Can asian actors raise to stardom in America?

[dan020350]

I just watch a documentary that it is hard for an asian person to be a star in the sterotypical and prejudice of America. I was thinking about one of my thread why are people are watchin less tv. I don't know what to say next.

In the documentary it showed a japense star in the silence films in the old days of America and white women loved him.

What do you think?

[Adolescent09]

Look at Lucy Liu..

[Nightshade]

Jacky Chan, Jet Lee, and that guy on Lost who was on ER before that.

[papayahed]

I love that Chow Yun Fat

[dan020350]

What about beginners and no names? Can miss universal of ugliness raise to stardom and be accepted and admired because of her ugliness?

[Francis Parker]

I think it's ironic that people who decry "racism" are so focused on their own race. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that, I just find the blind spot to be large and from my perspective amusing to behold.

How many White stars are there in Bollywood? China? How come? Are they racists? Or do people simply want to see a reflection of themselves in order to relate to the story? I've seen Dickens A Christmas Carol with an Asian playing Fezziwig and a black kid in a wheelchair playing Tiny Tim and the play, although well staged and costly, was a joke. Imagine Othello being played by Klaus Kinski, it just wouldn't make sense. I'll give an eye tooth for the day I see people who are concerned about "racism" give up their own attachement to their race.

[papayahed]

What about beginners and no names? Can miss universal of ugliness raise to stardom and be accepted and admired because of her ugliness?

Sure because Hollywood is especially known for their ugly people.:(

[dan020350]

What do you mean by ugly papaya

[Shalot]

She's saying that the majority of big names in Hollywood are attractive in some way.

I will go on to say that if someone has a bump on her nose, she gets a nose job. If you have a certain "look" or a "freakish" attribute then you are hired for the same sterotypical part in a movie. Same character, different movie....

The film industry is what it is. Let's not make an issue out of a non issue.

[papayahed]

What do you mean by ugly papaya

I'm using it in the same manner in which you used it in a previous posting.

[dan020350]

Why would a person get a nose job? So they can all look the same and not be critcize? Yet everyone in the world loves to do that, and be like ugly people. So America is one big ugly place.

[Shalot]

America is not an ugly place. And have you stated where you are from? I am curious to know because you seem to have a lot of animosity towards America. You're posting a lot of weird threads with weird sentences that are maybe supposed to add up to something profound.

[kathycf]

Why would a person get a nose job? So they can all look the same and not be critcize? Yet everyone in the world loves to do that, and be like ugly people. So America is one big ugly place.
Everybody in the world loves to get nose jobs? Everybody in the world wants to look the same? I am glad you are the spokesperson for the entire world, dan. :p

Sorry, just teasing you. :D

Several Asian actors that have been succesful here come to mind. Not all are living...Bruce Lee was very popular and succesful here.

Jackie Chan
Jet Li
Chow Yun Fat
Daniel Dae Kim (the guy from Lost) mostly been succesful in television vs movies
Lucy Liu
Jason Scott Lee
Brandon Lee--son of Bruce Lee also deceased.

I know there are more, but that is all I can name off the top of my head. That isn't because of any racial prejudice, it is because I can't name all that many actors in general off the top of my head.

Hmm...I wonder if it is less to do with ethnicity and more to do with language. How many actors from other countries in general have been succesful here in the US? How many native born French actors...Italian...German...Russian? I could go on...



America is not an ugly place. And have you stated where you are from? I am curious to know because you seem to have a lot of animosity towards America. You're posting a lot of weird threads with weird sentences that are maybe supposed to add up to something profound.

I think dan is from Pennsylvania. I think Shalot is correct, the US is not an ugly place. Maybe some of the people here are not so great, but that is a human failing...not a fault of one particular nation. There are plenty of not so great people in other countries as well.

[JBI]

When casting roles, one must consider who most closely resembles the character.

Therefore for any respinning of an old classic, be it based on book or old movie, one will never see an Asian playing a white person's role, just as you wouldn't see a black person playing a white person, and vise versa (though there have been a few exceptions where this has happened). In terms of stardom, why not?

