Not to rain on anybody's parade, but this article failed to address two things. One, here in American we have a first amendment right to comment on minorities and their tropes, and two they do the same make-up thing in Asia. I lived for twelve years in the Asia-Pacific region, seven in central Tokyo, and saw yellows portraying whites, with glued-on chest hair and buoyant Lit'l Abner haircuts for men, blonde wigs and overstuffed bras for women. And it's done for laughs and to make themselves feel better. How come nobody includes admonishings on that?
49
This is a great article, long overdue. Hollwood's excuses are nonsense. I have antenna TV which basically shows old TV shows from the 70's and 80's (way more diverse than today) and old movies that most of us never saw or heard of; for good reason - not very good. But guess who had the roles in these movies - the very young and inexperienced actors that are household names today! Our big stars and box office attractions all got their start in grade B or C movies. It's called getting experience, getting your "feet wet." It's called building a career. Tom Hanks wasn't a star when he started out, and those early movies were not block busters. So give young actors of all ethnicities roles that give them the experience needed to start to build a career, a resume and exposure and we won't need to hear all these ridiculous excuses. Plenty of A list actors star in flops and there is more "garbage" produced in Hollywood with huge investment. The new "algorithm" is: it's all about the pre-release hype so that the original investment can be recouped in the first weekend. It has nothing to do with quality, artistic merit and respect for the audience. It used to be the other way around: a movie would be released and based on reviews and through audience word of mouth momentum would build and build and create the hits. Huge budgets don't guarantee great movies. Hollywood needs to get its "act" together - now! And people can get that going by NOT GOING to the movies mentioned.
34
Thank you for bringing attention to this shameful racist practice of Hollywood. Unfortunately, due to the cyclical nature of it - the fact that Hollywood refuses to cast Asian-Americans in its movies and then turns around and says that they can't cast Asian-Americans because there aren't any "bankable" actors or actresses - even if Hollywood suddenly and unlikely grows a conscience, it'll take another generation before Asian-Americans start having a more prominent role in Hollywood movies. The only immediate solution is for non-Asian actors and actresses to REFUSE to play Yellowface roles, much in the same way non-Black actors and actresses now refuse to play Blackface. Also, Asians and Asian-Americans should actively boycot watching films starring those actors and actresses that have subcumbed to Yellowface roles just to make extra money. I, for one, will not watch any Emma Stone movies again. Shame on her for perpetuating Hollywood's racism! She is no better than actors in the 30's who played Blackface roles. Also, while we're at it, it would also help if the Chinese market which Hollywood increasingly is pandering to would boycott such movies too. The plight of Asian-Americans doesn't necessarily align with that of China but when it comes to institutionalized racism by a White-dominated industry that yet sees no shame in taking the money of Asian and Asian-American patrons, there is alignment.
78
Rita Repulsa was an alien last time i checked.
9
Making films is risky and expensive, so the business is essentially conservative. At its upper levels, it aligns naturally with established power in other areas of the economy, and collaborates willingly with its politics (remember the Blacklist?). A small number of actors are successful, often extravagantly so, but that can blind us to the full picture.
There's clearly a lot of talent out there that isn't making it onto the screen, and when there's unsatisfied demand, there should be opportunity. Your goal, sir, should be not to get a job, but to buy a studio, preferably for the value of its back catalog after yours has taken over the market. When you own the rights to the Charlie Chan movies and can sell them for laughs, retire somewhere nice and relax.
There's clearly a lot of talent out there that isn't making it onto the screen, and when there's unsatisfied demand, there should be opportunity. Your goal, sir, should be not to get a job, but to buy a studio, preferably for the value of its back catalog after yours has taken over the market. When you own the rights to the Charlie Chan movies and can sell them for laughs, retire somewhere nice and relax.
1
I almost think television is making better, more natural strides. Casting Lucy Liu as Watson in Elementary was a brilliant move--and she brings such class and style to that role, also enabling the writers to bring in story lines involving other Asian characters. In a current arc, B.D. Wong is playing Dr. Strange in Gotham and bringing a wonderfully menacing mania to the role. Tim Yang has been on The Mentalist for years. Steven Yeuen in The Walking Dead, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park in Hawaii 50. It would look absurd to see white actors playing any of these roles--there would be an outcry--so why are they doing so in films? Somehow the "box office" there warrants it? Sigh.
It's ludicrous that Tilda Swinton and Emma Stone are being cast as Asians when there are so many accomplished Asian actors out there.
It's ludicrous that Tilda Swinton and Emma Stone are being cast as Asians when there are so many accomplished Asian actors out there.
124
Brian Tee, a hunky and square jawed ASIAN co star on Chicago Med, was MY first thought for "the Ancient One".
I love Marvel comics. But it's ridiculous to believe in this day and age, casting is STILL a whitewash like it is...to THIS degree.
I thought of the right casting all on my own. What's up with casting directors paid a lot more for what is supposed to be their TALENT for casting?
I love Marvel comics. But it's ridiculous to believe in this day and age, casting is STILL a whitewash like it is...to THIS degree.
I thought of the right casting all on my own. What's up with casting directors paid a lot more for what is supposed to be their TALENT for casting?
18
Marlon Brando, a Japanese? Knock me over with a feather! John Wayne, Genghis Khan? Raise my rent! Ah! the good old days. Don't we all wish we could make America "great", I mean white, again!
14
I hear ya, but that's the wrong argument.
Sure, why can't a white actor play a role written for a Japanese character and why can't a black man play a role written for a white character without some stupid backstory? The point in the 1950' and 60s was that nobody but white people were getting ANY of the leads. Let's gets one Asian people just playing ANY leading parts without a sword in hand.
Sure, why can't a white actor play a role written for a Japanese character and why can't a black man play a role written for a white character without some stupid backstory? The point in the 1950' and 60s was that nobody but white people were getting ANY of the leads. Let's gets one Asian people just playing ANY leading parts without a sword in hand.
8
I find myself curious if any of the people so enraged by this opinion piece have ever picked up a picket sign that zero Jews have ever to my knowledge been cast as Jesus Christ. If we want to be literal, any movie about Jesus or his family and friends, or any movie about contemporary and prior Biblical figures etc, should all be played by Jews. Can we get Charlton Heston's Oscar back?
9
My point being, we have to have diversity represented - I am passionate about that - but we can't cut off creativity or imagination or Tom Hanks, Daniel Day Lewis, Meryl Streep and, for you old time movie fans, Vivian Leigh, Laurence Olivier etc, would have to give back their Oscars for playing people whose nationality or citizenship or sexual orientation or mental capacity they did not share.
8
Make good movies with talented actors and the audiences will QUICKLY embrace them. There are many, many fine Asian and Asian-American actors and actresses, many with well-known names. And if not? They'll become well known. For example, take the latest "Star Wars" movie and relatively unknown Black actor John Boyega. He's cast in a role that had no defined ethnicity. And audiences LOVE him!
Joan Chen and Lucy Liu are 2 of the leading well-known Asian actresses and Lucy Liu has taken on the role of "Watson" in the contemporary Sherlock Holmes show, "Elementary".
Hollywood has never learned the key lesson: Innovation is where the money is. Building movies by polls for every detail makes for failed movies and TV shows. Think GOT is going on what the audience wants? Remember the original "Battlestar Galactica" series, based totally on what audiences liked? Dreadful, inane show. But the reboot, that abandoned polls and went for innovative was brilliant.
Hollywood is like bankers, never want to invest in innovation, only in the tried-and-true. Thus, when Andrew Carnegie sold Carnegie Steel, the most innovative company in the world, to JP Morgan, a banker, US Steel made virtually NO advances in technology for the next 70 years....
Even Disney recognized that in their "Princess" series of cartoons, casting almost completely Asian actors for the voices in "Mulan".
If Disney can do it, why can't the rest of Hollywood?
Joan Chen and Lucy Liu are 2 of the leading well-known Asian actresses and Lucy Liu has taken on the role of "Watson" in the contemporary Sherlock Holmes show, "Elementary".
Hollywood has never learned the key lesson: Innovation is where the money is. Building movies by polls for every detail makes for failed movies and TV shows. Think GOT is going on what the audience wants? Remember the original "Battlestar Galactica" series, based totally on what audiences liked? Dreadful, inane show. But the reboot, that abandoned polls and went for innovative was brilliant.
Hollywood is like bankers, never want to invest in innovation, only in the tried-and-true. Thus, when Andrew Carnegie sold Carnegie Steel, the most innovative company in the world, to JP Morgan, a banker, US Steel made virtually NO advances in technology for the next 70 years....
Even Disney recognized that in their "Princess" series of cartoons, casting almost completely Asian actors for the voices in "Mulan".
If Disney can do it, why can't the rest of Hollywood?
23
It seems strange that Hollywood wouldn't want to market to a demographic that has a very significant population in America.
6
How is Hollywood's argument circular? The argument you recount is that there are no Asian-American stars and it's too big of a risk to cast an unknown actor, therefore they won't cast an Asian-American actor in the place of a star. If it is true that there are no Asian-American stars, this may be because Hollywood won't cast Asian-American actors. But that still won't make Hollywood's argument circular. It would simply indicate that executives are doing nothing to change the conditions which they use to justify their own actions.
What it doesn't indicate is that executives lack an economic reason for doing nothing to change those conditions.
And in fact nothing in your opinion presents any argument or evidence for your basic assertion: that economics does not explain the behavior of executives. So I have a question for you: do you have any evidence that economics does not explain the behavior of executives? If so, why didn't you include it in this opinion? If not, why do you make these assertions (faith? rhetorical strategy? righteous indignation? what?)?
What it doesn't indicate is that executives lack an economic reason for doing nothing to change those conditions.
And in fact nothing in your opinion presents any argument or evidence for your basic assertion: that economics does not explain the behavior of executives. So I have a question for you: do you have any evidence that economics does not explain the behavior of executives? If so, why didn't you include it in this opinion? If not, why do you make these assertions (faith? rhetorical strategy? righteous indignation? what?)?
7
I do not know why Hollywood can not understand that no one wants to see a white actor playing a person of color. The picture appears jarring and dated. If you are making a picture that will only sell to whites, remember, your target audience has not been growing in years. And, people who go to movies today, are much more sophisticated. Are the pictures that Hollywood keeps churning out with white actors playing people of color really resulting in hit movies or have they become jokes.
19
Hollywood will happily cast Asian women as sexy playmates for white actors - this is common in action movies.
The real discrimination in Hollywood and media more generally is against Asian men/actors.
The real discrimination in Hollywood and media more generally is against Asian men/actors.
31
Why don't Asian studios cast American and European actors? This is a fair question since Bollywood, for example, sells far more tickets than Hollywood. It's time for the rest of the world to be held to the same standards as America, which judged fairly is a far more open society than most of the world, especially the billions who are trying to position themselves as a disadvantaged minorities while aggressively taking over millions of American IT and manufacturing jobs.
16
DOCUMENTARIES Include many participants who are from varied backgrounds. Also, one need look no farther than PBS Nightly News to see a full range of ethnic backgrounds. The same goes for print stories. So that means that in plays and movies which are narratives that describe the fantasies of the writer/s are imagined in less than the full range of the rainbow of ethnic diversity. One plausible explanation is boxoffice sales. Both male and female actors over a certain age have very few parts written for them, with some, but not many notable exceptions. For one, Maggie Smth's role as the Dowager Countess of Downtown Abbey was a smashing hit, even though her makeup resulted in far more wrinkles than she has in real life. Elsewhere in the realm of achievements, the PBS broadcast of student recitals from the Curtis Music Institute in Philly has a preponderance of Asian musical prodigies. The results of the Google top 10 young scientists has recently been mostly Asians. In Philly hospitals the young medical staff includes many young Asians. So I think all the stars are aligned for an increase of Asians being cast in Hollywood roles sooner rather than later, because many gifted persons of Asian backgrounds have seamlessly become a part of our communities and have displaced other groups as the most advanced students, scholars and professionals. If the studio box office bean counters are asleep on the job, somebody had better wake the up before the lose money. No Asians?
1
it would seem that with the huge Chinese market becoming a bigger and bigger percentage of Hollywood's total revenues, that smart executives unburdened with racist thinking would recognize how much economic sense it would make to cast more Asian actors.
13
Examining my own prejudices, I would say that I find it hard to read emotions from Asian faces. That's what creates the magic connection between an actor and a character and an audience on screen. You have to be able to see into the person and see their thoughts from the expressions on their faces. I live in LA so I'm surrounded by Asian people. It's normal for me. But I still have trouble reading their emotions. Maybe Asian culture is too much about keeping it inside. I don't know. In acting, everything has to end up on the outside, because unlike a book, a camera cannot show you what's happening in the character's thoughts.
14
Ethnics should play roles intended for them- however, why are we the only country on Earth that has to make everyone feel uncomfortable all the time? Other people get to feel 'at home' where they are the majority. No, we have to be attacked 24/7 by a never ending list of grievances even though we are more committed to equal rights than any other country on Earth. People vote with their dollars and Hollywood listens. I want to see a movie with characters I can relate to and sometimes that's an Asian or other minority but for the MOST part it's not and by the way that is OK. Enough with all this divisive, constant, victimhood. Asians out populate the entire world and they have the films to show it. When I go to China I don't complain that they aren't making more films with white leads.
16
Excellent article Keith. If there is any backlash. Ignore it. You are spot on!-We've come far in society in many ways but not so in others.
7
I have to say this, it took a lot of guts for the producers of "Enter the Dragon" to make the movie with Bruce Lee. I will also say that I loved Charlton Heston as Moses and Judah Ben-Hur in those epics. Those movies are part of my Easter celebrations.
8
Things should change with the excellent acting of so many Asians available, but the legacy of several white actors playing in the Charlie Chan movies has stuck. Maybe it was easier to accept clever detectives known not to be Asian in the time of the Japanese war activities of the 1930's through 1945. After all, even the decidedly American patriotic mayor of San Francisco was hounded from office because of his heritage rather than his politics. Bring back Charlie Chan with proper casting and have mysteries without aerial car stunts or mass shootings.
