This interview was originally conducted by Natasha Jung and has been condensed and edited for clarity.
If you ask actor, content creator and former model Ryan Alexander Holmes what he has in his kitchen, he’ll mention a whole container of plastic bags — a familiar habit that some Asian households also have.
Saving plastic bags for future use is a practical mindset that Holmes inherited from both his grandparents and parents, who struggled with the impact of living in a war-torn nation and poverty.
Smart spending for the long term
“When I’m buying a pair of pants or a shirt, I think, what is the quality of the shirt?” he shares. “Is this going to last long [and] serve its purpose?”
This attitude has shaped his perception of finances by making him less materialistic and investment-driven. As a multidisciplinary creative, he thinks strategically about how money can further these passions long term.
“I’m not pursuing the money,” he says. “I’m pursuing the passion and just asking for an equivalent exchange of monetary value for the talent value that I’m giving.”
Photo: Christopher Cho
Currently, his Instagram account yields more than 64k followers, while his TikTok has 105k followers and is growing. His social following is a testament to his comedic craft and ability to connect with audiences over his bi-racial experiences as someone who is “100% Chinese and 100% African American” according to his Instagram bio. Yet, despite his success as a content creator, Holmes grew up feeling disconnected from the Asian community.
Creating inclusive content
“There is a lot of prejudgment for me… being Black in an Asian space and for people not knowing that I [am] Chinese.”
At the height of #BLM and anti-Asian racism, Holmes witnessed animosity and tension between the Black and Asian communities. Being bi-racial, he wanted to create content that centered the experiences of both communities in a way that went beyond “pain,” “victimization,” and “turmoil” while also educating audiences about the hardships that IBPOC folks face through racism.
“I want to be able to share that without alienating people,” Holmes shares. Even if he is creating content about culturally-specific experiences, his humor makes it accessible to all viewers.
See also: Identity through the eyes of a Black Asian
@ryanalexh Answer @tiktok ppl freak when they hear me speak my own language #chinese #blasian #mandarin ♬ original sound – Ryan Alexander Holmes
He populates his Instagram and TikTok with comedic reels that reflect his experiences as a Chinese-African-American creator.
Despite his struggle to feel connected to his Asian roots, he’s amassed a wide online presence where audiences continue to resonate with his experiences. Holmes shares content from reminiscing about Asian snacks from childhood (Yan Yan dips anyone?) or wrapping Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) with his mom and grandma.
Lunar New Year memories
Lunar New Year memories still shine bright for the creative; more specifically, the thrill of receiving a red envelope.
Many of the creative’s Lunar New Year memories are about the excitement of getting a red envelope and then the immediate sadness of my parents taking it and saying, “you shouldn’t have this amount of money. We’re going to hold it for you’ and then never seeing [the money] ever again,” he laughs.
Although the red envelopes disappeared, Holmes’ perspective towards money is more evident and valuable than all the red envelopes he “lost” to his parents.
“When I was young, [I’d] get $100 and think about how many lollipops I could buy,” Holmes reflects. “Now when I get that money, I think of it… in a grander context… less so materialistic, more so investment-driven in terms of how can this help me pursue my passion in a better way or a longer way?”
His growing influence and flourishing talent as an actor — which includes an upcoming feature film alongside Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart — is a beaming indicator that his passion will continue in the long run.
