Something Good Going On

Arnold Setiadi is an LA-based Indonesian-Chinese director, writer, and actor, born and raised in the “inner city” of Bridgeport, CT, and shaped by his early years in Indonesia. He recently graduated Yale’s Theater and Political Science programs on a full-ride scholarship as a first-generation student.

By day, he works in Film Strategy & Research at NBCUniversal’s Focus Features, where he has contributed to campaigns including Sean Wang’s “Dìdi” — becoming one of the youngest and only Asian American creatives on the team. His industry experience also spans UTA, The Gotham Film & Media Institute, The New York Film & Music Foundation, and more.

His directorial debut which he also wrote and stars in, “Something Good Going On” — a semi-autobiographical short about an Indonesian-Chinese teen reconciling with his immigrant father before leaving for the Ivy League — was a Finalist for the Gold House x Seed&Spark AAPI Rally. As both filmmaker and performer, Setiadi has appeared in projects screening at Oscar-qualifying festivals, including “Glodok ’98” at LA Shorts, “The Vale: Origins” starring Tony-winner Lea Salonga, and “Bound for Glory” starring Janel Parrish of Netflix’s “XO, Kitty.” Represented by Luber Roklin Entertainment, he trained at the Yale School of Drama, East West Players (the nation’s oldest Asian American theater), Advanced Studies in England, and as a UCB Diversity Scholar.

His work has reached over one million views and 7,500+ followers across social media. Across his career, he tells heartfelt, humorous, and politically resonant stories that bridge cultures—uplifting underrepresented Indonesian and immigrant voices rarely seen on screen.