Asian American Male Actors in Hollywood...or the lack of

Posted:
in AppleOutsider edited January 2014
Proves that the allmighty dollar runs these Studio Executives brains:



http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/04/more-21-talk.html



http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N15/21casting.html



http://www.cinematical.com/2008/04/0...s-of-its-char/



http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/04/more-21-talk.html



http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=88591800



Until these stupid studio executives are convinced that casting Asian-American Males in any lead roles will make them a dollar or two this same shyyt will continue to happen. The one article is right, Denzel and the Fresh Prince draw all kinds of people to their movies.

Why can't an AA Male?

Are these crackers saying that they can't find ONE AAMale that's as talented or good-looking as Damon or Afleck or Stiller or Sandler or Ferrell?

That they have to import Oldheadz form overseas who can't speak "american" english?



I just hope that these punks don't try to do a remake of Enter the Dragon and cast someone like Stifler in the lead. Because then a whole lot of cans of whoopass will have to be opened.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 70
    hardeeharharhardeeharhar Posts: 4,841member
    angry much?



    being the smallest racial minority, what do you expect?
  • Reply 2 of 70
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hardeeharhar View Post


    angry much?



    being the smallest racial minority, what do you expect?



    Also, there have been at least a few part- or half-asians in lead roles in film and television. The late Brandon Lee, Keanu Reeves, Russell Wong, were all given lead roles. One thing linked them all, however. Really piss-poor acting skill (well, not so much with Lee, but he's dead - conspiracy?). Had these actors been any better... perhaps more lead roles for Asians would have opened up. But they set a precedent that will eventually be overcome by someone who happens to be a good actor.



    It's just going to take some time now that the damage has been done.
  • Reply 3 of 70
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    When he grows up, I say put him and Nick in a room and see who walks out!
  • Reply 4 of 70
    spindlerspindler Posts: 713member
    If there was money to be made by casting Asian Americans, then the studios would attempt to make it, as every other industry attempts to improve its products. Does the OP think that the studios should cast Asian Americans in roles if they think it will make them LESS MONEY?
  • Reply 5 of 70
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,439member
    Hollywood is the one place where they don't BS you about racial issues for the most part. Studio Execs would simply say that there's not a huge market for Asian leading men. I mean African Americans basically have Denzel and Will Smith and both of those guys are getting up there in age.



    There there does seem to be a slight sea change coming. I thought Sung Kang played Han from Tokyo Drift with charisma. He's a future talent.



    John Cho of ,Harold and Kumar, casts a likable character for young guys.



    Stalwarts include Chow Yun Fat and Ken Watanabe.



    The more Asian males that are cast in positions where they get to exude sex appeal and find success the more opportunities there will be. In Seattle I'm seeing more Asian male Caucasian female pairings which is a good sign.
  • Reply 6 of 70
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by O-Mac View Post


    Until these stupid studio executives are convinced that casting Asian-American Males in any lead roles will make them a dollar or two this same shyyt will continue to happen.



    News flash: studios produce movies in order to make money.
  • Reply 7 of 70
    Why bitch about it now? Why 21?



    I suspect that the main character in the movie is regarded as a hero among asian american males - possibly a person with whom they identify and believe that it represents them well - and, therefore, they believe it is not just for the role to be given in the movie to someone who's not asian.



    Just speculating.
  • Reply 8 of 70
    o-maco-mac Posts: 777member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    Why bitch about it now? Why 21?



    I suspect that the main character in the movie is regarded as a hero among asian american males - possibly a person with whom they identify and believe that it represents them well - and, therefore, they believe it is not just for the role to be given in the movie to someone who's not asian.



    Just speculating.



    A hero, my brother? No. this has nothing to do with hero's. This was a situation where the characters in this story (based on facts) were changed from Asian Americans to White Americans because the studio felt that the White face would appeal better to the larger audience.



    What bothers me is that nobody cares that the Asian American Male is ALWAYS being left out of good roles. Harold and Kumar is the funniest shyyt but bottom line, they still played "Stoners."

