Daniel Henney lands CBS pilot
Daniel Henney, coming off his action movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has a new project lined up, and it’s for a U.S. drama pilot. He’s been cast in Three Rivers, a drama in development at CBS.
Three Rivers stars Julia Ormond and takes a look at organ transplants from three perspectives: doctors, donors, recipients. Ormond plays a doctor at Three Rivers Hospital, while another doctor character will be played by Alex O’Loughlin (remember that awful, awful Angel-wannabe vampire show Moonlight? Yeah, he’s the guy from that. To be fair, the show sucked but he was the only decent thing about it).
The series comes from writer and exec producer Carol Barbee, who ran the CBS dramas Jericho and Judging Amy. Henney accepted the casting offer early last month and headed to the States to shoot the pilot. His character is apparently a kidney/liver/pancreas transplant specialist.
Before you get excited (and it’s a soft CBS non-procedural, so really, there’s no reason to get excited), this is just a pilot. Meaning, it has not yet been picked up for a series order. (CBS’s advertising upfront presentation is on May 20, which is when they’ll unveil their fall lineup.)
Via My Daily, The Futon Critic, The Hollywood Reporter
Here’s a blogger’s (negative) review on the pilot script.
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Tags: Daniel Henney, Hollywood
OH God.
I mean, he was better in X-Men than KSS or (shudder), Spring Waltz, but he was definitely near the bottom of the acting pool in that film.
Butttttt, I’ll probably still be sucked into watching the pilot if/when it ever shows on TV.
Hmm…I am still not a fan of Daniel Henney as an actor after watching “My Name is Kim Sam Soon,” that movie with Uhm Jung Hwa, and “Wolverine.” His acting is not horrible, but……it’s also not good. I’m not able to get into that whole “suspension of disbelief” when I watch him in action. He’s a lot better at the modeling thing. I wish him luck, and if the series gets picked up, I may sneak a peek at episode 1 to see if there’s been any improvement.
I laughed at his wooden acting in “Seducing Mr.Perfect”, but he was much better in “My Father”. Good luck to him with this pilot.
Is it wrong that I automatically thought “nooooo… don’t do a series! people will know how much you suck at acting!
He’s better off doing action movies or anything that doesn’t require him to, you know, really act.
I can see it now:
Daniel Henney as a wealthy kidney/liver/pancreas transplant specialist:
“This patient has no kidney, liver and/or pancreas! And I’m her wealthy kidney/liver/pancreas transplant specialist!”
Works for me. Better him than nobody. I mean, for the patient. What would the patient do without her kidney/liver/pancreas transplant specialist?
and I’ll be honest. Daniel Henney might be a catalyst for more asian male actors, even if Daniel is only half-asian?
Now that everyone has had their laugh for the morning the only thing left to comment on is how Clark Kent-ish that picture looks… Maybe its just that shade of blue with the black frame glasses and a cheesy smile.
I feel immensely proud of Daniel Henney for “making it” in the West — a place hostile to Asian talent. Also, because I feel that I got to watch his journey — from humble beginnings (and unusual route) to now, this CBS slot feels personal in many ways.
I hope the pilot is good and gets picked up. If not, he can dust himself off and try again. Regardless of where his future lies, I hope he never turns his back on that first industry that welcomed him (stiff “acting” and all) so generously.
when i read the title of this article i was like “what?”.
@7 Nom Kitteh –
“I feel immensely proud of Daniel Henney for “making it” in the West — a place hostile to Asian talent. Also, because I feel that I got to watch his journey — from humble beginnings (and unusual route) to now, this CBS slot feels personal in many ways. I hope the pilot is good and gets picked up. If not, he can dust himself off and try again. Regardless of where his future lies, I hope he never turns his back on that first industry that welcomed him (stiff “acting” and all) so generously.”
My problem is that as proud as I am that Daniel Henney is getting shots at making it on television and the movies, really, there are so many, so so many talented Asian and Asian-American actors out there who cannot get shots because they are “too asian looking” (basically, in this culture, absent any sex appeal). So Daniel Henney is sort of like the Sarah Palin of Asian American actors – kind of low on substance, but chosen because of their high marks for visual appeal. The same goes for Dennis Oh (O’Neil).
