Stars Celebrate Lunar New Year at Gold House Gala in New York City
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Some of Hollywood’s most buzzed-about Asian Pacific actors, creators and personalities gathered Thursday night at Chinese Tuxedo in New York City for Gold House’s annual Lunar New Year Celebration — and the guest list read like a who’s who of breakout talent across film, television and beyond.
Bridgerton Season 4 breakout star Yerin Ha and Heated Rivalry breakout star Hudson Williams served as co-hosts for the star-studded evening on Feb. 12, welcoming a packed room of celebrities and cultural figures to mark the arrival of the Lunar New Year.
The event drew an impressive roster of familiar faces spanning some of the most popular shows in recent memory.
Among the attendees were Lola Tung and Sean Kaufman of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Supriya Ganesh and Isa Briones of The Pitt, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan of Never Have I Ever, and Anna Cathcart of XO Kitty. Athlete Suni Lee and chef Padma Lakshmi were also in attendance, adding to the evening’s mix of talent.
Williams, who brought his mom as his date for the evening, had extra reason to celebrate — Thursday’s festivities doubled as a pre-birthday gathering for the actor, whose birthday fell the following day, Friday, Feb. 13. He was seen mingling throughout the night with Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang and Celeste Yim, who both left the show recently, as well as Eva Chen, among others.
One of the evening’s most meaningful moments came when Ha took the stage to address the crowd, speaking about the significance of the Lunar New Year and how her cultural identity informs her work as an actress.
“This year, we welcome the Year of the Horse,” Ha said in her remarks at the event, per Town and Country. “It’s a symbol of strength, a symbol of freedom, and a symbol of forward motion. Those qualities resonate deeply with me. My culture is something I carry with me in every role I take on, and when I stepped into the world of Sophie Baek on Bridgerton, it was important to approach her story with intention, respect, and pride—allowing her heritage and tradition to quietly shape her journey.”
Ha’s words resonated in a room full of artists and public figures who have each, in their own way, contributed to growing representation for Asian Pacific communities in entertainment and public life. Her reflection on portraying Sophie Baek in Bridgerton offered a window into the thoughtfulness she brings to the role and the weight of carrying cultural identity into high-profile storytelling.
Following the celebration, Ha took to Instagram to share a moment from the evening, captioning an image “Gold cottage.” The phrase served as a clever nod both to Gold House, the organization behind the event, and to a connection between Ha’s and Williams’ respective projects. Both of their characters — Sophie in Bridgerton and Shane Hollander in Heated Rivalry — have key plot points in their love stories that take place at cottages.
Ha also added the song “All The Things She Said” by t.A.T.u. to the post, a track that plays at a pivotal moment in Heated Rivalry.
Both Ha and Williams have plenty to look forward to professionally in the months ahead. Bridgerton season four, part two returns later this month, continuing the storyline that has made Ha one of the most talked-about new faces in the show’s run. Meanwhile, Heated Rivalry season two is expected to begin filming later this year, keeping Williams firmly in the spotlight as well.
The Lunar New Year celebration at Chinese Tuxedo underscored Gold House’s role as a gathering point for Asian Pacific talent and community in the entertainment world and beyond. The evening brought together actors from some of television’s most-watched series, a celebrated Olympic athlete in Suni Lee, and cultural figures like Padma Lakshmi, all under one roof to mark a moment of collective significance.