    ALL THE TIME.

    Go to Apple Trailers and tell me if you see ANY Asian AMERICAN MALES in a lead role. So, you're telling me that in just California alone, Hollywood can't find ONE, ONE Asian American Male talented enough and good looking enough to cast in a major role (in TV or in FILM)?????



    and who's the beotch that made the comment about being angry? why the he11 not? any fool who makes the comment to "get over it" most likely has their eyes closed and doesn't relate to the frustration and problems people feel about the misrepresentations. ESPECIALLY for those Asian American Male actors out there trying to make a living.



    How would you feel if Ashton Kutcher played the role of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr.?

    Sheeeee it, I'd be raising my eyebrows too.



    Can you IMAGINE how Bruce Lee felt when he found out that the role he DEVELOPED, WROTE and PITCHED for himself to Hollywood was given to a WHITE GUY because some STUDIO EXEC felt that a guy that "LOOKED" chinese wouldn't be accepted on prime time TV? Tell me that's not the DUMBEST thing you ever heard? I'm surprised Bruce didn't go Charles Bronson on those Execs.

    (Now, Kung Fu was a pretty good show and even :The Legend Continues was good but that doesn't make what those Studio Execs did to B.Lee right)

    FYI, if you don't know who Bruce Lee is then you're an ignorant oldface)



    What's really sad is that it's 2008. Almost (40) FORTY YEARS since the Civil Rights movement and this SHYYT is STILL going on. That there are studio people out in Hollywood who think like this. Sure it's all about the dead presidents but this just makes all that talk about DIVERSITY and MELTING POT sound hypocritical.



    Watch the documentary The Slanted Screen. And keep an open mind.

    http://www.amazon.com/Slanted-Screen...7526623&sr=8-1



    http://www.slantedscreen.com/
  • Reply 9 of 70
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Rob Schneider is 1/4th Asian-American.



    Can't you be happy with that?



  • Reply 10 of 70
    o-maco-mac Posts: 777member
    Rob Schneider is great!! The Schniedster...Schneidsteroni...



    And if he could open the doors for more quality Asian American Male actors out there then he'd be even better.



    and if he could get better roles than what Adam Sandler gives him once in a while then maybe people would be happy.



    But until then....
  • Reply 11 of 70
    hardeeharharhardeeharhar Posts: 4,841member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by O-Mac View Post


    and who's the beotch that made the comment about being angry? why the he11 not? any fool who makes the comment to "get over it" most likely has their eyes closed and doesn't relate to the frustration and problems people feel about the misrepresentations. ESPECIALLY for those Asian American Male actors out there trying to make a living.



    That would be me...



    Are you twelve?



    Just wondering, because at no point in your rants have you made a cohesive statement as to why there needs to be an Asian-American leading man in Hollywood. Even your examples suggest your tolerance of pigeon-holing Asian-American actors into Kung-Fu roles etc.



    So tell me, WHY does there NEED to be an Asian-American leading man?
  • Reply 12 of 70
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,032member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by O-Mac View Post


    Rob Schneider is great!! The Schniedster...Schneidsteroni...



    And if he could open the doors for more quality Asian American Male actors out there then he'd be even better.



    and if he could get better roles than what Adam Sandler gives him once in a while then maybe people would be happy.



    But until then....



    Oh stop. "Opening doors"...as if it's some kind of discrimination. Jesus.



    There isn't a market for Asian-American male actors. The studio execs have to follow the market.
  • Reply 13 of 70
    hardeeharharhardeeharhar Posts: 4,841member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    Oh stop. "Opening doors"...as if it's some kind of discrimination. Jesus.



    There isn't a market for Asian-American male actors. The studio execs have to follow the market.



    I wouldn't go that far, SDW...



    There just isn't a market for Asian-American leading-man actors...



    That being said, there are so few European-American leading-man actors, that I am not sure this complaint is justified...



    There certain;y are Asian-American actors on the small screen, they are getting work...
  • Reply 14 of 70
    o-maco-mac Posts: 777member
    "Nanananananananananana Boo Boo" would be a twelve year old reply.