Daniel Henney, from everything that I know or have heard about him, is a class act. He is a gentleman, he is patient and kind to fans and strangers, he is thoughtful on the job and he works very hard for what he tries to do. In many ways, he is the perfect guy – handsome, rich, thoughtful, and a good guy. If I had a younger sister, and she was dating Daniel Henney, I would be happy for her (as long as she was happy too). But he’s no Marlon Brando, and that’s not a slam – almost nobody is Marlon Brando.
And this is totally unfair to anyone, especially to him, but I really want Daniel Henney TO BE Marlon Brando, because it is that important to the future of Asian American actors.
The better of an actor that Daniel is, the more doors open for all Asian actors and Asian American actors. But I don’t think Daniel has that kind of acting chops to be able to push open the door to Asia, and therefore, to other Koreans and Korean-americans.
So, if the CBS drama Three Rivers does do well and gets picked up for a season or more, I sort of don’t want Daniel Henney to be there, sucking up air and space, when a different Asian or Asian-American actor with more talent could be setting the set on fire with talent.
DH hasn’t “made it” yet in Hollywood.
At least it’s nice to see Hollywood finally offering him non-stereotypical AM roles (that’s the reason why he didn’t jump to Hollywood earlier).
Hopefully, DH’s acting will get less wooden over time (but then again, Keanu Reeves seems to be doing very well despite his wooden acting).
On a side note, DH looks much better w/ shorter hair – he simply cannot pull off the longer hair look.
@ Samsooki – I dunno, I’ve always found Daniel Henney more sexless than other Asians/Asian-Americans. He’s got the halfie thing going for him, but it didn’t give him a whole lot of sex appeal. (Or maybe I just think that way because he’s such a wooden actor. XD)
To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about this. The plot doesn’t sound all that interesting to me. Or rather, it does, but I’m afraid they’re going to botch it up.
Also, “Three Rivers Hospital”? That totally reminds me of a really awful joke my dad told me when I was younger, about a dog named Three Rivers licking plates clean.. (“Are these plates clean?” “Of course! They’ve been cleaned by Three Rivers!”)
Jin-ah that was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the pic…Clark Kent much:)
Javabeans….*tear* I actually liked Moonlight, and that was mostly because Alex did some great acting. I hope this pilot works out.
WOW! I actually get what Samsooki is stating here… and is a little bothered by it that I, more than somewhat, agrees with him but I adore Daniel Henney and the villian that he was in X-Men and the loving hearthrob American doctor in MNIKSS.
But I don’t see depth. But just like anyone, only time will tell of his growth. And I have time. So I’ll keep watching him…grow. He will grow.
so Samsooki, which Korean actor would you want to be the Marlon Brando to start the flame? Me, Uhm Tae Woong and or Kang Ji Hwan. I see depth and variety, and growth with these two.
I can name a crap load of bad actors and actresses that have gained massive popularity…and I can also throw in some mediocre singers for that matter too! Talent does not always net the greatest results. It comes down to timing, hard work and sometimes the ‘it’ factor.
Daniel Henney is not an A-list actor and sure, some of his performances have been cringe-worthy, but by all accounts he is working hard at becoming better. Let’s not discount the fact that he is (was) the odd man out in Korea. When he started, he ‘looked’ the part, but really that was all. He was an American that did not speak Korean, nor would have been familiar with societal customs. He’s turned that around, learned to speak Korean and has managed to find a niche for himself in a foreign country. That’s pretty impressive (ah, jeez…I can’t believe I’m defending Daniel Henney so vehemently…hahahahaha)
@ Nom Kitteh (p.s. I love your moniker) “I feel immensely proud of Daniel Henney for “making it” in the West — a place hostile to Asian talent”
Can I just point out here that there has never been a non-Korean lead in any Korean drama series that I have seen (Daniel Henney and Dennis O’Neal don’t count)! The only time I have seen a non-Asian actor actually have a role with any substance at all, was in ‘Antique Bakery’. So, I find it really interesting that Hollywood gets the short end of the stick when they don’t maintain ethnic diversity in their filming, but yet Korea, Japan et al can continue to maintain the status quo (and yes, I understand that Canada & the US have a more ethnically diverse audience and hence the greater demand).
