'TIME100: The World's Most Influential People' special celebrating iconic annual list, returns to ABC

Actor Simu Liu set to host broadcast television debut of TIME100 Gala with appearances by Mary J. Blige, Miranda Lambert, Questlove, Quinta Brunson, airing Sunday, June 12

TIME and ABC team up once again to celebrate this year’s most influential people and, for the first time ever, bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with the special television event, “TIME100: The World’s Most Influential People,” airing Sunday, June 12 (8 p.m. EDT), on ABC.

Actor Simu Liu hosts the TIME100 Gala and one-hour special, which features musical performances by Mary J. Blige and Miranda Lambert, and appearances by members of the iconic list of the most influential people in the world, including Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Quinta Brunson. Additional performers, guests and details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Earlier this week, TIME revealed the 2022 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The issue has five worldwide covers, accessible here, each highlighting a member of the TIME100: actor Simu Liu, recording artist Mary J. Blige, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Prime Minister Mia Mottley and actor Zendaya. Find the full list, tributes, videos and photos here.

“TIME100: The World’s Most Influential People” is created by TIME Studios, the Emmy Award-winning film and television division of TIME, produced in partnership with P&G, and presented by exclusive premier partner Cadillac and signature partners Booking.com and Citi.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to be the first-ever host of the Time100 Gala, broadcast on ABC. As an Asian-Canadian immigrant kid who grew up in a suburb outside Toronto, I never imagined that I would one day share a dinner table with some of the most influential individuals in the world,” Liu said. “I’m looking forward to speaking about our successes, but also about our shared responsibility to use our platforms and our influence to improve the world. I’m grateful to TIME for entrusting me with the opportunity to be an integral part of this special evening.”

Liu made history as the star of the first Asian-fronted movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which garnered him The People’s Choice Award for Favorite Action Movie Star.

For five seasons, Liu starred in the CBC/Netflix comedy series “Kim’s Convenience,” which won the ACTRA Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in 2017 and was also nominated for the same award in 2018. “Kim’s Convenience” also went on to win the award for Best Comedy Series at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards. The first Canadian television series with an all-Asian lead cast, the series chronicles the day-to-day micro-dramas encountered by a Korean immigrant family that runs a corner grocery store.

He will next star alongside Mark Wahlberg in “Arthur the King” and in the film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestseller “One True Loves” opposite Phillipa Soo. Liu his currently shooting “Barbie” with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. His other film and television credits include ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens,” NBC’s “Taken” and Amazon’s “The Expanse.”

Born in Harbin, China, Liu immigrated to Canada at the age of 5 and is fluent in Mandarin. He is currently developing long-form projects under his 4:12 Entertainment banner through which he has previously directed, produced and optioned content for film and digital. Liu’s memoir, “We Are Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story,” was most recently released by HarperCollins in May.

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