1
Finally, someone is talking about this! White actors playing Asians with "Oriental" makeup has bothered me ever since I was a kid, and no one talked about it. In this day and age, no white actor would be caught painting their face black to play a black person's part. Why then is a white person acting looking Asian accepted? It's a double standard that needs to change.
38
".. there aren’t any Asian movie stars."
-- Should they be stars already, well known in America already, or should they first be good actors? Which is more important? A good actor will never be a well known star if he is never given any role because he is not already famous.
-- Should they be stars already, well known in America already, or should they first be good actors? Which is more important? A good actor will never be a well known star if he is never given any role because he is not already famous.
13
It is obvious that neither the producers nor the critics, neither the actors nor the public at large understand, much less agree, about what a movie is or is supposed to be. A business venture? A tool for social promotion? A public relations display? A political statement? An opportunity for producers, writers, directors, actors, to advance their personal careers? Etc., etc. Hardly if ever do we understand a movie as a work of art, the way a novel may be understood for its own merits as a literary work of fiction. What are the standards, if any, for a work of art? I think, truth, credibility, narrative skill, acting performance as in the case of theater and opera, where the issue of race has already been amply discussed and argued. If actors can fit such standards, independent of race and social status, at least one of the issues that can make a movie good as a work of art, can be met.
4
What did Chris Rock say in the Oscars telecast? He was at fund raiser for President Obama and only the Hollywood elite showed up. "And it’s all of us there. And it’s about four black people there: me, uh, let’s see, Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, Questlove. You know, the usual suspects, right? And every black actor that wasn’t working.....So, at some point you get to take a picture with the president, and, you know as they’re setting up the picture you get a little moment with the president....I’m like, “Mr. President, you see all these writers and producers and actors? They don’t hire black people, and they’re the nicest, white people on earth! They’re liberals! Cheese!” "
They don't hire Asians either.
They don't hire Asians either.
13
Hey, Keith Chow! Long-time fan of your work and greatly appreciate your excellent commentary on whitewashing. Kind of incredible that we still have to have this conversation -- again! -- in 2016.
Maybe one day Hollywood will realize that they are losing money as consumers like my multiracial family turn away from their whitewashed products. We're sick and tired of the demeaning images and content of white actors masquerading as Asian characters. Instead, families like mine are investing our dollars in Asian media (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indian movies, TV dramas, and music) where the false arguments about a dearth of marketable Asian performers are disproven everyday.
Six years ago, my then 10-year-old daughter had an article against whitewashing published in a national magazine. If an elementary school kid can understand the problems with this racist practice, why can't Hollywood? There are just no excuses anymore! Link to text version of article: http://www.racebending.com/v4/in-the-news/adoption-today-magazine-july-2...
Maybe one day Hollywood will realize that they are losing money as consumers like my multiracial family turn away from their whitewashed products. We're sick and tired of the demeaning images and content of white actors masquerading as Asian characters. Instead, families like mine are investing our dollars in Asian media (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indian movies, TV dramas, and music) where the false arguments about a dearth of marketable Asian performers are disproven everyday.
Six years ago, my then 10-year-old daughter had an article against whitewashing published in a national magazine. If an elementary school kid can understand the problems with this racist practice, why can't Hollywood? There are just no excuses anymore! Link to text version of article: http://www.racebending.com/v4/in-the-news/adoption-today-magazine-july-2...
7
The writer's argument makes no sense. If the race and identity of a lead actor were not a real economic factor, Hollywood could save millions hiring obscure Asian actors who would work for a fraction of their star white counterparts who demand millions.
So why doesn't Hollywood do it? Because it may be cynical and shallow, but it's not stupid.
Asians are few and far between as stars in American films for reasons that aren't too different from whites being few and far between as stars in Chinese or Indian or Japanese films. It's about what the audience expects and is willing to pay for.
So why doesn't Hollywood do it? Because it may be cynical and shallow, but it's not stupid.
Asians are few and far between as stars in American films for reasons that aren't too different from whites being few and far between as stars in Chinese or Indian or Japanese films. It's about what the audience expects and is willing to pay for.
10
This is definitely not a defense of Hollywood, but merely an acknowledgement of reality: it's capitalism, not racism. The racism concept gets thrown around, but just give it a moment's thought. There's no "ism" more important than the bottom line in Hollywood. The industry should have been developing bankable movie stars from Asia, but it was shortsighted. The times are changing, but we can all agree that it's been way too slowly for actors of Asian descent.
By the way, thank you for the slide show. I especially liked the last slide of John Wayne playing Ghengis Khan in The Conqueror, one of the funniest movies ever made.
By the way, thank you for the slide show. I especially liked the last slide of John Wayne playing Ghengis Khan in The Conqueror, one of the funniest movies ever made.
7
Hollywood casts big burly over-muscled spectacles of masculinity and hyper-sexualized big busted, big fannied women, neither of which correspond to many in the population. Hollywood deals in caricature, not reality, so it is not really a surprise few Asians are cast. As a women, I think Asians might want to consider themselves lucky.
5
The problem is that political correctness is politically incorrect. You have to be a member of a politically approved minority to benefit from the ubiquitous quotas that characterize modern American commerce and education, including Hollywood casting. And Asians aren't.
23
The author has not convinced me that he understands the economics of movie making better than the people who run the Hollywood studios. But I have a bigger question -- why does he think I should care?
Life is full of unfairness, but somehow whenever the unfairness touches on race it is seems to assume cosmic importance, and I don't see why that should be so. Even if the author is correct in his arguments, it just doesn't strike me as that important. Hollywood is a business, not a social experiment, and it doesn't owe anybody a living. Hollywood doesn't cast many people who look like me either -- they are almost all taller and better looking. I've been annoyed on occasion to see whites playing Asians (I'm sure Tilda Swinton as the Tibetan Guy would do that, if I were going to see that movie), but I've also seen blacks inserted into white roles, in the name of racial progressiveness, and that annoys me a bit too.
So what? It's not my call. Hollywood makes *lots* of mistakes, every possible variety of mistake. When they get it right, I cheer, and they make some money. When they get it wrong, I sometime end up wanting two hours of my life back. But in the end, it's just entertainment, and it's just not that important.
Life is full of unfairness, but somehow whenever the unfairness touches on race it is seems to assume cosmic importance, and I don't see why that should be so. Even if the author is correct in his arguments, it just doesn't strike me as that important. Hollywood is a business, not a social experiment, and it doesn't owe anybody a living. Hollywood doesn't cast many people who look like me either -- they are almost all taller and better looking. I've been annoyed on occasion to see whites playing Asians (I'm sure Tilda Swinton as the Tibetan Guy would do that, if I were going to see that movie), but I've also seen blacks inserted into white roles, in the name of racial progressiveness, and that annoys me a bit too.
So what? It's not my call. Hollywood makes *lots* of mistakes, every possible variety of mistake. When they get it right, I cheer, and they make some money. When they get it wrong, I sometime end up wanting two hours of my life back. But in the end, it's just entertainment, and it's just not that important.
10
Yes. This.
As an Asian, I ALWAYS object when ANY ethnic role goes to some Caucasian.
I do not see many movies. I recognize very few actors by face, so "bankable star" means nothing to me. But I like to see decent movies with good actors. And there are no dearth of very good actors of color. There is only a dearth of inclusive people in power.
And on a side, but related issue.... Jeremy Lin.
As an Asian, I ALWAYS object when ANY ethnic role goes to some Caucasian.
I do not see many movies. I recognize very few actors by face, so "bankable star" means nothing to me. But I like to see decent movies with good actors. And there are no dearth of very good actors of color. There is only a dearth of inclusive people in power.
And on a side, but related issue.... Jeremy Lin.
16
Nowadays, there seems to be more and more Asian actors making it to a small role within Hollywood films, like Irfaan Khan in Life of Pi and Jurassic World
Why is Hollywood, an industry completely dominated by progressives, such a cesspit of racism and sexism?
18
Racism in liberal, progressive, Democratic Hollywood? I'm shocked, shocked!
8
Hollywood is hypocritical and racist, pure and simple.
They continue to focus on white LGBT instead of Asians, Arabs, etc.
What else is new?
They continue to focus on white LGBT instead of Asians, Arabs, etc.
What else is new?
10
How many actors of any race are successful in Hollywood? I go to Hoollywood movies that turn human beings into sterotypes 99 per cent of the time. It is a rare movie that has real character development backed by great writing and wonderful execution by actors and directors. Most of the high quality movies that are produced are low budget and they aren't dependent on star power. I have a feeling that's not what's being complained about.
4
The answer to the question posed by the article is rather straight forward: because Hollywood makes movies that will sell tickets and apparently believes casting Asian-Americans to the extent the author would like would not be a lucrative decision. Americans as a whole do not particularly want to see Asians in a ton of roles and that is perfectly fine. It's a preference not driven by malice. Why is this a preference is a question best answered outside of this forum. Regardless, making films in Hollywood is part business and part art. The former resists this accomodation. The latter would seem to suggest that Asians do not have a big role to play in the artistic visions of the people who make our films. That is a reality that the racial grievance warriors, and Keith Chow will simply have to accept.
9
Hmm.."Americans don't want to see Asians", aren't MANY Americans Asian?-Try to look around you a bit more.
13
This comment is a perfect example of polite racism. Just because you don't use foul language or racisl epithets or slurs didn't make it not racist. This comment essentially says "White people don't want to look at Asians when they go to the movies. End of discussion. Deal with it you Asian."
30
Must everything be through the lens of race?
16
When it is relevant, absolutely
16
"Race-neutral" benefits caucasians primarily in this nation. And just because you think otherwise doesn't mean you're correct.
I'm glad to see Asian-Americans are finally speaking out against the discrimination they face.
I'm glad to see Asian-Americans are finally speaking out against the discrimination they face.
26
"Up" starred an animated Asian boy. You can't get more "no name" than that. Everyone loved it. These Hollywood arguments for casting white people are garbage, but then so are most big budget films so no surprise there.
11
Hollywood should learn from TV. Good writing, acting, and production is more important than seeing actors or actresses who are familiar. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Flash, and others have all built huge followings without A-list actors, yet nearly every actor or actress in a main cast role has the talent to work in Hollywood.
TV is just better than movies these days, because they are willing to cast relative and total unknowns.
TV is just better than movies these days, because they are willing to cast relative and total unknowns.
9
Whites being cast as something other than they are make the end product ridiculous. We will not consume ridiculous products.
3
people pretending to be other people
i think its called acting
i think its called acting
11
Casting white actors in Asian roles flies in the face of economics and facts because the movies would most likely attract fewer Asian audience than it would have not only here in the US but also abroad. This is not to say that racism is alive and well in Hollywood but the industry is dominated by a white-network from studios, producers to casting agents. And just like any business sectors in the US, people wielding decision making power will tend to look for familiarity and comfortness and will rationalize any unfavorable economics or business calculations.
3
You missed Katherine Hepburn in Dragon Seed.
1
"It’s not about race, they say; the only color they see is green: The reason Asian-American actors are not cast to front these films is because not any of them have a box office track record."
That's systemic oppression...
It is also bound up in many layers of acculturation and institutionalized reinforcement, socially constructed body image, historicized myths, narrative tropes, cultural constructs of self and other, and so on. In addition to identifying the oppression, which the author does superbly, what strategies might dismantle it?
Joining the many who wish to influence the existing system via political change. This will be incremental and require générations of pressure, organization and rehearsal.
Creating a parallel system to produce pop culture as a political weapon - overwhelming the current system by offering a new more powerful alternative.
I think the latter can be an instrument of the former. I also think there'd be a global network of financial for that endeavor, as well as a global audience to support it.
That's systemic oppression...
It is also bound up in many layers of acculturation and institutionalized reinforcement, socially constructed body image, historicized myths, narrative tropes, cultural constructs of self and other, and so on. In addition to identifying the oppression, which the author does superbly, what strategies might dismantle it?
Joining the many who wish to influence the existing system via political change. This will be incremental and require générations of pressure, organization and rehearsal.
Creating a parallel system to produce pop culture as a political weapon - overwhelming the current system by offering a new more powerful alternative.
I think the latter can be an instrument of the former. I also think there'd be a global network of financial for that endeavor, as well as a global audience to support it.
4
Not to downplay the seriousness of the observations made in the article but please stop assuming the term Asian only covers people from Far East/East and Southeast Asia. Look at the picture right next to the beginning of the article! The Indian sub-continent and the Middle East are also part of Asia and so why do the media and the American public always deprive those people of a continent? Their (shared) continent?
11
Discrimination against people of Asian descent is still tacitly, if not explicitly, accepted at all levels of American society (cf. U of California's and Harvard's unofficial quotas for Asian students, to cite just two examples). I suspect this is due to the intellectual achievement and economic success of those of Asian descent in the U.S. Of all of America's ethnic groups, including whites, Asian-Americans have the highest median income level. And for many Americans, an ethnic minority is only truly a minority when its members are poorer than the median. For that reason Asian-Americans don't quite "count" as a minority--especially, but not only, politically--and thus don't attract the kind of sympathetic domestic audience that actors of other ethnic minorities might. This, in spite of the fact that one group of Asian-Americans--Japanese-Americans--suffered some of the worst government-enforced discrimination in the 20th century, in the form of FDR's internment camps.
25
Agreed.
2
"Sal how come you ain't got no pictures of any brother's on the wall? Buggin Out a black man gazing at photos of Italian American heroes in a Sal's pizzeria in a black NYC hood
"Because I brought and built this restaurant and if you want some brothers on the wall then get your own restaurant. " Sal with some righteous indignation. From "Do The Right Thing" by Spike Lee
Until then you will have white men playing the next Mr. Chan or Thai or Japanese or Chinese or Mongol or Indonesian man. Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Omar Sharif, Warner Oland etc. Even Kate Hepburn went that route. But an exotic lovely little Lotus Flower will do along with a comical sidekick with a white European American lead. Real Asians also do martial arts and villains. How many Europeans star in films in any Asian countries?