And really, everyone…let’s not forget that not every actor can be as well-rounded and fantastic as my Johnny Depp!
You can’t tell me not to be excited. I am!
Even though I still don’t think his acting is amazing, it’s kind of one of those things that make you really proud. Like, no one here really knows who he is, but I do and I’m like a proud little mama watching her little boy go out into the world. Yeah, lame metaphor, but that’s how I feel!
(Although if this show does kick off, I hope they give him some sexuality. Going into what Samsooki said during the last open thread, I hope they don’t make him sexless just because he’s Asian. Make him into a sex machine, dammit! With that face and body, how could he not be??!!)
Did anyone see the X-men movie? Was he good in it? I might watch it this weekend but I’m not sure yet.
I don’t see this show being picked up by CBS. Unless it’s a procedural with a lot of autopsies, cleavage shots, or Simon Baker (SQQUEEEEEEE!!!), CBS ain’t interested.
Still think it would be sweet if Daniel Henney and Han Ye Seul did a remake of MNIKSS in the States. They can call it “My Name is Leslie, Bitch.”
@Samsooki,
““This patient has no kidney, liver and/or pancreas! And I’m her wealthy kidney/liver/pancreas transplant specialist!””
Danny, MD: Who IS this specialist? He has no kidney, liver, and/or pancreas.
Nurse: It’s Mr. Duff Man.
Duff Man: Duff Beer. Liver damage. Oohhh yeah. *cough* *cough*
Danny, MD: I need a scalpel. And I need to see you after surgery. *wink*
Nurse: Oh Danny oppa *pout* *wiggle*
Duff Man: O-P-W oohhhh yeah. *passes out from missing kidney, liver, and/or pancreas*
Am I the only one who thinks Daniel Henney can act? And no, I’m not so sucked into his good looks that it overshadows everything else. I didn’t finish watch MNIKSS, but I did watch the episode where he and Jeong Ryeo-won lie around and talk about how gorgeous he is, and I thought he was so natural in that. But I can pass that off as, well, compared to others who try to speak in English, he sounded good so maybe I was fooled by my glee at finding an actor who is hot AND speaks excellent English.
But then I watched “Seducing Mr. Perfect” and thought he was good as the uptight-but-becomes-a-softie-when-he-finds-true-love character. The idea that his acting was less than satisfactory didn’t even occur to me.
And I thought he was great in “My Father.” An emotional piece that is such a turnaround from his fluffier previous roles.
As for “Wolverine,” I thought he held his own in his own way. I mean, Agent Zero is supposed to be the coolheaded one (as I imagine sharpshooters to be), and so there’s not a whole lot of room for “personality”. I mean, Ryan Reynolds stole the show in the moments he was on screen, but that’s because his character was given that goofier side to him. I think when you consider the role that Henney took on, he did well.
Which brings me to this CBS pilot. I think he can be a transplant specialist, and I see him in the hospital, playing that levelheaded yet charming guy who’s gonna get his patients to crack a smile while being super professional about it as well.
And for what Samsooki said, I agree there are better Korean-American actors out there (hello, pervy guy in Dexter…), but it’s sort of unfair to just assume that Henney got this opportunity because of just his pretty face when others may do a better job. You never know if Henney will surprise you. Give the guy some credit for getting his foot in the door.
@samsooki
did you imply that being asian looking = lack of sex appeal?
@belleza
OMG YES, SIMON BAKER! Yeeeeeeeeeees! *makes fangirly dance*
Ahem. *coughs*
And no matter however I look at it, I still think DH was waaaayyyyy better in Spring Waltz than in MNIKSS (maybe cos in KSS he sticked to English most of the time). The only thing that was less than decent in SW was the constant switching back and forth from English, which I wouldn’t have minded so much if Philip’s (Daniel Henney’s?) knowledge of Korean had been constant. I mean, in one scene he seemed to understand advanced Korean and in the next he was still having troubles with 안녕하세요. LOL And yes, his performance was less than stellar in both dramas (understatement of the century!), but I don’t think he was that awful.