[dan020350]

In buisness elites that base on ethical decisions should we caste an asian actor because there may not be a lot of audience out there would is willing to watch a asian lead.

Shalot- that last previous post you made was profound to me!

Lastly, about the nation. It is a world problem that is happening everywhere. When I say America is an ugly place I meant it in every nation. And nation that has not be influence or untouch by another nation that is beautiful

[kathycf]

When casting roles, one must consider who most closely resembles the character.


I am of two minds about that. I think sometimes it is good to shake up people's ideas of who a character is. if an actor is good, they can capture who a person is at heart, which isn't necessarily their physical appearance.

But again, it would seem odd to watch Othello being played by a white actor.

[dan020350]

That is what I was trying to make you express Kathy.

Buisness elites has a stertypical mind who to cast and how to achieve reatings and profits. I think this is the aim of Feminist.

If a asian actor qualify his role well on a character it does not mean he will be chosen. the producers are white dominated in America. Unless you can name me one asian film producer that exist in hollywood.

[kathycf]

Well, hmm. First I don't have a lot of respect for "Hollywood". Not in the sense that I think movies are bad, I like movies. However, the people who make them always seem so...removed from any kind of reality that I am familiar with. It isn't that I dislike actors, really...possibly the industry as a whole. I don't know. I suppose I am rambling.

At any rate, there are many Asian Americans active in film. While I agree this isn't mainstream Hollywood, it does show that Asians are active in film. Besides, to me, mainstream is highly over-rated.


After answering the age-old riddle, "What do women want?" with their short film Yellow Fever, Wesley Chan, Ted Fu and Philip Wang of Wong Fu Productions decided to do what most only dream about: produce a feature-length film before graduating from college.

"It was our last year, and we really wanted to do something big," Fu said. "Why not tackle a feature [film]?"

The three banded together just before graduating from UC San Diego to produce A Moment With You, which will be screened Tuesday at the opening of the two-week-long Asian American Association Film Festival in Davis.

"These films are Asians playing regular roles," said junior managerial economics and film studies major Khoa Nguyen, co-director of the Asian American Association Film Festival. "It doesn't over-sexualize Asian women and it shows that Asian guys can get the girl."
Source: Wong Fu productions headline Asian American Film Festival. (http://media.www.californiaaggie.com/media/storage/paper981/news/2007/05/07/ArtsEntertainment/Wong-Fu.Production.Headlines.Asian.American.Film.Festiv al-2896329.shtml)

See, that is refreshing. Instead of a stereotypical Asian guy being portrayed as a math geek, and an Asian woman as some femme fatale....nope, guess what! Regular people...Stereotypes get exceedingly boring.

Asian American Film lab (http://www.aafilmlab.com/)

Asian American Film. (http://www.asianamericanfilm.com/)

I don't think my views are necessarily related to feminism. I just dislike discrimination. One doesn't have to be female to be discriminated against. But let's not digress onto another topic...I want to keep discussing Asians in film. :)

Totally forgot to mention some Asian actresses:

Tia Carrere

Ming Na Wen...I am a fan of hers

Tamlyn Tomita


These actresses are of mixed descent, and are fairly well known...
Phoebe Cates
Meg Tilly

[dan020350]

Why are you not an actress Kathy? Aren't you tempted? If not what are you interested in doing?

[papayahed]

And how about Ann Curry on the Today show.

[dan020350]

I don't bother with celebrities, I bother with why can't I be? What is wrong with me.

[kathycf]

Why are you not an actress Kathy? Aren't you tempted? If not what are you interested in doing?
I am a little old now to be thinking of becoming an actress...aren't they all about 19 nowadays? :lol: Not tempted in the least...I am more interested in reading, my studies and trying to recover my health. :)

I bother with why can't I be? What is wrong with me.

Why does there have to be something wrong with you if you aren't a celebrity? If you want to be one, think of what you want to do...after all a celebrity isn't just an actor it is somebody who is famous. Do you want to be famous, or do you want to be a famous actor?