"Because I brought and built this restaurant and if you want some brothers on the wall then get your own restaurant. " Sal with some righteous indignation. From "Do The Right Thing" by Spike Lee
Until then you will have white men playing the next Mr. Chan or Thai or Japanese or Chinese or Mongol or Indonesian man. Yul Brynner, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Omar Sharif, Warner Oland etc. Even Kate Hepburn went that route. But an exotic lovely little Lotus Flower will do along with a comical sidekick with a white European American lead. Real Asians also do martial arts and villains. How many Europeans star in films in any Asian countries?
8
Lol...since this article seems to "free" all prejudices and bias towards race, as we can infer from some comments here, well, I'll "confess" mine...I always burst out laughing watching martial arts starring white people because it's so artificial! Wanna make me laugh? Just name movies as American Shaolin, American Ninja. It seems so odd for me to match the figure of a white individual with martial arts, perhaps in the same way as depicted by that movie "White men can't jump" about slam dunk. Definitely it's so weird to imagine a white people, in fact, a non Asian in traditional martial arts garment (those black one from the Chinese kungfu or the white kimono from the Japanese).
4
You'd be surprised. Americans, particularly Caucasians, dominated world martial arts championships for years. Yes, beating Japanese and Chinese opponents. Chuck Norris starred in a Bruce Lee movie, not because he was a Caucasian actor who could pretend to do karate moves, but because he was already a worldwide champion. It seems your racial bias wasn't so justified, "Unbiased guy"...
8
It is true that Asian actors face difficult job prospects and uncertain futures in Hollywood, but one thing is very sure – the publication of Keith Chow’s Op-ed piece in the New York Times will cause him to emerge as a star in the sensational “cultural identity” debate in the U.S. Never mind the pressing needs of people who are truly oppressed: teenage sex slaves held captive by ISIS; workers at Apple factories in China who are so overworked that they are driven to suicide; and young men who are held captive and endure years of forced labor on fishing boats in Cambodia. These people will continue to suffer, but Mr. Chow will undoubtedly cause a sensation with his story about Hollywood “injustice” which is sure to be repeated over and over in the media.
8
Myopic aren't you
5
Frank, people have a right to want to be part of one of our most successful American industries. If the NRA can lobby for the right of citizens to own combat grade weapons, surely Mr. Chow can lobby for jobs for Asians.
8
I think an attack on this author for merely voicing his opinion is small minded and petty. OBVIOUSLY Keith Chow cares about ALL these other issues you mentioned as well.
I guess, you are his editor now?-and you're upset because he didn't write what you wanted him to write?-
I find the article to be truthful and relevant. And after hearing my sister, a Beautiful Actress, struggling for years in San Francisco just to go to auditions and be turned away by the Caucasions ONLY SIGNS at casting calls, even though, she IS technically Caucasian but her skin color is a bit darker, suddenly she's out too. This is a HUGE BIAS in Hollywood and they really are looking, more than just a little bit racist.
Why shouldn't Keith Chow write the truth?
Maybe your other issues are currently being researched and will be written about.
I guess, you are his editor now?-and you're upset because he didn't write what you wanted him to write?-
I find the article to be truthful and relevant. And after hearing my sister, a Beautiful Actress, struggling for years in San Francisco just to go to auditions and be turned away by the Caucasions ONLY SIGNS at casting calls, even though, she IS technically Caucasian but her skin color is a bit darker, suddenly she's out too. This is a HUGE BIAS in Hollywood and they really are looking, more than just a little bit racist.
Why shouldn't Keith Chow write the truth?
Maybe your other issues are currently being researched and will be written about.
16
This issue is really with American audiences, which have an important role in creating bankable stars. Studios will do anything to generate sales, and if an Asian had universal appeal, studios would cast him or her in an instant. Now one can claim the audience is racist if they don't accept Asian leads but that would be misleading. Casting is important but not as important as universal appeal to moviegoers. Why, for example, did Denzel breakout as a bankable lead? Audiences like him and the reasons for "liking" are not quantifiable.
20
Keep fighting, Mr Chow. Tilda got that part because she is a talented well-known woman with great skill and audiences want to see her. She is over 50 and her casting is a win for everybody who wants to see age diversity and gender bending casting. More to do, for sure.
However, as a side note somewhat unrelated to Mr Chow, I have marked the number of times an actor/film maker has recently come out trashing Hollywood only to find out they have signed a big deal with Netflix or Amazon, or are part of a production originally made for one of those channels and are in direct competition with the old movie making machine. I guess I am jaded, but I wonder how much of this is about disrupting yet another profitable network to make room for the new. I have seen a half dozen original works with Asian actors on the new distribution networks and they are story driven and quite good. But I have no doubt that the money being paid to actors on the old distribution system far outweigh the new channel and everybody - actors, agents - wants a cut. If the fighting leads to better quality work that helps educate and inspire the culture I don't actually car who wins the channel battle. But we aren't going anywhere if we can't acknowledge the diversity in our citizenship.
However, as a side note somewhat unrelated to Mr Chow, I have marked the number of times an actor/film maker has recently come out trashing Hollywood only to find out they have signed a big deal with Netflix or Amazon, or are part of a production originally made for one of those channels and are in direct competition with the old movie making machine. I guess I am jaded, but I wonder how much of this is about disrupting yet another profitable network to make room for the new. I have seen a half dozen original works with Asian actors on the new distribution networks and they are story driven and quite good. But I have no doubt that the money being paid to actors on the old distribution system far outweigh the new channel and everybody - actors, agents - wants a cut. If the fighting leads to better quality work that helps educate and inspire the culture I don't actually car who wins the channel battle. But we aren't going anywhere if we can't acknowledge the diversity in our citizenship.
10
Hollywood and TV definitely do not have to be this way. My husband and I love the TV show Grimm, most especially for the character Sargent Wu, played by Reggie Lee. The part of the Sargent could have gone to any actor, as Mr. Lee plays him just as a police officer. However, Mr. Lee has given the Sargent a great personality, and we have found we watch the show for him, as much as the front runners. We have great actors out there; Hollywood needs to be a little braver and give the lesser known good actors a chance.
37
I would prefer to see Asian characters be played by Asian actors. However, I am confused by people looking for moral leadership from Hollywood. Many key industry figures are "liberal" (at least for photo-ops), but we've increasingly seen that there's a gap between words and fair and inclusive actions.
However, the money comes from consumers. If you don't like the movies coming out, don't fork over your hard-earned cash to see them, and, as the article pointed out, economics might have an impact that ethical considerations don't.
However, the money comes from consumers. If you don't like the movies coming out, don't fork over your hard-earned cash to see them, and, as the article pointed out, economics might have an impact that ethical considerations don't.
5
Why Won’t Hollywood Cast Asian Actors?
I think the answer to this question is fairly straightforward. Census and income data appear to tell us that Asian-Americans are, as a whole, the most well-educated and highest-earning people in what is still the world's richest country. That's an extremely privileged and enviable position to occupy in our world.
From this perception flows a lot of ugly thinking on the part of others (and not just whites--look at how Chris Rock chose to ridicule Asian-Americans at the Oscars). One ugly rationalization is that Asian-Americans can be ignored and ridiculed on occasion because, hey, they enjoy a disproportionately high presence in the areas that really matter--business, medicine, law, higher education.
This is not what I think, but it's what a lot of people out there do think.
I think the answer to this question is fairly straightforward. Census and income data appear to tell us that Asian-Americans are, as a whole, the most well-educated and highest-earning people in what is still the world's richest country. That's an extremely privileged and enviable position to occupy in our world.
From this perception flows a lot of ugly thinking on the part of others (and not just whites--look at how Chris Rock chose to ridicule Asian-Americans at the Oscars). One ugly rationalization is that Asian-Americans can be ignored and ridiculed on occasion because, hey, they enjoy a disproportionately high presence in the areas that really matter--business, medicine, law, higher education.
This is not what I think, but it's what a lot of people out there do think.
9
Racism can still be an economic issue - the success of a non-white actor is more uncertain for Hollywood because they have fewer data points, which translates to higher risk. And they have few data points because they don't try casting them, which does make the problem circular. My solution? Market like crazy in Asian countries! The kid from the Jungle Book has had numerous interviews in India already, and that's a market of 1 billion people - sorry Hemsworths, you're not going to pull in that kind of Box Office revenue.
Separately, A Hemsworth brother may not make more money on average, but they are a much safer investment because they can be cast and recast in a multitude of roles independent of the plot, even if one or two flop. Why? Because when Hollywood casts a non-white actor, they feel compelled to address their non-whiteness, so the actor can only play certain characters. We're arguing for more Asian casting, but it seems like we've become fixed on matching role with off-screen identity. I'd be fine with Tilda Swinton playing a Tibetan mystic if Kal Penn or John Cho could play the Wicked Witch of the West. I thought the whole point of acting was being someone you're not, and if the role is "really different" from your outwardly perceived identity, so much the better.
Separately, A Hemsworth brother may not make more money on average, but they are a much safer investment because they can be cast and recast in a multitude of roles independent of the plot, even if one or two flop. Why? Because when Hollywood casts a non-white actor, they feel compelled to address their non-whiteness, so the actor can only play certain characters. We're arguing for more Asian casting, but it seems like we've become fixed on matching role with off-screen identity. I'd be fine with Tilda Swinton playing a Tibetan mystic if Kal Penn or John Cho could play the Wicked Witch of the West. I thought the whole point of acting was being someone you're not, and if the role is "really different" from your outwardly perceived identity, so much the better.
3
Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Kal penn, Ravi Patel have all addressed hollywood's reluctance of accepting south Asian actors. priyanka chopra has proved that Bollywood actors can stand on their own two feet and earn a leading role in a successful TV series. Good for her, proud of her.
Asians include Folks from South Asia, as long as we are talking about the Asian continent .
Asians include Folks from South Asia, as long as we are talking about the Asian continent .
10
Chow's arguments are valid. The development and treatment of Asian actors in Hollywood has been both appalling and revealing. One thing left out of the discussion though is the impact the booming Asian international Asian film markets will have on this issue. China is now the 2nd largest film receipts market in the world and will soon overtake the North America market in total ticket receipts. Other Asian countries like South Korea etc... are also increasingly important. This has not gone unnoticed by Hollywood. This financial incentive has them adding a lot of admittedly clumsy tacked on Chinese or Asian elements to their blockbusters. More importantly, Asian studios in China and elsewhere are producing more movies of increasing quality for their own/international markets and are beginning to squeeze out Hollywood in their home box offices. Many existing Asian stars came not from the Hollywood system but from the Hong Kong, Chinese, South Korean or Japanese systems. Given the growing importance of international markets and the relative declining importance of the US/North American market Hollywood's casting parochialism will become less relevant as it continues to lose share in the larger international markets and becomes more of a local market product; much like current Italian or French film markets. If Hollywood wants to avoid this fate and it surely does because its all about money and the ability to project soft power we will be seeing more Asians.
19
Your remark is reasonable but you seems to imply that Hollywood should rein over the world "naturally" and thus, it should be blamed if it has shown decline. During an hegemonic Western era it was true but increasingly it's not the true about the time that we are living currently. In our multipolar world, where non-Western peoples are emerging, it seems quite natural to see that the US influence cannot reach them and so it's logical to see non Western forces rising, regardless what the US can do - In the context of the article, I mean the non Western movies will show up regardless Hollywood will have more Asian artists or not.
1
A sure way to destroy any artistic or scholarly enterprise is to impose on it quotas: racial, gender, and -- why not? -- of political and sexual preferences, pro or con tobacco, alcohol, and narcotic herbs, vegetarian or omnivorous, etc.
5
I hope the nytimes means Asian-American. And also the times should spend less time thinking of new ways to say they want quotas for everything
8
People pointing to obscure minority actors who happened to play the secondary characters as evidence of progress need a reality check.
Thanks so much for writing this- I agree that it is a result of racism and ignorance and not economics, given the fact that in the next several years, many productions will test the waters in the asian market and if anything, casting asians/asian americans in Hollywood productions can yield something of both creative and economic value. It's 2016, Hollywood should be the one industry that is ahead of the national, cultural trend, not the unique one that happens to lag behind other industries whose demographics are relatively proportional to the population.
Thanks so much for writing this- I agree that it is a result of racism and ignorance and not economics, given the fact that in the next several years, many productions will test the waters in the asian market and if anything, casting asians/asian americans in Hollywood productions can yield something of both creative and economic value. It's 2016, Hollywood should be the one industry that is ahead of the national, cultural trend, not the unique one that happens to lag behind other industries whose demographics are relatively proportional to the population.
3
Coming from a generation whose early television experiences included watching old Charlie Chan films, it takes a lot to make me look twice at whites playing Chinese characters.
But recently I rented "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Even I had to cringe at the casting and depiction of Asians: the nefarious "Chinese" lady slave seller and her henchmen, and the sinister-seeming "Chinese" guy lurking in the shadows. Astonishingly demeaning.
For the rest, I rarely go to movies, and so I assumed -- I guess wrongly -- that we've come to the point at which Asians now play themselves.
But recently I rented "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Even I had to cringe at the casting and depiction of Asians: the nefarious "Chinese" lady slave seller and her henchmen, and the sinister-seeming "Chinese" guy lurking in the shadows. Astonishingly demeaning.
For the rest, I rarely go to movies, and so I assumed -- I guess wrongly -- that we've come to the point at which Asians now play themselves.
4
let's not forget, all depictions of Christ in Hollywood movies are "white, Caucasian, with blond hair". Not typical of any Jewish male 2000 years ago.
18
I used to live in LA County. The TV shows and movies set in LA don't reflect the real demographics. Non-Hispanic whites numbered 28% of the population. Hollywood is in denial.
7
Well, Hollywood is designed as part of the New World Order elite to control thinking and to anesthetize people to violence, breakdown of society, social breakdown, horror of living. It does this by presenting the same basic scripts, lines, punchlines, and plot twists over and over. If you scroll through the trailers on IMDB right now for example, look at how many are repeat scripts, how many are violent.
Hollywood was never designed to be a racially inclusive place.