Anyway, let’s see what he can do in this series. That is, if it even gets picked up. There’re waaaayyy too many medical tvshows out there so it’s going to be tough.
Javabeans, I’m pretty sad you said Moonlight was awful..:-(.. I really loved that show, especially Alex O’Loughlin.. Everytime he showed up, I smiled like an idiot.
.. or I probably just watch first epi. Thank you for the info, as always.. great job!
The first few episodes were good, then the story started to fall but I still liked it a lot.. oh well…
Anyway… another ‘hospital’ drama, huh.. I’ll pass..
Maybe his acting won’t come off so wooden in an English setting? After all, I don’t think you can hold his acting in Wolverine against him (his character was terribly written….like most of the characters in that movie, but I digress). So maybe surrounded by a cast speaking the same language, in a show made in a language he is fluent in, we’ll see an improvement? For what its worth, I don’t think he was that bad in MNIKSS – I found his interactions with JRW cute.
@13, tha,
Hard to say, exactly. The problem is that the pre-reqs for this kind of a tv drama series absolutely require perfect English (American neutral accent), and that rules out just about every Korean actor of any renown. As for Asian-American male actors, the problem is that so few have been given good opportunities, it is difficult to say whether the talented Asian Am actors exhibited in variouis festivals and limited releases and shorts and theatre productions will ever be given the opportunity to show their abilities.
Television and movies are big business, and if the demand from the audience isn’t there, then even if roles come up where they “should” be given roles, it is difficult to justify putting Asian actors in there.
http://www.manaa.org/paramountdiscriminates.html These guys can complain all they want, but considering it from the producer’s standpoint, it’s a huge risk to put Asian actors out as the leads on any production with significant budget.
That’s why, when a plum role DOES come along, whoever is in that role really has to smash the role to pieces, otherwise, the next time, it won’t go to any Asian american actor.
@18, bama -
Yes, unfortunately, in this country, being male and asian looking has meant that you aren’t an object of sexual desire.
@16, Belleza,
Oh belleza, I will be there with doo-boo in hand, waiting for you once you get out of the crazy house. I miss you like crazy, but get better soon and I’ll be there with a package of doo-boo for you.
“So, I find it really interesting that Hollywood gets the short end of the stick when they don’t maintain ethnic diversity in their filming, but yet Korea, Japan et al can continue to maintain the status quo (and yes, I understand that Canada & the US have a more ethnically diverse audience and hence the greater demand).”
—————————
Tippy – you are comparing apples and oranges.
Korea, Japan, etc, are still pretty much homogeneous countries – while the US and Canada have significantly more variety in their citizenry (plus, how many non-Koreans can speak Korean fluently AND act?).
It’s like saying that Hollywood shouldn’t have any prominent roles offered to black actors like Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, etc. since the US isn’t a black-majority country.
Also keep in mind that Hollwood hasn’t been nearly as hesitant in casting Asian-Am female actors in roles as they have been w/ AA male actors (if they are going to ignore Asian-Americans, why ignore just one gender?).
Plus, it’s not like the Korean film industry hasn’t had whites in leading roles in a no. of films (“Dragon Wars”, “Please Teach Me English”, etc.).
—————————
And oh, DH was godawful in “Seducing Mr. Perfect” (not that the film was any good either).
@23, bd,
You know what I want?
I want there to be a change of thinking in the United States, such that Asian American guys aren’t invisible, except for the stereotypical stuff:
1. martial arts experts
2. nerds
3. restaurant/grocer/dry cleaning owners who keep to themselves.
And for that to happen, I’d like to see Asian American actors who break those stereotypes visually AND who can act AND who are pleasant to look at, by both males and females, be ready to seize the rare opportunities when they arise.
Example:
Belleza brought up Simon Baker, but I bring up Tim Kang, an ensemble cast member who was “lead” in the Episode 14: Crimson Casanova, which was aired just a few months ago. This was the very FIRST time in my whole life, that I’ve seen an Asian American playing the role of a hottie, and actually getting all sorts of women to be attracted to him:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1363404/
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_mentalist/video/video.php?cid=826506103&pid=lXDD3f78X9_7fwgqZHf2YDLOjjte4Pjr
The second link shows the clip (around 1:40) where Tim Kang as Kimball Cho as a cop undercover to be a hottie and succeeds… This is clever, sort of like how Star Trek did the first inter-racial kiss by having O’Hura and Kirk (but being forced to by alien telekinesis), so a black and white person kiss without really voluntarily doing so…
Progress is slow to find, even in this day and age…
I like his face and his acting. His body ain’t half bad either.