When you become famous, can we all say "we knew you when" ? :D

[dan020350]

Surely Kathy the old can act for the old. Unless the young put on makeup and act for the old that would be nonsense, but that is what hollywood is doing.

Ah so a celebrity means a famous person. When a person was once a celebrity, is he not liable that he fame wil burn out? To find out what you want to do is a big Lie!!!!!!!!!!!!! The american idol fantasia told her story how she was successful and everyone should follow their dream. That is a marketing scam by book companys. Know what is false and true then you will be complete and in peace, if not you die or live misery even if you live for a thousand years

[kathycf]

Surely Kathy the old can act for the old.
I'm not old, but I am not 19 either. :lol:

To find out what you want to do is a big Lie!!!!!!!!!!!!! The american idol fantasia told her story how she was successful and everyone should follow their dream. That is a marketing scam by book companys. Know what is false and true then you will be complete and in peace, if not you die or live misery even if you live for a thousand years
Ok. What if one's dream is to have the time to read, be with friends, study, be healthy? Those seem like attainable goals...

Well, at any rate it is funny how so many threads meander from their supposed topic. Converstational twists and turns, eh? Ok, dan, I have a challenge for you. Let me pose a question to YOU and see if you can give me a straightforward answer...;)

What is your interest in Asian actors and stardom? Are you interested in being an actor? I don't know if you are Asian or not, but I would still like to know about your interest in the topic.

[dan020350]

Small goals are easy achievements, that is you already went through the process without knowing a goal in mind. It is self knowledge and self fulfillment already been accomplish. But goals that are not yet accomplish are real goals, whether small or big.

You ask me what is my interest in Asian Actors and Stardom, and want a straight forward question. My interest is to find out can Asian Actors rise to stardom in a non-asian territory?

All actors yearn for stardom but they cannot acheive it why? Only the public can make a star not hollywood producing a star. the problem is the authority! To find a enlighten authority should be the aim. To find a worthy master so I may not regret spilling my blood. :bawling:

[Francis Parker]

"My interest is to find out can Asian Actors rise to stardom in a non-asian territory?"

Why?

Do you go to Asian message boards and ask if Eskimos can rise to stardom in non-Eskimo territory?

Only in the White Western World is there this kind of preoccupation with displacing White people- and the active involvement of White people to see themselves displaced. No one in Bollywood is crying about the lack of Australian Aboriginies in their films, or in China worrying over the dearth of big name Mayan Amerindian screen stars.

What is it about the White Western World that makes it so appealing to displace and correct with other racial types? I just don't get it.

And that comment about Othello being played by a White person being "weird"? No, it would be intentionally contradictory and would ruin the play. I know some folks enjoy cognitive dissonance, but just for it's own sake?

Odd times we're living in folks.

[Dorian Gray]

I love that Chow Yun Fat

You beat me to it. He's gorgeous and talented.

And Ziyi Zhang.

[Petrarch's Love]

Why?

Do you go to Asian message boards and ask if Eskimos can rise to stardom in non-Eskimo territory?

Only in the White Western World is there this kind of preoccupation with displacing White people- and the active involvement of White people to see themselves displaced. No one in Bollywood is crying about the lack of Australian Aboriginies in their films, or in China worrying over the dearth of big name Mayan Amerindian screen stars.

What is it about the White Western World that makes it so appealing to displace and correct with other racial types? I just don't get it.

And that comment about Othello being played by a White person being "weird"? No, it would be intentionally contradictory and would ruin the play. I know some folks enjoy cognitive dissonance, but just for it's own sake?

Odd times we're living in folks.

The answer is fairly obvious, Francis. The United States is not a "white" country. I assume that "Asian" in this discussion refers to race, not to nationality, meaning that Asian Americans are included, and there are a lot of Asian Americans out there. It isn't valid to compare Bollywood hiring Australian Aborigines to Americans hiring people of Asian background because there are a lot more Asians in America than there are Australian Aborigines in India. I think the question is whether or not there is a representative group of Asians in film, that is, do you generally see as many Asians in film as you would in life, and in the type of places you see Asian people in real life? I agree, that if a role like Othello explicitly calls for a certain race then it makes sense to cast accordingly,. Similarly you probably wouldn't cast an Asian in the lead of a film about an Amish community, because you don't usually see Amish Asians. There are, however., lots of roles that could be cast with almost any race in mind, and I think it's those roles that are under discussion. Are there a similar percentage of Asians in substantial roles as there are Asians in America?