Holly wood was considered the most powerful wood the (white) Druids of the Celtic races used. It was said to be able to cast a spell over people.
So you are Asian and an actor? This club never had a seat for you at the table and will only provide token pieces to appease people.
Look up new world order, hidden history hollywood....
Hollywood was never designed to be a racially inclusive place.
Holly wood was considered the most powerful wood the (white) Druids of the Celtic races used. It was said to be able to cast a spell over people.
So you are Asian and an actor? This club never had a seat for you at the table and will only provide token pieces to appease people.
Look up new world order, hidden history hollywood....
1
Racism? Sexism? Hollywood is the best.
Films with women (51 per cent of the population) as the leading characters are rare, and if the Hollywood moguls could find a way to use men for the feminine roles, they probably would slam the "no girls" clubhouse door completely shut.
Seeing Caucasians playing Asians forces audiences into a level of "suspending disbelief" that many of us simply cannot reach.
And, while we are on this subject, let's have an article about actors who adopt ethnic accents not their own for film roles.
Listening to Brad Pitt trying for a Southern accent in Inglorious
Bastards was excruciating. His German accent in Seven Years in Tibet had many of us running for the exits moaning.
This fake accent stuff hardly ever goes well. But the Hollywood establishment appears to as tone deaf as it is allergic to Asians playing characters of that race.
Films with women (51 per cent of the population) as the leading characters are rare, and if the Hollywood moguls could find a way to use men for the feminine roles, they probably would slam the "no girls" clubhouse door completely shut.
Seeing Caucasians playing Asians forces audiences into a level of "suspending disbelief" that many of us simply cannot reach.
And, while we are on this subject, let's have an article about actors who adopt ethnic accents not their own for film roles.
Listening to Brad Pitt trying for a Southern accent in Inglorious
Bastards was excruciating. His German accent in Seven Years in Tibet had many of us running for the exits moaning.
This fake accent stuff hardly ever goes well. But the Hollywood establishment appears to as tone deaf as it is allergic to Asians playing characters of that race.
8
The comments I read here are very naive. Producing a movie is a high-risk, capital intensive project -- 2/3 of the cost of the movie is production, 1/3 is for marketing. Hiring "bankable" actors is a form of risk management. Many stupid decisions are made this way, but before you call them racist take a look at Asian films. Do they hire bankable stars who are Asians? Do they also hire "ringers," 'round-eye' actors with big names who can attract financing and audience? Are THEY being racist when they do it?
13
It's a circular argument. The film makers don't cast Asian actors because there are no A-list Asian actors and there are no A-list Asian actors because the film makers won't cast Asians.
3
Asian Americans in movies is where African Americans were in the 1950s. It is the same mentality that keeps black actors from being nominated for Oscars.
C'mon Hollywood, repeat after me: Asian character must be played by Asian actor. It is beyond insulting to yellow face white people when there are, oh, maybe 2 billion out there to choose from. After all, it is 2016.
C'mon Hollywood, repeat after me: Asian character must be played by Asian actor. It is beyond insulting to yellow face white people when there are, oh, maybe 2 billion out there to choose from. After all, it is 2016.
3
I wish it was only Hollywood. Asians are the fastest growing minority in the US and our economic future is not slow and eroding Europe but the more than 1/2 of the world made up of Asian countries with economies 20% larger than our own and 2x faster growing. Asians are expected to reach the current levels of African Americans within 30 years. Despite structural barriers like those experienced by other minority populations (Coolie Act, Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese Immigration Act, to name a few), Asians are intentionally excluded from minority set aside programs and face quotas restricting access to higher education. The estimate is that an Asian must earn 140 points higher on the SAT's to gain admissions to Harvard and other elite institutions. Asians are underrepresented in the board room as they are labeled as good hard working but wrong for management. They are minimally represented in elected government. The answer is bringing the issue forward and quotas or government programs.
4
Thank you for raising awareness about this important issue. You didn't mention the Netflix original series, Marco Polo, that features many talented Asian actors, martial arts film genre within historical fiction, a riveting story line, and breathtakingly beautiful period costumes and cinematography.
1
My pet peeve is the lack of simple romantic movies. My daughters have had almost no romantic comedies come our during their adolescent years. What ever happened to movies like that? Everything seems to be a blockbuster "action" film, where romance is seen as pasee.
1
Not THAT interested in Hollywood, so don't know the answers, but...
1. Is there a language barrier? (I remember this being a problem in the original "Ghostbusters" film - the Romanian actress's accent was so harsh it was distracting/comical.
2. Are the actors pursuing other markets? All the ones mentioned here are East-Asian. But Bollywood is a huge market for South-Asian actors. And I know I've seen many East-Asians in such films as well. So is it a problem of availability?
3. The author presents no evidence of those who tried out for parts but were rejected due to their race. Without such evidence calling this racism is just silly. I realize this is "op-ed" and not "news", but still. A business choosing an established, well-reputed model (whatever it might be) is strategically smart. I wouldn't call making a safe-play to be prejudice.
1. Is there a language barrier? (I remember this being a problem in the original "Ghostbusters" film - the Romanian actress's accent was so harsh it was distracting/comical.
2. Are the actors pursuing other markets? All the ones mentioned here are East-Asian. But Bollywood is a huge market for South-Asian actors. And I know I've seen many East-Asians in such films as well. So is it a problem of availability?
3. The author presents no evidence of those who tried out for parts but were rejected due to their race. Without such evidence calling this racism is just silly. I realize this is "op-ed" and not "news", but still. A business choosing an established, well-reputed model (whatever it might be) is strategically smart. I wouldn't call making a safe-play to be prejudice.
It's not the responsibility of Hollywood to be concerned with race, gender, inclusion, fairness. I'm sick of all the whining. There's a solution by the way, do as I have, quit watching the lousy TV shows filled with stereotypes. Blackish, The Goldbergs, Am I the only person that found this sub-ghetto TV disguised as homage, not funny and a sad state of affairs. What's next, The Gays? I say, simply quit watching TV and won't be hoodwinked once more by spending 20 bucks to see a Hollywood movie that has so many bases covered that the story is lost. Every action movie, must have: a romantic female interest, a family situation, a marginal black guy, (never the villain) who is usually the best from the the hero. He dies within the first 15 minutes. The stakes are so high that the people making decisions are afraid of losing their tenuous and highly paid positions, so instead of actually hiring great writers, they simply throw every element into the movie an hope it flies. Pathetic. I will watch David Cronenberg who is a real director and a fascinating filmmaker. Hollywood can't stand him by the way.
3
Is this what it has come down to?
When a producer makes a film today he must have so many Asians, African-Americans, Native americans, women etc. in the film.
It's called "political correctness"
When a producer makes a film today he must have so many Asians, African-Americans, Native americans, women etc. in the film.
It's called "political correctness"
9
No, it is not politically correct to have Indians play Indians, blacks play blacks, Asians play Asians. It just makes sense. it's just honest.
98
I can't wait for the day that any body can play any person because we are all human and acting is playing other humans. I wonder if we will ever progress there or if the stranglehold the unimaginative have over our current art scene will make sure we all get put into boxes looking solely at boxes that look exactly like a mirror to our individual selves...and rot.
5
It's terribly unfair that White actors don't get chosen for more leading roles in Bollywood.
No?
No?
9
Well the lighter the skin, the more opportunities even in Bollywood.
3
I refuse to believe that the lack of roles for Asian actors is motivated by racist bias. That's absurd.
But you know how it is these days, everyone wants to claim some sort of victim status.
Why should Asians be immune?
But you know how it is these days, everyone wants to claim some sort of victim status.
Why should Asians be immune?
6
Perhaps the problem is not so much white people playing Asian roles but not enough Asians playing white roles. Maybe have a white person playing a black character? Why not have black actor playing in a white, Asian or Latino role. This might not work in every role since in some cases the ethnicity is an integral part of the store, but it usually is not.
I understand that an actor finds it much harder to get roles simply because they were born into a ethnic category other than Caucasian and their looks do not allow the to 'pass'. It is understandable that they see roles in their ethnic group going to whites and feel cheated. It is not fair. But merely demanding the right to play a character in you own ethnic group is setting the bar way to low.
I understand that an actor finds it much harder to get roles simply because they were born into a ethnic category other than Caucasian and their looks do not allow the to 'pass'. It is understandable that they see roles in their ethnic group going to whites and feel cheated. It is not fair. But merely demanding the right to play a character in you own ethnic group is setting the bar way to low.
3
China has a burgeoning movie industry, and an enormous audience. They will create international stars, and make a ton of money.
At which point Hollywood will realize that Asian stars are bankable, and fall over themselves to win the Asian market they gave away. It is a matter of time, and for that matter, not a lot of time.
At which point Hollywood will realize that Asian stars are bankable, and fall over themselves to win the Asian market they gave away. It is a matter of time, and for that matter, not a lot of time.
88
As a child growing up in the 50s and 60s on a steady diet of old movies ( via "Million Dollar Movie" and Saturday Night at the Movies") i could never understand why Charlie Chan was actually played by a white actor made up to look Chinese. Why white actor Sam Jaffe skin was darkened to play an Indian in the movie Gunga Din, or why African American roles were always that of servants or comic relief. I could go on and on. Flash forward decades. Ethnocentrism, male chauvinism and ageism still run rampant in Hollywood. With rare exceptions Hollywood honchos still believe if you are not young (female), beautiful and buff, you are not an A Lister or bankable. Even when they are proven wrong, things don't change.
46
Hollywood could be anything but colour blind.
2
Not everything in life is a diversity experiment. Hollywood is about selling tickets. You can figure out the rest.
57
Considering many of the movies cited flopped, it seems that casting whites didn't sell tickets.
129
Not everything in life is about money. Sometimes it is a matter of doing the right thing. And here the right thing also will make money in the long run. Very possibly short term too. Racism, narrow minds and fear of change go hand in hand.
60
Be can we please get a chance? How can Hollywood be kissing up to the Chinese market and still doing this? They want Chinese audience, Chinese momey and Chinese partners, but not Chinese actors. Go figure
4
“I can’t mount a film of this budget" and announce that “my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such.”
Seriously?!
Seriously?!
20
Yes, Seriously. No one is going to make a huge budget movie with a foreigner of no name. Bad business. They don't even cast Europeans in major films unless they are quite beautiful, handsome, or have the cachet of some prestigious stage experience. Get a clue, show BUSINESS?
The thing is these are stories they are selling. Stories. For a story to be marketable it has to have characters in it that are relatable to the viewer. Westerners relate easily to people playing westerners.
The thing is these are stories they are selling. Stories. For a story to be marketable it has to have characters in it that are relatable to the viewer. Westerners relate easily to people playing westerners.
3
You do realize it is acting not being? If you look at Hollywood movies with characters that are supposed to be an ethnic type, you will find yourself disappointed. William Hickey doesn't really work as an Italian in 'Prizzi's Honor'. Asians need to get in line, every ethnic group will find something to hate in Hollywood.
6
Why should there even be a line to get in? Also the article is talking about casting actors from a different Race, not ethnicity. If there were a line I would think Hollywood needs to sort out race first then worry about ethnicity.
1
There are a lot of great Asian actors who can act and not just be a celebrity. They are out there if Hollywood looks for them. Second, with regards to Italians, Italians with the POSSIBLE exception of Sicilians (because of their coloring) are defined as white so there would be no problem with William Hickey playing an Italian. Last, two wrongs doesn't make a right. Wouldn't you want to get an accurate presentation of story than a one that has been sanitized to suit taste? For years, you have had white actors playing Blacks, Indians, Asians in roles that called for ethnic characters. The viewing audience will survive and possibly see wonderful talent if Hollywood would stop spoon feeding us with what they think is appropriate for us to see.
1
What about the two ABC breakout comedies Fresh Off The Boat and Dr Ken which are all about the lives of Asian American families? Doesn't that count for something?? Good Grief--we're barely off the controversy of the lily white Oscars. Can't we just give these manufactured crisis a rest for a while???
9
"You already got your crumbs what ELSE do you want?!"
"I want to sit down at the table just like you, you and you"
"I want to sit down at the table just like you, you and you"
6
Two sparkles in an otherwise black sky...
1
Yes, yes, and yes - thank you, Mr. Chow. The other side of this is the "model minority" stereotype, which contributes to the bamboo ceiling in every industry: Asians just love to work and make great team players, they don't need promotions or pay raises like European Americans do to stay motivated (gag). Notice how blatantly the directors and producers you quoted blame Asian American actors; would they so freely blame African American actors?
Thank you for exposing the reality of racism in U.S. cinema - a reflection of and contributor to the racism we see everywhere. I'm very happy to avoid these films in the theater and stream them from non-pay websites at home, if I watch them at all.
Thank you for exposing the reality of racism in U.S. cinema - a reflection of and contributor to the racism we see everywhere. I'm very happy to avoid these films in the theater and stream them from non-pay websites at home, if I watch them at all.
142
Kirk:
The same thing happens with Blacks too but not so much now as back in the 20th century. Look at the film, Pay it Forward, the main character in the book was Black but Kevin Spacey played the lead in the movie.
The same thing happens with Blacks too but not so much now as back in the 20th century. Look at the film, Pay it Forward, the main character in the book was Black but Kevin Spacey played the lead in the movie.
1
What about actor Ken Watanabe who had a starring role with Tom Cruise in "The Last Samurai"?
2
And the guy in The Hsngover?
You are seriously suggesting that casting a Japanese actor in a movie based in Japan checks the box? Get out of your bubble
5
In 1989 I discovered the Japanese manga, "Akira" by Otomo Katsuhiro . Soon after, the movie version of the manga came to the Film Forum in Manhattan. I saw it and was hooked. Subsequently, I obsessed over Shirow Masamune ("Ghost in the Shell", "Appleseed") and, especially, "Gunnm" (aka "Battle Angel Alita) by Kishiro Yukito. Note: all these manga/anime feature very strong female leads or supporting characters.