Daniel Henney may not be the most talented actor out there, but, he is not that bad either.
I liked him in MNIKSS, I always thought that some of the awkwardness that came across in the english-speaking scenes was down to the iffy dialog and not the actors. To me, he came across as rather sweet and likable.
With regards to Wolverine, I thought he was great. Ok, he didn’t have to say much, but I bought him as Agent Zero.
Frankly, the premise of this show doesn’t excite me, but I hope it does get picked up. This may open the door to more interesting projects for Henney.
What can I say? I like the guy.
Belleza, I really am laughing out loud! (:
@ db
“It’s like saying that Hollywood shouldn’t have any prominent roles offered to black actors like Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, etc. since the US isn’t a black-majority country.”
It’s not like saying that at all. I’m just suggesting we look at the other side of the coin, so to speak. Diversity is a tough issue…and I suppose the issue of ethnic diversity in Hollywood is the most prominent as it’s the farthest reaching in terms of audience.
I’m all for new faces from all places on screen everywhere!
@Mie
Well it is not an assumption it is a fact. Daniel Henney got the role because of his looks not his acting ability(which leaves little to be desired)
@Samsooki
I don’t think Daniel Henney will be opening the doors for Asian-American actors to come into as Will Yun Lee, Daniel Dae Kim, Kim Yun Jin and quite of other talented asian-american actors have already started doing it. Also I have funky feeling Daniel is trying to pull away from Korea altogether and I saw his bitchy attitude on that show with those three ladies. He acted like he was embarrassed whereas Hugh was having fun.
@ Tippy #14
The MAJOR difference is that Asia frequently imports Hollywood movies and TV shows. If you go to the theater, almost half the movies are all foreign.
Not only that, but sometimes they will even broadcast Hollywood drama series on nationwide TV.
And there are also tons of commercials, magazine ads, and HUGE billboards with non-Asian models.
So I would have much less beef with this issue if America also imported over a significant amount of Asian media and entertainment.
* * *
@ Samsooki
CBS does have a show called The Mentalist that features Tim Kang in a really awesome role.
He’s cool, suave, no-accent, and even though he’s not the main character, he’s the best thing on the show.
@14, Tippy:
“So, I find it really interesting that Hollywood gets the short end of the stick when they don’t maintain ethnic diversity in their filming, but yet Korea, Japan et al can continue to maintain the status quo (and yes, I understand that Canada & the US have a more ethnically diverse audience and hence the greater demand).”
I guess my reply to that is that Hollywood tends to see things in black and white, literally. That’s why you’ll find that ER + Chicago Hope + Private Practice + Grey’s Anatomy, over the years of all their seasons, combined, these shows have had exactly zero Asian-American males as doctors. Zero. As in nothing. Compare that to the number of actual Asian guys you find in med school and/or are doctors now…. what does that tell you?
It tells you that Asian American guys aren’t seen as being credible as smart, sexy professionals. These shows aren’t meant to portray medicine so much as it is to portray beautiful people who are smart and who work hard. Basically, the smexiest people you can find (smexy = smart and sexy).
***
If you contrast that with the situation in Korea and Japan, the reason for the absence of white people playing lead roles in Korean dramas is that they don’t speak Korean well enough to merit a lead role, and, in a supporting role, the content of the dramas themselves don’t really lend themselves well to opening because of the homogeneity of the ethnic groups in Korea.
Supporting roles tend to be stock (i.e., the “best friend” or the “co-worker” or the “older brother” or the “younger sister” or the “boss”) and so these supporting roles tend to go to Korean people, because that’s what’s stock, and that portrays what is realistic in today’s Korean society.
@29, Jessica,
Yeap! Simon Baker is quite dreamy from an objective standpoint, but Tim Kang does a great job, and he really was something to behold in Episode 14.
