Harry Shum Jr. has come a long way ― from wrestling with his own identity as an Asian American to completely owning it. The “Crazy Rich Asians” star, who’s part of a Panda Express campaign for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month called “Asian-American Originals,” spoke to HuffPost about his relationship to his Asian identity. When he was growing up, Shum said, he internalized the absence of Asian voices and faces in the entertainment world. “With Asian Americans, especially those from past generations, we’ve dealt with being ashamed of even our parents’ stories ... you almost lead two identities,” he told HuffPost. “The fact that the world, society makes you shameful is what was problematic. ... When I was growing up ― to not hear those voices or see these stories was really difficult because at that point, if you can’t relate to anything, then you feel like something’s wrong with you.”

Peter Ash Lee for Panda Express “I credit dance, specifically the many forms of hip-hop styles, to feeling like I belonged in a group," says Harry Shum Jr. "Being different was a plus."

Shum has ties to multiple cultures because of his unique upbringing. The actor was born in Costa Rica and spent his earliest years bouncing between Latinx and Asian cultures. When he was 6, he moved to the U.S., adding another layer to his identity. “I was dealing with different identities outside the Asian and American side. I also had a Latin side. Growing up there, I never felt I fit in anywhere. When I finally felt comfortable with the Latin culture, then I was exposed to Chinese culture and then American culture,” he recalled. “It became this snowball effect where I started understanding and seeing everything through the lens of different cultures and realizing, ‘Well, I’m all these things.’” The actor noted that he did become proud of the cultures he was exposed to, but not without hardship along the way. He said he’s experienced bullying because of his “Asianness” and had to develop a tough skin in response. But Shum also remembers the moment he realized how powerful proper Asian representation could be. He told HuffPost that when he was 11 years old, he saw a production of a play called “Exit The Dragon.” “It was a small production, but it was the most Asian Americans I’ve seen in one place,” he explained. “This was a play about Asian Americans, three men from all different backgrounds who are trying to be actors and how hard it was, but also, it touches on identity, and I had never seen that.” He added: “There weren’t any movies that did that. At that point there was basically ‘Joy Luck Club’ and that was it. So that was big for me.”

I was dealing with different identities outside the Asian and American side. I also had a Latin side. Growing up there, I never felt I fit in anywhere. Harry Shum Jr.