The one thing I found curious was the "Big Eye" look in anime (less so in manga). In fact, some of the characters looked downright European (aka white/caucasian). An ethnic Chinese Filipino friend of mine found it weird also: "None of these characters look like me!". Were the Japanese authors and directors "whitewashing" their characters? Apparently, Tezuka Osamu, an anime pioneer and creator of "Astroboy", created the "Big Eye" look; he was inspired by Carl Bark's Scrooge McDuck. The "Big Eye" look was popular in Japan. More whitewashing?
I'm a major fan of asian film artists: Akira Kurosawa (esp. "Sanjuro", "Yojimbo", "Rashomon", "7 Samurai"), Toshiro Mifune, Wong Kar-wai ( esp. "Chungking Express", "2046"), Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Zhang Ziyi.
I find old Hollywood "yellow face" movies like "The Good Earth" unwatchable, but I'm not wringing my hands over Scarlett Johansson's casting as Major Motoko Kusanagi. In the original "Ghost in the Shell" the Major already has the Big-Eyed, whitewashed look. Besides, her ghost is in a cyborg body.
The one thing I found curious was the "Big Eye" look in anime (less so in manga). In fact, some of the characters looked downright European (aka white/caucasian). An ethnic Chinese Filipino friend of mine found it weird also: "None of these characters look like me!". Were the Japanese authors and directors "whitewashing" their characters? Apparently, Tezuka Osamu, an anime pioneer and creator of "Astroboy", created the "Big Eye" look; he was inspired by Carl Bark's Scrooge McDuck. The "Big Eye" look was popular in Japan. More whitewashing?
I'm a major fan of asian film artists: Akira Kurosawa (esp. "Sanjuro", "Yojimbo", "Rashomon", "7 Samurai"), Toshiro Mifune, Wong Kar-wai ( esp. "Chungking Express", "2046"), Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Zhang Ziyi.
I find old Hollywood "yellow face" movies like "The Good Earth" unwatchable, but I'm not wringing my hands over Scarlett Johansson's casting as Major Motoko Kusanagi. In the original "Ghost in the Shell" the Major already has the Big-Eyed, whitewashed look. Besides, her ghost is in a cyborg body.
7
Aanother huge fan of the original "Ghost" anime here, and when the current "controversy" popped up this was exactly my thought too. Why would they even have considered altering Johansson's appearance? Names aside, none of the characters in the original looked particularly Asian anyway.
1
A lot of times facial features of manga/anime characters (especially lead characters) serve as symbols rather than racial features. Big eyes, as well as small noses and perfectly shaped lips, are often used to symbolise "beauty" rather than "white" face. As far as I'm concerned, most people in Japan perceive manga/anime characters who are supposed to be Japanese as Japanese, regardless of how big their eyes or noses are. Also there has been an argument that the "Big Eye" look is partly due to a tendency in Japanese culture to rely heavily on eye-expressions to read people's emotions.
However, I have to admit that the beauty standard in Japan itself is very westernised, and there is a lot of racism (including "white complex") on that end too. It took me a while to get out of this mindset and I still find it very difficult to discuss that with other Japanese people. Blaming the dominant culture or white society won't solve anything if the concerned minority themselves are unaware of the problems and pushing things into wrong directions. There needs to be more discussion among us Asians.
However, I have to admit that the beauty standard in Japan itself is very westernised, and there is a lot of racism (including "white complex") on that end too. It took me a while to get out of this mindset and I still find it very difficult to discuss that with other Japanese people. Blaming the dominant culture or white society won't solve anything if the concerned minority themselves are unaware of the problems and pushing things into wrong directions. There needs to be more discussion among us Asians.
3
Entertainment is a profit driven business. More people may have bought tickets to see Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast At Tiffany's" than a lesser known Japanese actor. Audience racism?
Same with Scarlett Johansson and David Carradine mentioned.
Even Rosalind Russell who played a Jewish mother to Alec Guiness's Japanese businessman in "A Majority Of One."
The good news? An all Asian cast production of "Awake And Sing", about a Jewish family during the Depression, is nominated for "Best Revival" by the Drama League.
Same with Scarlett Johansson and David Carradine mentioned.
Even Rosalind Russell who played a Jewish mother to Alec Guiness's Japanese businessman in "A Majority Of One."
The good news? An all Asian cast production of "Awake And Sing", about a Jewish family during the Depression, is nominated for "Best Revival" by the Drama League.
3
You can hand out all the trophies you want but if the audience doesn't relate it won't work. Awake and Sing is a one off, a novelty.
People like to see their favorite stars doing movies. They suspend their belief in order to watch a movie with people they like. You can't force people to go to see people they don't have any interest in.
People like to see their favorite stars doing movies. They suspend their belief in order to watch a movie with people they like. You can't force people to go to see people they don't have any interest in.
1
You get an Asian that has parents in The Business or sleeps around like any other actor, and they'll be cast.
Feigned naivety of the obvious is the journalism of today.
And not just in the entertainment field.
Feigned naivety of the obvious is the journalism of today.
And not just in the entertainment field.
5
"Such facts reveal Hollywood’s dirty little secret. Economics has nothing to do with racist casting policies."
OK, so what is it? Are you saying that all of these movie producers and directors are all racist? Are you saying that they are out to lose money, as long as they can cast white people in Asian roles?
OK, so what is it? Are you saying that all of these movie producers and directors are all racist? Are you saying that they are out to lose money, as long as they can cast white people in Asian roles?
6
Economics has everything to do with casting as we all know. That statement is just ridiculous, and the article is humorous because of it.
4
OK it's an issue for a white person to play an Asian. But when we replace white roles with black people we praise that??? Next we will have male roles replaced with females. We aren't far from that sort of ridiculous redoric.
5
I think that is a distortion as well. I don't know why there can't be more creativity to tell stories that don't rely on diverse views being presented with ethnic casts than a rehash of lets say of THE Honeymooners that was a white story with white cast told from white viewpoint and then turned into a black cast based upon the original concept. Jackie Gleason and crew were beloved characters and sometimes Hollywood got to know when to hold and fold them.
Please cite examples of what you're talking about. If it's something like an African-American cast for a remake of Steel Magnolias, then your argument is specious. Those aren't black women portraying white women. Do you object to black Jimmy Olsen on Supergirl or female Starbuck on Battlestar Galactica? Those are casting choices for fictional characters, not a black person playing a white person or a woman playing a man.
Not true. The only truth is that hollywood like showbiz elsewhere knows not what will and what won't work. Hollywood is not monolithic. The only thing each individual show maker has to go by is gut feel. So when the time comes, Priyanka Chopra and Quantico happen. Bruce Lee and Enter the Dragon happen. Lucy Liu happens. One man's call. Whoever that one person is.
3
Face it, we live in a society in which people are typecast according to racial stereotypes. It is totally racist. It is the norm. It is what comes from accepting the fact that George Washington owned more than 300 slaves and that Woodrow Wilson pushed African-Americans out of the civil service. How do we overcome this? How do we overcome Donald Trump saying that putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is just political correctness? Come the revolution, say I, but not a revolution that calls for all people to be treated equally in spirit and community, not just under the law.
1
Economics has nothing to do with racist casting policies. - This is it in a nutshell! Hollyweird can find whomever they want to cast in roles, they just don't want to. No worries, let your dollars speak so that movies with miscast actors continue to tank.
3
Hollywood is run by white Progressives. Progressives think that the loudest, angriest voice (assuming it is not from a white male heterosexual evangelical) is the most disadvantaged voice, and the Arc of History leads towards giving that angry voice what it asks for. Asian people have not been loud or angry enough, or made enough trouble, to get the attention of Progressive Hollywood.
4
Wow. Um...who are these loud and angry voices of which you refer? And how that gone for members of those non-Asian groups?
Answer: the racism continues, and it remains disguised as economics.
Answer: the racism continues, and it remains disguised as economics.
1
If you look at the fields where Asians are well represented (science, classical music) there is usually a more objective set of metrics, certain techniques and skills that, if mastered through hard work, can make one's greatness undeniable.
But in fields where talent and greatness are more subjective, like acting, Asians continue to be grossly underrepresented. Hard work can only take you so far if you are not willing to take action against the prejudice that stands in your way. Sadly, writing about it isn't going to change a damn thing, because even the people (Asian and otherwise) who agree with the author's premise will still probably go see these very same movies when they come out.
But in fields where talent and greatness are more subjective, like acting, Asians continue to be grossly underrepresented. Hard work can only take you so far if you are not willing to take action against the prejudice that stands in your way. Sadly, writing about it isn't going to change a damn thing, because even the people (Asian and otherwise) who agree with the author's premise will still probably go see these very same movies when they come out.
7
Well, in a perfect world, people of any colour, would play any character. Does Mr. Chow want to be limited to playing Asian characters?
Also in a perfect world Hollywood wouldn't distort historical fact by casting other nations activities as being American.
Also in a perfect world Hollywood wouldn't distort historical fact by casting other nations activities as being American.
4
Here is a solution: If minorities want to be seen in the big screens then they should make the movies themselves. However, even foreign non-white directors cast white actors in their movies. Why?
4
Egyptians are White/Caucasian.
At least they are according to the US Government racial category definitions:
"White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa."
At least they are according to the US Government racial category definitions:
"White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa."
6
Yup. He looks like a white man to me sure enough.
http://jameshistory12.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/8/13585404/649817559.jpg?...
http://jameshistory12.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/8/13585404/649817559.jpg?...
" . . . while “Gods of Egypt” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings” continue the long tradition of Caucasians playing Egyptians."
The sentence above also jarred on me as no doubt it did you, Vacciniumovatum.
Especially when you realize that Cleopatra, et al., were Greek.
The whole "sun people," "Egyptians are Africans" stuff that began in the 1980s was wishful-thinking hogwash. Egypt is a big country. In southern Egypt, its people are darker; in the north, lighter. For that matter, in parts of northern Italy, the Italians are blond, and in Sicily they tend to be swarthy.
(Am I allowed to use the word "swarthy"?)
The sentence above also jarred on me as no doubt it did you, Vacciniumovatum.
Especially when you realize that Cleopatra, et al., were Greek.
The whole "sun people," "Egyptians are Africans" stuff that began in the 1980s was wishful-thinking hogwash. Egypt is a big country. In southern Egypt, its people are darker; in the north, lighter. For that matter, in parts of northern Italy, the Italians are blond, and in Sicily they tend to be swarthy.
(Am I allowed to use the word "swarthy"?)
4
Most of theses examples are of white women getting parts that should go to Asians. I thought that women were not getting roles.
1
Hollywood is a vehicle for telling "White boy" stories. Women and minorities are only seen as support to the "White Boy" story. The default setting of Hollywood is White boys, what they think, how they feel, how they struggle, how they overcome struggle, nobody else has a chance to tell their story. Thankfully TV series have for many years told different stories, stories that reflect the diversity that is America which is why most of the real Hollywood talent has moved to TV.
34
Authenticity in the presentation of a story is augmented and accentuated when the characters represented are portrayed by those who best fit the profile. Whether the fit is by race, creed, color or culture. The complexity of the character in expression of both language and mannerisms produces a more meaningful and complete 'tell' of that story. The micro-expressions, gestures and nuances add a flavor that is difficult to achieve in the 'act of the part'.
Warner Oland or Sidney Toler? I guess I will have to watch the ancient
Charlie Chan movies, since Hollywood is not producing any moves with
Asian actors. Mr. Chow should address the Hollywood producers who
make the moves.If the movies are made, the customers will come.
They came in the past, and will come in the future.
Charlie Chan movies, since Hollywood is not producing any moves with
Asian actors. Mr. Chow should address the Hollywood producers who
make the moves.If the movies are made, the customers will come.
They came in the past, and will come in the future.
2
I was on board until mention of Fast and Furious showed up. Those "films" are not actor driven. They would probably be just as successful (and just as incoherent) if animated.
3
Mistreatment of ethnic and religious minorities runs like a bright thread through the tapestry of our history. The worst abuses occur in the early years of the group's migration to America, but more subtle forms of bias can persist for generations. The current stereotype of Asian Americans, so different from the caricature of the 1930s and 40s, resembles that of the Jews. In both cases, group members 'enjoy' a reputation for over achievement, especially in the academic world.
American films do not generally depict intellectuals in a favorable light. Action movies require heroes whose physical skills outweigh their mental ones. People of exceptional intellect most often appear in the role of the evil genius. Casting an Asian American in the role of an action hero, while not unprecedented (Jet Li and Jackie Chan, for examples), would defy the image that movie executives share with many other Americans. Characters identified as Jewish also do not play such roles.
This subtle prejudice by no means fully explains the failure of Hollywood to offer more and better roles to Americans of Asian descent. But, just as individual actors often inadvertently create reputations that limit them to particular types of roles, so the public perception of Asian Americans may have convinced unimaginative movie executives that their audiences will not accept actors from this background in the kinds of parts that predominate in American movies.
American films do not generally depict intellectuals in a favorable light. Action movies require heroes whose physical skills outweigh their mental ones. People of exceptional intellect most often appear in the role of the evil genius. Casting an Asian American in the role of an action hero, while not unprecedented (Jet Li and Jackie Chan, for examples), would defy the image that movie executives share with many other Americans. Characters identified as Jewish also do not play such roles.
This subtle prejudice by no means fully explains the failure of Hollywood to offer more and better roles to Americans of Asian descent. But, just as individual actors often inadvertently create reputations that limit them to particular types of roles, so the public perception of Asian Americans may have convinced unimaginative movie executives that their audiences will not accept actors from this background in the kinds of parts that predominate in American movies.
3
The Asian community does not have a "victim patrol" eager to jump on this disparity, and that is probably a good thing.
However, it is important to correct this issue. The examples of cyborgs and sci-if characters are a little more questionable, and studios are there trying to inject some star power to attract customers; but in the mainstream Asians have every right to be as concerned as Blacks.
Again, they just don't leap to "we've been harmed" as the Black community. I have no doubt that, for their larger advancement, Asians are pursuing the better course, still...
However, it is important to correct this issue. The examples of cyborgs and sci-if characters are a little more questionable, and studios are there trying to inject some star power to attract customers; but in the mainstream Asians have every right to be as concerned as Blacks.