If you guys haven’t seen Episode 14 of the Mentalist, you are in for a treat. I’ve watched TV since Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and this episode is the first I’ve ever seen where an Asian guy confidently and successfully picks up non-Asian women.
“the content of the dramas themselves don’t really lend themselves well to opening because of the homogeneity of the ethnic groups in Korea.”
Not just that. Until very recently, it was very difficult for Koreans of mixed race to get major parts on TV due to severe social stigma dating back to the war. The fact that you even saw a Daniel Henney in a big role K-drama was a big step forward.
“I don’t think Daniel Henney will be opening the doors for Asian-American actors to come into as Will Yun Lee, Daniel Dae Kim, Kim Yun Jin and quite of other talented asian-american”
Though I also think it kinda sucks that the majority of Asian American actors represented are, well, all Korean American. So whenever I see an Korean American comic, I also feel vaguely alienated too.
@dwilliams
i’m sure his place played a part, but you can’t state as a fact that he got the role because of his looks. i think a lot of people assume that beautiful people just get by on their looks in the entertainment business (and i’m sure some do), but there are auditions and stages you pass in order to get that final spot. i’m sure producers are a lot smarter and know that a pretty face will only get you so far. and no one can say what daniel henney went through to get roles like agent zero and this new one, except daniel henney himself.
@mie,
“but you can’t state as a fact that he got the role because of his looks. ”
I’m sure Daniel Henney did (and uhh so are the majority of would-be Korean actors), but I also think Asian Americans kinda overestimate how “hot” he is to, well, a population that probably thinks all white people look alike. Shrug.
@ Samsooki…
Yes, yes, I agree that there is a lack of asian men on American tv, as well as many other cultural groups! I’m not debating that issue at all.
“If you contrast that with the situation in Korea and Japan, the reason for the absence of white people playing lead roles in Korean dramas is that they don’t speak Korean well enough to merit a lead role…”
~ What about the ‘Misuda’ ladies??…their Korean in pretty good by all accounts!
“…and, in a supporting role, the content of the dramas themselves don’t really lend themselves well to opening because of the homogeneity of the ethnic groups in Korea”
~ Don’t forget that to some extent, Japan and Korea are homogeneous by choice. In fact, in Japan, you cannot become a Japanese citizen if you are not ethnically Japanese, nor can you maintain a duo citizenship with any other country. Though, I’m not sure what the rules are for Korea.
But I digress, and I certainly don’t want to turn this forum into a racial debate. I just wanted to point out that there is a marked lack of ethnic diversity on screen in many countries, not just in North America. It goes both ways…
Samsooki, Tim Kang has always been awesome in The Mentalist, imho, right from the get go. Sure, he was great in Crimson Casanova, but I find his dry witty humor to be great and we got to see *that* from the start (side note: humor is sexy for me for some reason). He’s always been hot in TM though I can see where you’re coming from. I recall you mentioning Dexter and C.S.Lee, who much as I appreciate his acting skills, I have to say his character on D majorly disappoints me. Anyway, I’m glad Tim Kang is on The Mentalist.
“That’s why you’ll find that ER + Chicago Hope + Private Practice + Grey’s Anatomy, over the years of all their seasons, combined, these shows have had exactly zero Asian-American males as doctors.”
*ponders* Huh, you’re right. There have been Asian-American female doctors…Christina on Grey’s, Jing-Mei on ER, but no guys. *scratches head* Ah, I’ve thought about European Tvshows, and more specifically, tvshows of my country and that’s pretty much the same thing here. Although here, guys of Asian descent are either cops (and the nerdy ones at that. ie those who place bugs and are good with computers -think hackers- or cops undercover, posing as gangsters) or gangsters.
“There have been Asian-American female doctors…Christina on Grey’s, Jing-Mei on ER, but no guys.”
Yup, there’s a bunch of gender-centric racial rules that go along with it. Which uhhh goes into how Asian women and American men are viewed by white men and women differently in the States . . . .
whoops meant “face” in the first line of #33
Hm…Daniel Henney along side Julia Ormand…I haven’t seen her in ages (and had actually thought she retired from the biz). Will his acting measure up to hers? Most likely not, but at least, it’s a start.
