ experience; terms apply. © 2026 Disney and its related entities.