Again, they just don't leap to "we've been harmed" as the Black community. I have no doubt that, for their larger advancement, Asians are pursuing the better course, still...
3
Elementary is an example of counter-intuitive casting. Where convention might dictate a Brit such as Keira Knightley to play the role of Dr. Watson, I suspect that Lucy Liu is on the screen not because she's Asian, but because she's a beautiful and accomplished actress whose features happen to give her character an exotic appearance.
7
Sad that Ms. Liu's appearance is still considered exotic.
2
Depends how you define exotic. Ava Gardner, with her full lips and bedroom eyes, at the top of my list, there are a ton of Caucasian actresses I'd call exotic.
2
There are great films from Japan and China with tremendous acting. TV not so much but the talent is out there. Should also be easy to find Asian American talent. They are over complicating things at the studios.
2
It is ridiculous to see white actors playing Asian roles with fake accents that will make anyone head spin. Same goes when white actors playing middle eastern men . This does not make any sense when we see some excellent Asian newscasters but the roles are lacking in acting department.
Irrfan Khan is a brilliant actor but is always typecasts. Archie Punjabi had a prominent role on television but I understand has left the show.
If Blacks actors are being discriminated Asian actors are twice as much.
Irrfan Khan is a brilliant actor but is always typecasts. Archie Punjabi had a prominent role on television but I understand has left the show.
If Blacks actors are being discriminated Asian actors are twice as much.
67
Excellent commentary. I'm particularly enraged by the casting of Tilda Swinton. Really? One small but important role that should be an elderly Asian man is somehow transformed into a middle-aged white woman? Who just happens to be ancient and lives in Tibet? Kevin Feige, the Marvel chief producer, supposedly claims that Swinton's casting was done because the traditional "Ancient One" was too stereotypical. Really, Mr. Feige? So, rather than coming up with a way to give a role that should be Asian in any iteration to an Asian actor - how about an Asian woman - you decide to completely eliminate the Asian element altogether? The tragedy of the Ancient One's casting is that there is no way this could have been an argument about box office credibility. No one is going to see Dr. Strange because of the actor cast as the Ancient One. Casting an Asian actor to play an Asian role would have been a small but beneficial way to break down a pernicious and even vicious racial barrier. Instead, Marvel decided to go the racist route.
Similarly, the casting of Scarlett Johansson in "Ghost in the Shell" is just insulting. Make a movie and make an Asian star. Again, very few people are going to see GITS because of Ms. Johansson. They are going to see it because of how well the film is marketed and how familiar with/interested they are in the source material. When the first Marvel movies came out, no one went to see "Iron Man" because of Robert Downey Jr..
Similarly, the casting of Scarlett Johansson in "Ghost in the Shell" is just insulting. Make a movie and make an Asian star. Again, very few people are going to see GITS because of Ms. Johansson. They are going to see it because of how well the film is marketed and how familiar with/interested they are in the source material. When the first Marvel movies came out, no one went to see "Iron Man" because of Robert Downey Jr..
138
And yet anime characters, such as the one from GITS to be played by Johannson, are not distinctly Japanese in the way they are drawn -- almost any attractive actress could play that role. Although, granted, it would make more sense to cast a Japanese woman as a Japanese woman!
2
Oh it's racism all right. Whether that's as the result of a deliberate decision to exclude, or down to unconscious bias, I am unsure.
What I do know is that when it comes to Asians or other minorities, they always forego them because they need someone "established" or "bankable".
Yet, they regularly put unknown or low profile white actors into major parts in high profile blockbusters.
As the international box office becomes increasingly important, Hollywood continues to shoot itself in the foot. Viewers want to sometimes feel like part of the story. That someone like them can be a spy/superhero/dashing romantic/whatever, but instead Hollywood insists that they just want to see white people doing all those things.
What I do know is that when it comes to Asians or other minorities, they always forego them because they need someone "established" or "bankable".
Yet, they regularly put unknown or low profile white actors into major parts in high profile blockbusters.
As the international box office becomes increasingly important, Hollywood continues to shoot itself in the foot. Viewers want to sometimes feel like part of the story. That someone like them can be a spy/superhero/dashing romantic/whatever, but instead Hollywood insists that they just want to see white people doing all those things.
112
Yeah, for heaven's sake, before Star Wars Mark Hamill was more famous than...than...Joe Shlabotnick? No, come to think of it, more people had heard of Joe Shlabotnick in the Peanuts comic strip than Mr. Hamill, or Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher. Just think of those "household names" cast as the stars in the Harry Potter series: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. That's something that would help: finding Asian actors who are prepared to act in their teens or early twenties and then bringing them along like producers and directors do with so many European and European-American actors. By the time they are ready for the really meaty parts, they will be bankable. Let's imagine you wanted to produce a remake of, say, Kramer vs. Kramer. Is there any reason on God's green earth that the Hoffman, Streep and Justin Henry parts couldn't be played by Asian-American actors, African-American actors, an ethnically diverse set of actors? No, because the roles are essentially "Mother", "Father" and "Son". On the other hand, if you are going to identify the role specifically as that of an Asian, why would you avoid Asian actors? No one thinks of casting Daniel Day-Lewis as Ray Charles instead of Jamie Foxx, or John Goodman as Idi Amin instead of Forest Whitaker, and for good reason. Why not use the same logic when the character is supposed to be Asian?
2
Perhaps it is not racist, overt or not, but more like people in the position are brain dead. Look at Johnny Depp, he has hit so many dry holes it is unbelievable. Yet, he is casted time and again providing more flops
2
Right. It's not about money. The same circular argument is often used about women's sports. They don't draw as big a TV audience as men's sports, so sponsors won't pay as much. Well, of course they don't draw as big an audience. They're hardly ever on (almost never on network TV), so the players are not known by general audiences and the fan base does not grow.
Having white actors play Asians is repugnant.
Having white actors play Asians is repugnant.
50
I would have expected this column to also touch-on the topic of Asian actors we DO see in American film, TV and commercials, and the disparity between the genders...how often we see Asian men vs. women in roles, and then, how the men tend to be portrayed and/or romantically paired-up (if paired-up at all), versus their female counterparts. Or am I just imagining the disparity?
4
So why does Hamilton have black actors playing white historical figures
(don't even answer, I'm SURE there is some reason, or other, blaming white privilege)
- -
The article cites to 50 year old movies, and leaves out quite a few
ancient grievances
Nina, of late, (Simone) has an insufficiently dark woman of color playing a woman of darker color
When I get cosmetic dentistry, I have a color match wheel, these unhappy people may borrow it
Dr King DON'T call your office, there is bad news abounds
(don't even answer, I'm SURE there is some reason, or other, blaming white privilege)
- -
The article cites to 50 year old movies, and leaves out quite a few
ancient grievances
Nina, of late, (Simone) has an insufficiently dark woman of color playing a woman of darker color
When I get cosmetic dentistry, I have a color match wheel, these unhappy people may borrow it
Dr King DON'T call your office, there is bad news abounds
7
Hamilton - one rare exception does not make your point.
1
From the oped: "“Gods of Egypt” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings” continue the long tradition of Caucasians playing Egyptians."
Egyptians aren't Caucasians?
Egyptian Omar Sharif got cast in perhaps the biggest male movie role of the 1960s, Dr. Zhivago. Are Russians not Caucasians either?
Egyptians aren't Caucasians?
Egyptian Omar Sharif got cast in perhaps the biggest male movie role of the 1960s, Dr. Zhivago. Are Russians not Caucasians either?
8
The exception proves the rule in this case Mr. Salier. There was a time when if someone complained about African American men being under-represented in Hollywood, people would say "You kidding me? What about Sidney Poitier?"
Taking nothing away from Sharif or Poitier, hety never represented wholesale, seamless integration.
Taking nothing away from Sharif or Poitier, hety never represented wholesale, seamless integration.
4
You had to go back a long way to find an exception. I also recommend you look at your atlas. Egypt is in Africa and many Egyptians "look" African.
Before the Arab and Greek invasions, the Ancient Egyptians weren't "Caucasian", as their depictions of themselves made clear. But of course as usual you are just trying to advance your narrative of white victimization. Carry on..
Ridley Scott may not have been able to get financing for his movie by casting "Mohammad so-and-so of such-and-such" but neither was he able to recoup the money he did spend by casting Hollywood stars. Casting matters, but at the end of the day, nothing can save cinematic clunker like Exodus.
3
How about Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which wanted a hearthrob guy as Josh and cast Filipino American Vincent Rodriguez III and wrote the character around him? One problem that should be mentioned is that this show, which is one of the funniest and smartest shows on television, is also one of the lowest rated.
5
It wasn't so long ago that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) became an International box office hit and grossed over $128M in the United States and $213.5M worldwide on a paltry budget of only $15M. This movie had an all Asian cast and the dialog was in Mandarin. In light of this, the arguments made by the Hollywood establishment don't hold water and is either grasping at old outmoded beliefs or speaks to racism.
186
Isn't that the truth. Audiences are hungry for good quality movies with casts of any hue.
4
Stereotypes leading to bias and micro-inequities are pervasive in our society. Recently, I had the opportunity to think about micro-inequities occurring around me, both received and delivered by me. Our behavior is persistently informed consciously and unconsciously by bias. And yes, some of this bias stems from media.
One of the most disturbing effects of media stereotype is feeling unaccustomed to seeing an Asian in a non-tradition role. It highlights the striking intensity of stereotypes. Today, I watched Lanhee Chen, former Romney policy advisor, comment on CNN about Mr. Trump. As an Asian, I listened carefully. He was well versed, poignant, non-awkward, and effective, unusual for an Asian male in media. I was expecting a science and technology segment.
I checked his Wiki profile, he has 4 degrees from Harvard. So why does the rare sighting of an Asian male political commentator have to be linked to 4 degrees from Harvard?
The problem here is not simply bias at the level of social institutions and media conglomerates. We as Asians should not rest comfortably by not challenging ourselves to move outside the box. Bias can be mitigated by being the public face of political campaigns, speaking out, and forming enterprises that is not heuristically linked to tech. I encourage young people to be involved in politics, the arts, and media. Lastly, we as Asian parents need to see the ticket to life lived well is not simply through the rigidity of STEM.
One of the most disturbing effects of media stereotype is feeling unaccustomed to seeing an Asian in a non-tradition role. It highlights the striking intensity of stereotypes. Today, I watched Lanhee Chen, former Romney policy advisor, comment on CNN about Mr. Trump. As an Asian, I listened carefully. He was well versed, poignant, non-awkward, and effective, unusual for an Asian male in media. I was expecting a science and technology segment.
I checked his Wiki profile, he has 4 degrees from Harvard. So why does the rare sighting of an Asian male political commentator have to be linked to 4 degrees from Harvard?
The problem here is not simply bias at the level of social institutions and media conglomerates. We as Asians should not rest comfortably by not challenging ourselves to move outside the box. Bias can be mitigated by being the public face of political campaigns, speaking out, and forming enterprises that is not heuristically linked to tech. I encourage young people to be involved in politics, the arts, and media. Lastly, we as Asian parents need to see the ticket to life lived well is not simply through the rigidity of STEM.
12
I just want to point out that referring to a Japanese character as an 'Asian' role, as Mr. Chow does when he writes about Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in a Shell, is really just as much of a cultural sin as whitewashing. Casting a Chinese American as a Japanese person is just as inaccurate as casting a white person as a Japanese person. Further, when you consider the international market for Ghost in a Shell, people in Asia are more accepting of whitewashing than they are of miscasting Asians. So, if a studio can't find a suitable Japanese actor for Ghost in a Shell, Johansson is a much better business choice than a generic Asian actor who won't draw moviegoers in the United States and will offend them in Asia.
11
Groan. Can anything be worse than seeing a white person play an Asian; with some painful looking object shoved under their eyelids speaking with a pathetic accent? To me it as offensive as the period when white actors were in blackface, with exaggerated lips and speech. Since this racist practice no longer exists in the entertainment industry today (having been deemed unacceptable since the mid 20th century), why does Hollywood feel that it is alright to do yellowface in 2016? I see no difference between the two and find them both equally racist, offensive and unacceptable.
66
In today's age- with all that has happened- to not cast Asian actors is morally criminal and wrong. Movie stars become that by being cast a breakout role that becomes a audition for casting agents and Hollywood in general. For people like Adam Sorkin to defend the status quo is intolerable. It is a civil rights issue.
Just as in past decades when Black actors were not allowed and seen on Television and films, having token Asians, like Lucy Liu, shows the need for more roles in our films being taken by Asian actors.
Just as in past decades when Black actors were not allowed and seen on Television and films, having token Asians, like Lucy Liu, shows the need for more roles in our films being taken by Asian actors.
7
You know why there are no "A-list" Asian actors with "international appeal" in Hollywood movies? Because Hollywood isn't willing to allow audiences to discover them. I'm happy to say that I love Joan Chen, B.D. Wong, Ken Watanabe, John Cho, Gong Li, ... and I really can't stand Lucy Liu. Give us more opportunities to see terrific Asian performers on screen. The return on investment would be astronomical if Hollywood cast films properly with actors who don't command huge, inflated prices and allowed them to develop, to find an audience (and vice-versa) in the old Hollywood tradition. These talents are not only bargains -- they're right for the roles you're seeking to cast!
188
THANK you!!! I'm a black woman. And I love VARIETY in my entertainment.
I'm just going to say BRIAN TEE again, because I might just have a crush on him. But as soon as I heard that Dr. Strange was being made, I thought of HIM.
Definitely NOT Tilda Swinton!
I'm just going to say BRIAN TEE again, because I might just have a crush on him. But as soon as I heard that Dr. Strange was being made, I thought of HIM.
Definitely NOT Tilda Swinton!
Someone should make a movie of that fine based-on-a-true-crime novel, "Deep Creek." Plenty of juicy parts there for Asian and Native American actors, female and male.
1
Rita Repulsa is a bad example of whitewashing, since multiple actresses of different ethnicities played her. She was played by a Japanese actress originally because the American show reused stock footage of the Japanese version of the show and dubbed over it. It had a low budget. Recycled stock footage can only get you so far so they eventually had to hire American actresses to make new scenes.