Add Ryan Reynolds to the cast of Three Rivers, and I’d tune in.
He was hilarious in The Proposal.
It’s a [much too?] slow process, but Asian actors are gradually starting to appear in the mainstream without being pigeon-holed into the ‘token’ Asian roles, which I’m glad of. I remember when Grey’s Anatomy started and thinking here was finally a role [Sandra Oh's] where the Asian actor doesn’t play the ‘token’ Asian character. Same with Tim Kang in the Cingular and other commercials. It’s about time. Let’s hope we get the smexy Asian male doctors/lawyers/FBI agents soon, too.
I guess I should check out The Mentalist. What’s the show about?
OK, this thread is going crazy…
what i want to say is i watched X-Men Origins: Wolverine ages ago and i didn’t even recognize DH in it…i only realised after reading this!
Which is crazy because i would recognize a Korean actor anywhere….exspecialy in a big budget film like this!
so why didn’t i recognize him?
Hero’s!
One of the main guy is very Indian! if anyone noticed! forgot his name…i haven’t watched it in a while, but he’s a good actor!
The Mentalist my Lil bros are addicted to it and prison break, doll house, fringe [i think that's wot its called], hero’s, gossip girl, what else is there? i think they watch everything….also night rider!
I sometime walk in on them and watch a bit, but to tell you honestly non of it makes sense…they also don’t understand why i watch Korean dramas, so i guess where equal!
The Mentalist is about a guy who works out crimes using his brain [lol]…..he’s supposed to be really clever and can read ppls body language and tell if there hiding something and stuff like that.
I think….it’s more deep….anyone?
@ Tippy # 35
Sorry if it seems like I’m targeting your comments, but like I mentioned in my previous comment, there is no lack of ethnic diversity on screens in Asia because almost half the movies in Asian theaters feature non-Asians.
And in fact if you look at the total Asian media landscape it’s actually much more diverse than other Western countries since they import over a lot of foreign media.
“Yup, there’s a bunch of gender-centric racial rules that go along with it. Which uhhh goes into how Asian women and American men are viewed by white men and women differently in the States . . .”
Unfortunately, it’s not only limited to the US.
Anyway, took me forever but I found one character who’s Asian-American and a doctor. B.D. Wong played a psychiatrist on Law&Order:SVU. That’s not much, but it’s an example. Which I think is amazing. I recall watching one of his interviews in which he talked about growing up as Asian-American, a gay man on top of that, and also about the stereotypes we’ve been discussing here. I gotta find that interview. BRB
HE CAN’T ACT!!! HE’S NOTHING BUT A PRETTY FACE ON THE SCENE (probably the only reason he gets any acting gig).
ACK, can’t find it. I found this http://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/2009/01/09/bd-wong-on-growing-up-asian-and-gay/ but it’s not the one I mentioned.
@Jessica,
“And in fact if you look at the total Asian media landscape it’s actually much more diverse than other Western countries since they import over a lot of foreign media.”
Ehhhhh not so much if you compare Asian TV to Europe. The States isn’t a good reference point.
@sere,
“Unfortunately, it’s not only limited to the US.”
Let’s put it this way. The day you see an Asian male gigolo in a TV show randomly sleeping with women from all races, then you’ll know Samsooki has finally made it to Hollywood. The world is finally ready for Steve Oppa.
Also worth mentioning that Asian Americans don’t actually have it that bad in the bigger scheme of things. If you’re of Middle Eastern descent, it must suck that every other character is a terrorist, a terrorist wannabe, or just really good with bombs.
But, yeah, if we get Korean Jedis from the Kingdom of Goryeo who specialize in homoerotic flirtation (boy love FTW), that would be really inspirational. Make it so Samsooki.
mmmm…… Daniel H looks more like an american than asian, doesnt he? yeah, Very Clark Kent-ish even without the glasses.
The thought that he was able to penetrate Hollywood, he must have had something that caught the casting staff’s eye…. body? face? …there are quite a lot of male actors (wannabes,amateurs and old timers)in Hollywood who have, if not better, similar bodies and face shapes…. popularity?….nobody knows him here in US…. maybe he’s acting is improving and is getting worthy of the shots….
am not a fan of his, but just knowing he’s half asian makes me smile!