Incidently, I recognize that Dan set you up to reply in this way by referring to the U.S. as "non-Asian territory," which is not accurate.

[Francis Parker]

"The United States is not a "white" country."

Sure.

http://www.censusscope.org/us/chart_race.html

Yes, of course, that was only the first 200 years. Rampant unchecked immigration has done what Hollywood producers have yet to do, turn it into the third world.

Once more, the only place you will ever see anyone ever complain about lack of diversity is the Western World, the formerly White Western World, the only part of the globe that actively, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year allows itself to be innundated with those not of their race and yet...it's not enough. Never does anyone ever say, gee, why is it that China forbids immigration? Or gosh, how come everyone of european extraction must leave Africa, or golly, how come the only people allowed to immigrate to Israel are Jews.

There's not enough roles for Asians in America, hey call the whaaaambulance.

Here's an idea, how about making your own movie and starring in it? Lots of people start out that way. Or emigrate to Asia, I hear almost every movie there features Asians.

I for one am tired unto death of this White guilt death cult- it is rampant and it is everywhere and the only time I ever see an all White cast EVER is in that little "video-piracy" clip at the beginning of every dvd I rent where all the pickpockets, carjackers, shoplifters, illegal downloaders and pursesnatchers are EXCLUSIVELY White. Oh, and Nazis too, I almost forgot.

Forget, why bother, enjoy your guilt trip, I'm outta here.

[kilted exile]

Do you go to Asian message boards and ask if Eskimos can rise to stardom in non-Eskimo territory?



Ok, PL dealt with the rest of this post (and I agree with her fully) The point I would like to raise deals with this statement - Surely you do not see this site as a white/American board Francis?

[kathycf]

I for one am tired unto death of this White guilt death cult- it is rampant and it is everywhere and the only time I ever see an all White cast EVER is in that little "video-piracy" clip at the beginning of every dvd I rent where all the pickpockets, carjackers, shoplifters, illegal downloaders and pursesnatchers are EXCLUSIVELY White. Oh, and Nazis too, I almost forgot.
A discussion of Asians in film hardly qualifies as a "White guilt death cult". The United States is a nation of immigrants...some more recent than others.

Or do people simply want to see a reflection of themselves in order to relate to the story?
Why does one need a reflection of oneself in order to relate to the story?


Forget, why bother, enjoy your guilt trip, I'm outta here.
Ok.


Actually, dan I think Francis did have a good idea about you making your own film. If you are interested in acting, you aren't likely to find jobs landing in your lap. You would have to go and look for them. Take classes on film making and learn to make your own. :)

[dan020350]

I once saw a chinese channel news reporting the world trade disaster.
There was a chinese reporter in new york reporting news, and suddenly there was a white man passes behind the reporter and said ching chong.

What do you say to that Francis?

And for Kathy a recent avatar change I notice. Making your films is easy, keep on working with a stero
and narrow minded film producer is hard. Merit comes through the most powerful even if they are fools.

[kathycf]

I don't think making your own films is easy...I think it is hard work. It is hard to get independent films out to the general public, unless you have a lot of money to spend. However, it is one way to have total control over your own vision, and express yourself. Which is more important? Fame, or artistic expression?

Oh yea, I change my avatar every three weeks or so... :D

[dan020350]

I have noticed that you are a devoted moderator.
A good sign of loyalty:thumbs_up But for evil or good not sure:sick:

[kathycf]

I have noticed that you are a devoted moderator.
A good sign of loyalty:thumbs_up But for evil or good not sure:sick:
Hmm? Is that comment for me, because I never said I was a moderator. What's this good or evil nonsense?


Which is more important? Fame, or artistic expression?

:D
Soooo, which is it? :D