    WHY does there NEED to be an Asian-American leading man? Why not? Maybe so young Asian boys in America could have someone to identify with?

    You might as well ask why should there be any [insert ethnicity here] leading men.

    They've had leading black, latino and white. Let's complete the circle!



    I'm sure a struggling Asian American Male actor in hollywood trying to get his big break would jump at the chance at a leading role to get away form playing delivery boys or zero-dimensional villains or the blurry restaurant patron in the background.



    It all comes down to getting a chance to get somewhere my friend. And as you an I well know, when the doors close on your face, you're gonna get mad at some point. And at some point you're gonna rant and rave like a crazy noodlehead.



    If I offended you by my non-sensical rant, "SO sorry..I go back to eating cat and dog now. No hanky my wanky.."



    I say, "Can't we all just get along? And give that young Asian kid who flunked out of college a major role in a major motion picture because he can act! And he'll make us a LOT of money too."



    Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it
  • Reply 15 of 70
    hardeeharharhardeeharhar Posts: 4,841member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by O-Mac View Post


    WHY does there NEED to be an Asian-American leading man? Why not? Maybe so young Asian boys in America could have someone to identify with?

    You might as well ask why should there be any [insert ethnicity here] leading men.

    They've had leading black, latino and white. Let's complete the circle!



    Sorry?



    I don't think that the standard bearers of minority actors got their chance at being leading men because someone on top thought there needed to be one to so to speak complete the circle. Maybe there just isn't any good Asian talent out there? Maybe those Asian parent's are pushing would-be actors into Medical School (my Hawaiian friend's parents are disappointed that he pursued a PhD in biophysics over medical school...)...



    For whatever economic reason, there aren't Asian-American lead actors, but demanding one arises is a bit idiotic...
  • Reply 16 of 70
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hardeeharhar View Post


    Sorry?



    I don't think that the standard bearers of minority actors got their chance at being leading men because someone on top thought there needed to be one to so to speak complete the circle. Maybe there just isn't any good Asian talent out there? Maybe those Asian parent's are pushing would-be actors into Medical School (my Hawaiian friend's parents are disappointed that he pursued a PhD in biophysics over medical school...)...



    For whatever economic reason, there aren't Asian-American lead actors, but demanding one arises is a bit idiotic...



    Bingo. There also aren't too many american rock stars of far-eastern heritage. I'm trying to think of some, and I can think of a few half-breeds and John Myung from Dream Theater. FWIW he plays the bass because it has the same number of strings as a violin.
  • Reply 17 of 70
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    I am deeply concerned about the lack of white, male European leads in Bollywood flicks.
  • Reply 18 of 70
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    Bingo. There also aren't too many american rock stars of far-eastern heritage. I'm trying to think of some, and I can think of a few half-breeds and John Myung from Dream Theater. FWIW he plays the bass because it has the same number of strings as a violin.



    Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha is asian.
  • Reply 19 of 70
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,439member
    Many are missing the point.



    If the original team was mostly Asian and Hollywood decides that that's not palatable in America then there "is" a problem.



    These are the same people that get up and crow about how progressive they are at the Academy Awards. The question is. If they're so "accustomed" to changing things to deliver the most dollars then as a consumer I should be suspect of "any" historical portrayal Hollywood chooses to cover.



    Integrity is a characteristic I'd like to see more of in Hollywood.
  • Reply 20 of 70
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    O-Mac, you might want to learn something about making points in ways that don't make everyone want to disagree with you. You bring up a good issue about the dearth of leading, high-profile roles for Asian-American male actors in Hollywood. Asian-Americans make up 5% of all Americans, and I don't think I've seen 5 leading Asian-American male actors out of the last 100 movies made. I think most people here would agree that, you know what, maybe they are wrongfully underrepresented in the mass-media, and maybe they should get a few more roles than they already do. But you know, you approached it a little more hysterically than most people have the patience for. So think about that at least.
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