But the author makes a good point. Star power has little to do with how successful movies are, it used to but not anymore. A big name actor or actress can't save a bad film. People will see a good film regardless of the race of the actors, so long as it's marketed well. "Ghost In The Shell" could have saved millions of dollars by hiring an up-and-coming asian-american actress rather then shelling out all that money to Scarlett Johansson.
But the author makes a good point. Star power has little to do with how successful movies are, it used to but not anymore. A big name actor or actress can't save a bad film. People will see a good film regardless of the race of the actors, so long as it's marketed well. "Ghost In The Shell" could have saved millions of dollars by hiring an up-and-coming asian-american actress rather then shelling out all that money to Scarlett Johansson.
Years ago, I wrote a book, and got myself a contract with literary agent who eventually dropped me after citing health issues (she wrote a book herself, got it published with a great publisher, and it flopped). Probably a dozen other agents and publishers rejected me,. An author mentor friend of mine told me, very frankly then, that books with Asian-American leads will just not sell, and will probably never become a movie. Disappointed, but not ready to give up, I self-published the book, and sold over 20k copies of it by myself. I continue to write books with Asian-American characters. Too few of them exist in mainstream literature.
Time after time, on Amazon, reviewers leave scathing, racist remarks. "Does she even know English?" Only when I reported those comments do they get removed.
It's alsp tough navigating America as an Asian-American woman. I'm expected to be demure and shy, quiet and compliant. At meetings, people speak over me. My ideas at work are always stolen and I'm not credited. I may also not be taken seriously. Growing up, I watched shows and movies produced in Hong Kong because I could not relate to the characters on American tv. And no one said anything when I was bullied or teased for having "small eyes" or "yellow skin." My skin is beige and fair...
Anyhoo, sob story short, there are plenty of Asian-American actors and actresses looking for a big break in America. Give them a chance. If the character is of Asian-descent, cast an Asian please...
Time after time, on Amazon, reviewers leave scathing, racist remarks. "Does she even know English?" Only when I reported those comments do they get removed.
It's alsp tough navigating America as an Asian-American woman. I'm expected to be demure and shy, quiet and compliant. At meetings, people speak over me. My ideas at work are always stolen and I'm not credited. I may also not be taken seriously. Growing up, I watched shows and movies produced in Hong Kong because I could not relate to the characters on American tv. And no one said anything when I was bullied or teased for having "small eyes" or "yellow skin." My skin is beige and fair...
Anyhoo, sob story short, there are plenty of Asian-American actors and actresses looking for a big break in America. Give them a chance. If the character is of Asian-descent, cast an Asian please...
17
Not arguing the central point, but the argument here seems to be that stars essentially don't matter at all; that anyone, if talented enough, will do just fine in the lead role of a major Hollywood movie.
Which might be true! But it's exceptionally difficult to get a big budget for a movie without any big stars. Does "Ghost in the Shell" even get made without a big name as the lead? I kinda doubt it.
Which might be true! But it's exceptionally difficult to get a big budget for a movie without any big stars. Does "Ghost in the Shell" even get made without a big name as the lead? I kinda doubt it.
3
Half a century after its release, "Roman Holiday" remains a popular rerun in Japan, but not "Breakfast at Tiffany's" despite many fans of Audrey. "Ghost in the Shell" will be a flop in Japan and for different reasons in Korea and China.
1
Hollywood is ahead of you on the PR. The next x-men movie apparently stars Olivia Munn, who is half Chinese, and who has been pre-promoting this blockbuster here and in Asia for her role as Betty Braddock/Psylocke. She is just the best, but the movie's big stars are not yet on the pole dance. Studio is heading it all off at the pass.
It's obvious that Hollywood is a greed factory, generally bereft of original ideas and courage to use its massive influence to change society for the good. There are some exceptions, but overall, Hollywood's emphasis on superhero movies says it all.
It's not surprising that Hollywood power-mongers could say with a straight face that Asians are not bankable stars when they almost never cast Asians in lead roles, thereby giving them virtually no chance of becoming bankable stars.
It's not surprising that Hollywood power-mongers could say with a straight face that Asians are not bankable stars when they almost never cast Asians in lead roles, thereby giving them virtually no chance of becoming bankable stars.
11
As a fan of old, classic movies, I've noticed that the problem is actually getting worse, not better. Look at films like "Dr. No" and you'll see that a multi-racial cast did nothing to diminish the bankability of the film. I'd like to ask why, but the article does an admirable job of demonstrating that any answer given isn't going to be the real one...
1
I think part of the problem with Hollywood is that it is ruled by people who have very little experience of other cultures except a few who are drawn to black street culture because they think it is "hip". Old boy network including more old boys.
America is an amalgam of many cultures. Where are the Native Americans, the Asian-Americans, the Samoans, the Hispanics who aren't in gangs or cops? Where are women who aren't eye candy? Remember the film "Sullivan's Travels" where the film executive decided to travel across America to learn what Americans wanted in their films? Someone needs to send these current film executives on road trips. They need to stop flying from coast to coast, ignoring everything in between, but spend some actual time with real people of all races and classes.
One of the saddest things I ever read was when someone asked Louis Armstrong's widow about his relationship with Bing Crosby. She said in all the decades they worked together Bing had come to their home a couple of times, but Armstrong was hurt that Crosby had never once invited him to his home.
And no film executive has considered Armstrong a fitting subject for a biopic--do they know anything about his life?
The old tv show used to say :"There are 8 million stories in the Naked City..." Well, there are 300 million stories out there waiting to be told.
America is an amalgam of many cultures. Where are the Native Americans, the Asian-Americans, the Samoans, the Hispanics who aren't in gangs or cops? Where are women who aren't eye candy? Remember the film "Sullivan's Travels" where the film executive decided to travel across America to learn what Americans wanted in their films? Someone needs to send these current film executives on road trips. They need to stop flying from coast to coast, ignoring everything in between, but spend some actual time with real people of all races and classes.
One of the saddest things I ever read was when someone asked Louis Armstrong's widow about his relationship with Bing Crosby. She said in all the decades they worked together Bing had come to their home a couple of times, but Armstrong was hurt that Crosby had never once invited him to his home.
And no film executive has considered Armstrong a fitting subject for a biopic--do they know anything about his life?
The old tv show used to say :"There are 8 million stories in the Naked City..." Well, there are 300 million stories out there waiting to be told.
30
Minority actors--including Asians--are far more likely to be cast in roles written as white characters than white actors are to be cast as characters who were written a whites originally minorities. Denzel Washington in the Manchurian Candidate and Lucy Liu in Charlie’s Angels are example.
3
Answer: Because Hollywood is sorority racist!
1
I'm not sure this column applies equally to male versus female Asian actors. If it's mainly about male Asian actors, it is more likely about gender than ethnicity since films idealize hyper-masculinity and Asian men don't fit that (stupid) type as much.
5
I take it you haven't seen the India, Thai, Hong Kong, South Korean, Japanese crime movies. There being only a couple hundred well known examples of hyper masculine stars. That's prejudice for you.
5
The problem is more nuanced than racist Hollywood casting practices. This is just the symptom of Yellow Peril that continues to exist throughout the post colonial, Euro-centric world. And this mindset is facilitated by Asians themselves due to a total lack of mobilized response. If the Asian community was as organized as the NAACP, or The Anti-defamation League, or the LGBTs, or AIPAC, this continued marginalization of the Asian experience would be much harder to execute. Unfortunately, the Confucian DNA within the Asian culture leads to a tendency to keep your head down and don't make waves. Until that changes, Asians will always be the low hanging fruit.
2
You're right that most Asians don't have a tendency to mobilize as a group. This mind-set is changing, albeit slowly. One reason Asians don't have an umbrella organization representing them is that the category includes people from many countries: China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam etc. Immigrants from these countries have formed individual advocacy groups that don't usually work together. The reason that the NAACP can generally represent African Americans as a whole is because centuries of slavery have obliterated the national identities of the people who were brought here.
1
If I'm making a movie, Tilda Swinton can play anyone she wants, up to and including Sonny Liston.
20
Asian actors complain that Hollywood mostly creates stereotypical "Asian" characters. And quite rightly so.
However, at the same time, they also want to portray them! What an ironic paradox!
They accuse Hollywood of racism, while they want to participate in the system!
"Fresh off the boat" might be the worst example of this. Apart from the two little boys, all other characters are simplistic one-dimensional characters.
Taiwanese and American of Taiwanese deserve better than this!
However, at the same time, they also want to portray them! What an ironic paradox!
They accuse Hollywood of racism, while they want to participate in the system!
"Fresh off the boat" might be the worst example of this. Apart from the two little boys, all other characters are simplistic one-dimensional characters.
Taiwanese and American of Taiwanese deserve better than this!
1
You're compliant is valid. But you're got to stop focusing on the "end" of the equation, that is, who gets cast, and focus more on control the process, which ultimately means controlling the project, which is again reducible to controlling the script.
If Asian writers write a good script and INSIST it be cast properly, even at the cost of not getting it produced for some time, that will change things. BOYZ IN THE HOOD did more for blacks behind and in front of the camera than protests and op-ed pieces.
I don't see any Asian names in the chain of title for Dr Strange.
Oh, and by the way, if you rule out Egyptians as Caucasians (which include Semitic people), which of the remaining two major racial groups do you place them in? Negroid or Mongolian?
If Asian writers write a good script and INSIST it be cast properly, even at the cost of not getting it produced for some time, that will change things. BOYZ IN THE HOOD did more for blacks behind and in front of the camera than protests and op-ed pieces.
I don't see any Asian names in the chain of title for Dr Strange.
Oh, and by the way, if you rule out Egyptians as Caucasians (which include Semitic people), which of the remaining two major racial groups do you place them in? Negroid or Mongolian?
2
The Fast and the Furious worked because it was made for 40 million. If you had pitched the same movie and said 150 Million, you would have gotten a resounding no. So the question for executives is less about race and more about economics. Much more so than the writer makes it seem.
The question isn't whether or not to cast an Asian actress for Ghost in the Shell. It's whether or not an Asian actress can open a 150 million dollar investment (not including marketing costs). And if she can't, what investment can she open? 30 million, 40 million... Can we even make this movie for that much? And is that the movie we want to make?
Obviously the thinking is completely wrong and flawed and indeed racists. And this is an incredibly difficult problem to solve. But gather a room of 20 somethings together and ask them if they know who Rinko Kikuchi is, then ask them who Scarlett Johansson is. And then ask yourself if you were dropping 100 million plus if you would make a decision much different than the one that was made by the executives on Ghost in the Shell.
I'm sure you'd like to think you would. But you probably wouldn't.
Editorials like this will keep the pressure on. #oscarsowhite will keep the pressure on. But it's going to require more. I don't know what that is though... I know that I would like the studios to give me the 30 million dollar version of Ghost In The Shell with Rinko, but I'm afraid I'm in the minority...
The question isn't whether or not to cast an Asian actress for Ghost in the Shell. It's whether or not an Asian actress can open a 150 million dollar investment (not including marketing costs). And if she can't, what investment can she open? 30 million, 40 million... Can we even make this movie for that much? And is that the movie we want to make?
Obviously the thinking is completely wrong and flawed and indeed racists. And this is an incredibly difficult problem to solve. But gather a room of 20 somethings together and ask them if they know who Rinko Kikuchi is, then ask them who Scarlett Johansson is. And then ask yourself if you were dropping 100 million plus if you would make a decision much different than the one that was made by the executives on Ghost in the Shell.
I'm sure you'd like to think you would. But you probably wouldn't.
Editorials like this will keep the pressure on. #oscarsowhite will keep the pressure on. But it's going to require more. I don't know what that is though... I know that I would like the studios to give me the 30 million dollar version of Ghost In The Shell with Rinko, but I'm afraid I'm in the minority...
93
Except that non-bankable actors get their shot to be leads in big movies and thus get their chance to become big stars and build box office clout, as long as they are not Asian. Daisy Ridley anyone? (Happy for her and John Boyega by the way)
So what's it going to take to change this for Asians and Asian-Americans? It's going to take Hollywood being called out on their rationalizations, both in debates like this and at the box office. Part of that perhaps, will be this version of Ghost in the Shell being a disappointment at the box office. We shall see how the film turns out (well, you will - I won't be seeing it) but when the studio changes the name and race of the character as if they don't matter contextually let's just say there is already reason to suspect that this version is losing the essence of what made Ghost in the Shell great in the first place. When Hollywood focuses on making the genuine article, they've got a chance for a hit. When they put out cynically made inauthentic garbage, they are destined for mediocrity. Will they scratch their heads and fail to see where they went wrong, and how their flawed decision-making led to this? And just keep on doing the same?
So what's it going to take to change this for Asians and Asian-Americans? It's going to take Hollywood being called out on their rationalizations, both in debates like this and at the box office. Part of that perhaps, will be this version of Ghost in the Shell being a disappointment at the box office. We shall see how the film turns out (well, you will - I won't be seeing it) but when the studio changes the name and race of the character as if they don't matter contextually let's just say there is already reason to suspect that this version is losing the essence of what made Ghost in the Shell great in the first place. When Hollywood focuses on making the genuine article, they've got a chance for a hit. When they put out cynically made inauthentic garbage, they are destined for mediocrity. Will they scratch their heads and fail to see where they went wrong, and how their flawed decision-making led to this? And just keep on doing the same?
I keep hearing that tripe over and over, that it's a market research profit reason that actors of color aren't cast.
What a LIE.
When a movie is ADVERTISED universally and not just focused on the group the studio accountants think will be the only ones interested, then it makes a considerable profit regardless.
Audiences are ALWAYS hungry, but keep feeding them the same fare, they'll get bored anyway.
What a LIE.
When a movie is ADVERTISED universally and not just focused on the group the studio accountants think will be the only ones interested, then it makes a considerable profit regardless.
Audiences are ALWAYS hungry, but keep feeding them the same fare, they'll get bored anyway.
