Why aren't there very many Asian-American stars in Hollywood?

[missypie]

Originally posted by KristaTX
Missypie - I am trying to think of an episode with an Asian friend on 7th Heaven, and I can't, either. But did you happen to see this week's episode? At one point Ruthie and the teenage boy who lives with them were standing around outside their school talking with a "random" group of students about politics. One was Asian-American, and he brought up North Korea. One was black, and he wanted to know what was being done about Africa. One was Muslim, and she brought up Iraq. And there were a few others. It was so full of stereotypes and so unrealistic that it was almost laughable. That show can be good, but this was probably the worst episode ever.

I love Seventh Heaven, but I think we chose the right episode to miss! On the way home from the State Fair Monday night we remembered that we had fogotten to tape Seventh Heaven.

 

[KristaTX]

I like the show, too, but it seems that every 7th Heaven fan out there thought this one absolutely tanked. It was truly awful. The weird thing is that there have been a couple of really good ones this year - the episodes about Simon dealing with his car accident from over a year ago in which he accidentally killed a boy. I was glad to see that brought back up.

I hope you have recovered from the fair .

 

[JohnMouse]

Ming-Na and Lea have something in common.....Mulan. Ming-Na was the speaking voice and Lea was the singing voice.

Sandra Oh played the principal in the first Princess Diaries movie.

Lucy Liu is doing a cartoon voice now....she's "Maggie", a friend of Maya, in the new PBS show Maya & Miguel.

 

[TigerBear]

So many of the Indian actresses in "Bollywood" are absolutely gorgous. I'm a little surprised none of them are trying for stardom in America.

 

[clutter]

I was watching the beginning of SVU last night, and I was thinking... B.D. Wong is pretty hot! Timely post.

 

[MosMom]

Originally posted by TigerBear
So many of the Indian actresses in "Bollywood" are absolutely gorgous. I'm a little surprised none of them are trying for stardom in America.

I think it has to do more with accent than with looks. So often I am shocked when I find out an actor is from another country and they have just done an excellent job hiding their accent. Charlize Theron, Rachel Griffiths (Brenda from Six Feet Under, The Rookie), Naomi Watts, etc. I think it is harder for people with thick accents to hide them...therefore, American audiences can't understand the dialogue and will not enjoy the film.

 

[LisaZoe]

I think this issue is one facing all "minority" actors. While there have been definite improvements for women, Latino and African American actors, they still are cast mostly in roles that are specific to their race/gender. Movies and TV are, though, making some progress toward casting the actor for a role rather than casting for race. B. D. Wong's role on Law & Order is a good one. On most episodes, there's no specific reason that this character would need to be Chinese so the producers could have easily cast a Caucasian in the role. They have had a couple of episodes that used his race as part of the plot, i.e. helping to translate for a Chinese witness, but those seem to have evolved as a result of the actor's race rather than the role dictating what race the actor must be.

While there are some roles that would seem specific to one race/gender, many are not and could easily be filled by a number of skilled actors of different races.

 

[missypie]

Originally posted by LisaZoe
I think this issue is one facing all "minority" actors. While there have been definite improvements for women, Latino and African American actors, they still are cast mostly in roles that are specific to their race/gender.
While there are some roles that would seem specific to one race/gender, many are not and could easily be filled by a number of skilled actors of different races.

I remember hearing that the role of the drill sargeant for which Louis Gossett, Jr. won an Oscar in "An Officer and a Gentleman" was not written for an African American drill sargeant...It was not race specific. I thought that that success would cause Hollywood to cast more minorities in roles not specific to their race, but it hasn't worked out that way very much.

But as other posters have noted, I guess we've made progress from the days when white actors were cast as all races. I seem to remember some movie where Marlon Brando was Asian...

 

[LisaZoe]

Originally posted by missypie
I seem to remember some movie where Marlon Brando was Asian...

Yes... and John Wayne played Genhis Khan, Katherine Hepburn as a Chinese woman, etc. I'm not saying they weren't good in their roles but I think it just makes so much more sense to case based on talent rather than race.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by Deb in IA
There are a few that have been somewhat successful:

Bruce Lee

Jackie Chan

Chow Yun-Fat (from Anna and the King, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Ming-Na (ER)

B.D. Wong (Law and Order: SVU)

Lucy Liu (Charlie's Angels)

Tony Leung

Pat Morita (Karate Kid)

Margaret Cho (comedienne)

but I agree that there is always room for more!

Great list.

BD Wong got his start in theater, in a show called M.Butterfly, where he played a transsexual. He was also in Jurrasic Park. He is quite the hottie, although I bet I am taller than him!

Pat Morita was in Happy Days for a long time as well.

Jet Li-- was he in Anna and the King? (The one wiht Jodie Foster?) Jet Li is in a ton of movies, I think he did a Rush Hour movie as well.


I wish there were more Asian stars. I can't stand "white bread" tv! I wish the characters wouldn't be so stereotypical as well.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Originally posted by rcyannacci
BTW- I was just watching the Aladin DVD special features and saw Lea Salonga (sp?) singing "A Whole New World"- wonder what she is doing lately? She was so fantastic in Miss Siagon and as Jasmine.
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Her voice is just amazing. I think I might look up her web site a little later and see if she's doing anything now. I can't imagine she's not, she's so talented.


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Lea Salonga is also a famous actress in the Philippines. She also does concert in the US and in Canada (Toronto) I believe. And of course, she records music. She is a one busy lady. I don't think she is married yet. She is definitely talented.