Hayden Szeto as Erwin – The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Though I've highlighted a few actors in this gallery who had roles as love interests, the reality is that in a general view of Hollywood films, very rarely do Asian men get to play the male love interest. More often than not it's Asian women who are cast as love interests, so it's important to shout out roles like Erwin (Hayden Szeto) in the 2016 coming-of-age film The Edge of Seventeen. While he is initially played as the dorky, awkward, and sweet nerd to Hailee Steinfeld's chaotic Nadine, Erwin slowly evolves into more than a lovesick teenager. By the end of the film he isn't just someone that Nadine can take advantage of, and in a way gives Nadine her own comeuppance while getting his happy ending. The film is a brilliant coming-of-age story for girls in its own right, but it also doesn't forget to give the love interest some character of his own.