1
Daisy Ridley and John Boyega did not open Star Wars. Star Wars opened Star Wars. You could have cast a giraffe and it would have broken all BO records. The casting is in fact a well intentioned pander and we should all be slightly offended, but not that much because they were both so good.
In most industries issues of inequity can be addressed through the regulatory regime. The use of carrots and sticks if you will. But Hollywood doesn't necessarily have that kind of relationship with government, which compounds the problem. For casting practices to change, the studios would have to essentially decide to do the right thing and in the process go against 100 years of established practice. That is a tall order.
And you are of course right. They will put out a mediocre product, but they will not pay a price at the box office, because of the way they make their calculations. Again, gather a room full of 20 somethings and ask them if they know what GitS is, then ask them if they know who Scarlett Johanson is. GitS will not be sold on the value of the property (as opposed to Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Hunger Games). It's going to be sold as a ScarJo action vehicle. And if it fails, the argument will be made that female driven action movies just don't work... That's how messed up the system is.
In most industries issues of inequity can be addressed through the regulatory regime. The use of carrots and sticks if you will. But Hollywood doesn't necessarily have that kind of relationship with government, which compounds the problem. For casting practices to change, the studios would have to essentially decide to do the right thing and in the process go against 100 years of established practice. That is a tall order.
And you are of course right. They will put out a mediocre product, but they will not pay a price at the box office, because of the way they make their calculations. Again, gather a room full of 20 somethings and ask them if they know what GitS is, then ask them if they know who Scarlett Johanson is. GitS will not be sold on the value of the property (as opposed to Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Hunger Games). It's going to be sold as a ScarJo action vehicle. And if it fails, the argument will be made that female driven action movies just don't work... That's how messed up the system is.
Like any business, you use what has worked in the past. It is a gamble to use new unknown actors, it will take some studio willing to try it. If it works other will follow. If it does not work, you lose your job.
The movies in general are not playing to those who are looking for some great acting, they want entertainment, so the studios use a known quality. I do not know who the majority of movie goer are, that is are they Caucasians, Blacks, Hispanics? They play to the majority.
It has nothing to do with ethnicity, it has to do with how believable a role is. I wonder how many Caucasians are starring in Chinese movies, or Mexican movies. If some studio makes a movie with an Asian, and it is a big money hit, you will suddenly find Asian actors in short supply.
That's business folks.
The movies in general are not playing to those who are looking for some great acting, they want entertainment, so the studios use a known quality. I do not know who the majority of movie goer are, that is are they Caucasians, Blacks, Hispanics? They play to the majority.
It has nothing to do with ethnicity, it has to do with how believable a role is. I wonder how many Caucasians are starring in Chinese movies, or Mexican movies. If some studio makes a movie with an Asian, and it is a big money hit, you will suddenly find Asian actors in short supply.
That's business folks.
10
"Like any business, you use what has worked in the past."
Exactly! Asian actors have never been cast in roles of any consequence in the past. Therefore, Asian actors will not be cast in roles of any consequence, today or in the foreseeable future. Q.E.D.
"That's business folks," as Dave condescendingly points out.
Exactly! Asian actors have never been cast in roles of any consequence in the past. Therefore, Asian actors will not be cast in roles of any consequence, today or in the foreseeable future. Q.E.D.
"That's business folks," as Dave condescendingly points out.
4
The article itself points out that a (white) actor like Chris Hemsworth "has had many more box office flops than successes, yet he is considered a bankable movie star." Consider also Ryan Reynolds, who has had multiple box office flops yet is still offered leading roles in big projects.
If the movie studios are only using "a known quality" that "has worked in the past", as you claim, what explains the studios continuing to give these white men leading roles when they've got such horrible track records?
Apparently, second chances -- and third, and fourth, and fifth chances -- are only deserved by white men.
If the movie studios are only using "a known quality" that "has worked in the past", as you claim, what explains the studios continuing to give these white men leading roles when they've got such horrible track records?
Apparently, second chances -- and third, and fourth, and fifth chances -- are only deserved by white men.
2
Interesting logic. The latest Star Wars cast previously unknown actors in the two lead roles. The original Hunger Games cast Jennifer Lawrence when she wasn't widely known. 50 Shades of Grey featured two lesser known actors in the lead roles. I don't even remember the name of the guy. Stop whitewashing racism already. It's insulting to everyone's intelligence.
4
Lucy Liu is a genius. On Elementary she makes scenes work with just a quick facial expression. Letting her onto Ally McBeal for what was supposed to be a one-time thing created a whole concept out of her presence.
She gets roles.
Bad movies might have been made better if they had someone like her to play the Asian role, but even she was unable to save a couple of bad movies.
Bad movies are just bad, and it isn't just getting the Asians wrong that makes them awful.
We'll have real progress when black or Asian actors are considered for "white" roles. That has happened a couple of times. In the meantime, mediocre Asian actors would not have saved bad movies.
She gets roles.
Bad movies might have been made better if they had someone like her to play the Asian role, but even she was unable to save a couple of bad movies.
Bad movies are just bad, and it isn't just getting the Asians wrong that makes them awful.
We'll have real progress when black or Asian actors are considered for "white" roles. That has happened a couple of times. In the meantime, mediocre Asian actors would not have saved bad movies.
16
I find Lucy Liu to be a horrible actress, stone-faced and boring, but to each their own.
Jackie Chan, on the other hand, is a comedic genius because of his expressive face and megawatt smile.
Jackie Chan, on the other hand, is a comedic genius because of his expressive face and megawatt smile.
"mediocre Asian actors would not have saved bad movies."
And we know this, because a number of mediocre Asian actors have been cast in the leading roles of numerous bad movies - consider, for example, the following: ... Oh, right. There are no examples, because that has never happened - and those mediocre Asian actors have failed to save these non-existent movies.
And we know this, because a number of mediocre Asian actors have been cast in the leading roles of numerous bad movies - consider, for example, the following: ... Oh, right. There are no examples, because that has never happened - and those mediocre Asian actors have failed to save these non-existent movies.
1
FSMLives! -- I agree on Jackie Chan as comedic genius.
He can carry a poor movie. He became a star by making poor movies better. Just turn him loose, and it is a Jackie Chan movie.
He can carry a poor movie. He became a star by making poor movies better. Just turn him loose, and it is a Jackie Chan movie.
Haven't you heard. Its perfect acceptable to sterotype and insult Asians. Just ask Chris Rock. Racial equality is all about African-Americans. The rest better know their place.
246
@ tomp - tomp I know we are getting into dangerous but perhaps important territory. At present it is perfectly acceptable to stereotype and insult Muslims in Times comment land, and the greater the stereotyping and generalization, the greater the number of readers' recommendations. Occasionally such a comment can even become a Times Pick. Read any OpEd or article about asylum seekers from Syria, Iraq, even Somalia and the comments will be filled with appalling racist generalizations as if all one billion plus muslims the world over were the same. I have been asking the Public Editor to deal with this but so far no luck.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
1
White supremacy in liberal Hollywood.
38
There was also a white-washed Asian character in last year's The Martian, albeit in a minor role, plus, oddly, a black-washed (?) Indian-American character. Really strange casting choices, to put it mildly.
23
Yes, there has been almost no acknowledgement of the strangeness of a character named Vincent Kapoor being played by a clearly non-Indian actor. Chiwetel Ejiofor is of Nigerian ancestry. He's an excellent actor, but his performance in "The Martian" was not particularly compelling and the filmmakers wasted a chance to have a South Asian actor portray a South Asian character.
Kam Fong as Chin Ho?
8
in many older westerns, of th 30s-50s era, indians are played by white people
sometimes w brooklyn accents
sometimes w brooklyn accents
40
You mean "Native Americans", not "Indians". Native Americans are not related to people from India; Christipher Columbus got that wrong and so do so many white people today including the NYT as indicated by its editorial policy.
2
While I'm not convinced that anyone's fundamental rights are being violated, and I don't think that "representative casting" is any sort of intrinsically good thing--oh great! an asian playing an asian! what a wonderful movie!--I do think that the thoughtless casting of uniformly white actors is a stupid habit that makes movies generally worse.
68
"representative casting" is not any sort of intrinsic good? So, by your logic, "black face" is OK?
1
"I don't think that "representative casting" is any sort of intrinsically good thing--oh great! an asian playing an asian!"
Exactly, James! Why should a non-white person be cast in the role of a non-white person, when a white person can, with a little burnt cork or a little tanning lotion, play the role as well, if not better, than any non-white person can?
Refusing to hire white people to play non-white roles is clearly the most blatant kind of reverse racism. Both The Times and Keith Chow should hide their heads in shame!
Exactly, James! Why should a non-white person be cast in the role of a non-white person, when a white person can, with a little burnt cork or a little tanning lotion, play the role as well, if not better, than any non-white person can?
Refusing to hire white people to play non-white roles is clearly the most blatant kind of reverse racism. Both The Times and Keith Chow should hide their heads in shame!
For the most egregious miscasting (to put it mildly) of white actors as Asians, think back to Luise Rainer and Paul Muni in "The Good Earth" from the 1930s.
35
And yet, it was a beautiful movie, brilliantly acted, that portrayed so much true human experience and emotion.
If we could see past the color of our skin, to our shared humanity, it wouldn't matter if a Caucasian played an Asian and vice versa.
If we could see past the color of our skin, to our shared humanity, it wouldn't matter if a Caucasian played an Asian and vice versa.
1
That is exactly what I was thinking! I love the movie, it was a great story but I saw the utter stereotyping and it was laughable, but it is kind of sad. I am a vet and when I go to the VA hospital, Asians are very rare there. But in the Air force base they abound. My theory is the fact that we have had fairly recent wars with people like them and some people still hold grudges. If your dad, grandfather or uncle were killed by a Viet Cong or a north Korean you might not want to see their faces in your home. Prior to those wars was just the massive bigotry. Anna May Wong had many parts but all as the evil dragon woman. She lamented about this later. How about Charlie Chan? And OMG Mister Magoo(Magloo) When I lived in Philadelphia on a talk radio show the female white commentator said why can't blacks be like Asians, they are so complacent. In other words they are under control. I do believe that it is their fault for not being outraged. Even Raj on Big bang Theory could not get a girlfriend even though he is clearly the best looking male character until other shows were bold enough to have interracial relationships. And until Fresh off the boat all Asian women had to have white spouses. Still on the Mindy show she has only dated white men. That is not the norm for Indian women at all. Racism is a scourge we have to eliminate. But on the other side, people like to see people who look like them and the US majority is white.
Ann Marie, the refusal of the studio to cast Anna Mae Wong, the one true Chinese American film star that existed at the time, as "the good wife" in the film adaption of the wildly popular book "The Good Earth" was the final straw for the actress who already had to explain Chinese did not kiss "like Eskimos" during the making of an earlier film. The casting debacle of "The Good Earth" led to Wong's self imposed exile in Europe and work with the British and European film studios who were not so fixated on race. One of the reasons the US studio refused to cast her was the miscegenation laws at the time forbade people of different races kissing on screen and as you noted Paul Muni had already been cast as the husband. BTW Luise Rainer won an Oscar for her work in that movie.
1
As an Asian American, it seems that the racial conflicts that our group faces are relegated to the background in the face of more pressing issues or in favor of other minorities. The Oscars this year were themselves quite notable in that while the awards were meant to showcase the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry, the efforts themselves were one-sided and focused primarily on African-Americans. That joke where Chris Brown brought out three Asian kids dressed stereotypically and referred to them as the people who count the Oscar ballots was absolutely hypocritical and just showcased how one-sided the race issue has become in America and the entertainment industry. Whatever happened to Hispanic and Asian representation? Should we not be given equal representation as well? This issue is one of many that should not be dismissed so easily. Simply because there has not been vehement outcries from all Asian-Americans does not mean that America should forget about the issues that minorities all face.
200
Good points. Hollywood has been doing the same thing since the 1930's when it comes to Asian actors
But I think you mean Chris Rock not Chris Brown. Chris Brown making that joke would have been even worse.
But I think you mean Chris Rock not Chris Brown. Chris Brown making that joke would have been even worse.
3
It seems you're missing something big here. Do you think that Hollywood all of a sudden opened up to Black actors? It was a long, drawn-out saga just to get minor roles. That doesn't mean that the efforts of Blacks should be to the exclusion of other minorities but you might want to rethink the notion that roles will simply open up, even for the "model minority." (and it was Chris Rock).
3
Although stereotyping is wrong in general, I do believe certain groups deserve more attention then others. Asian Americans as a general population are part of the elite when it comes to income, education, and access. To say that African Americans suffer the same consequences as Asians is simply just not true. And as an Asian American I have no problem with a one sided race issue.
4
As a white person, I am offended by the term whitewash, which seems of late to be used nearly exclusively by nonwhite people as a way of blaming or scolding all white people. Non-representative casting, a term that readily identifies the problem, might be a better term in this instance.
I'd love to see more American films featuring Asian-American actors.
I'd love to see more American films featuring Asian-American actors.
88
I find the term very apt - whitewashing originally referred to the lime and chalk solution to paint exteriors on the cheap. Whitewash has low opacity, meaning it creates a thin, washed out color. (That's why Tom Sawyer had to apply so many coats to the fence.) It's a visually impactful term to describe how Hollywood takes non-Asian actors and applies ludicrous makeup that barely conceals the white person underneath. (Great examples abound in the article.) Like the original technical definition, whitewashing in Hollywood is a cheap, see-through solution.
6
It adds more specificity. When Chiwetel Ejiofor is cast as Venkat Kapoor, then renamed in the movie as Vincent Kapoor, it's been referred to as black washing, while Mackenzie Davis's casting as Mindy Park has been called white washing. Given that races are not necessarily apparent in the names of the actors or the roles, the additional context is often useful.
3
I understand your concern. I think it's been used because the assumption is that only white people are doing this casting discrimination. I think the term you used is too light.
2
I have pretty much given up on big Hollywood movies because for the most part they only cater to white males under 25. Fewer and fewer people see themselves in the white-focused juvenile stories Hollywood tells.