@47 Belleza
AM LMAO!!!!! Samsooki must be really really hot!!!!
WOW!! That is a big step though..but still.
@47, Belleza,
You are too wise, too knowledgeable. I feel undressed by your cutlery! Instead of dooboo, I’m going to be standing at mental hospital gate, waiting for your release with a bag of dduk.
I want to respond in depth to Tippy and Samsooki and a couple of others, but OMG, my brain is completely fried after a long day of work (CAN SOMEONE HOOK ME UP WITH A RICH MAN PLEASE? I don’t care what he looks like — please let him look like Kim Kang-woo — I just need him to be rich and willing to pay my expenses).
OKThnxBai
I don’t know what it is about CBS but most of their dramas make me drowsy. CSI is okay (the original, not the eye-roll inducing Miami spin-off) and I guess Criminal Minds does have its merits at times but the other shows on that network are just lame. I wish Daniel Henney all the best but I think that I will most likely miss the show because of the uninspired synopsis and the network’s history of choosing shows that I don’t like.
@Samsooki and belleza
LMAO…you two are a riot
On the topic of Daniel Henney…I’m glad he’s getting the chance to be on the pilot (and if the pilot does get picked up, even better), but I agree there are better Asian American actors out there. It is frustrating about the lack of Asian American actors on television, especially Asian American males. Though I am glad there has been some significant increase in South Asian actors, especially on medical dramas (I mean with 1 out of 4 or 5 doctors in the US are of SA descent—)
On Tim Kang—he’s a cutie
I’m glad he’s on the Mentalist…oh and that Simon Baker is too 
@ Tippy -
As for the other side of coin, we can talk when Korea, Japan, etc. get a significant pop. of European, African or whatever-Koreans, etc.
As for the representation of Asian-Ams in the US, I’d rather have zero than the lop-sided representation that we have, where Asian-Am females are significantly more represented in the media (Hollywood/Madison Ave.) than AA males (the only group where females are more represented than the males are Asians in the US).
@ belleza
“but I also think Asian Americans kinda overestimate how “hot” he is to, well, a population that probably thinks all white people look alike. Shrug.”
- Huh?
Uhh, living in a white-dominated society, Asian-Americans are generally no different than whites in judging the attractiveness of whites.
As for DH, while he is a good-looking guy, he doesn’t hold a candle to Korean actors like Kim Sung Soo and Oh Ji Ho. And others like Jo Han Sun, Yoo Gun and Joo Jin Mo would give him a run for the $$.
Speaking of Sandra Oh’s character on “Grey’s” and Ming-Na’s character on “ER” (Ming-Na also starred as the short-lived medical drama “Inconceivable”), as well as Parminder Nagra’s character on “ER” – they all had non-Asian love interests.
In fact, for both Sandra Oh and Ming-Na (as well as Asian-American/Canadian actresses of note such as Lucy Lui, Grace Park, Kelly Hu, etc.) – pretty much all of their roles w/ love interests consisted of being partnered w/ a non-Asian male character.
You don’t even get to see an Asian male father figure (the mother of Sandra Oh’s character on Grey’s was remarried to a Jewish guy).
@ sere
“Anyway, took me forever but I found one character who’s Asian-American and a doctor. B.D. Wong played a psychiatrist on Law&Order:SVU. That’s not much, but it’s an example. Which I think is amazing. I recall watching one of his interviews in which he talked about growing up as Asian-American, a gay man on top of that, and also about the stereotypes we’ve been discussing here. I gotta find that interview.”
- Otoh, BD Wong’s character on SVU is totally ASEXUAL – unlike for the other characters, there is no mention ever of his character ever being in any sort of relationship.
And in that interview, Wong stated that growing up, he had more problems/issues w/ his self-esteem in being an Asian male than he had w/ being gay.
How messed up is that?
@ belleza
“Also worth mentioning that Asian Americans don’t actually have it that bad in the bigger scheme of things. If you’re of Middle Eastern descent, it must suck that every other character is a terrorist, a terrorist wannabe, or just really good with bombs.”
- Actually, Hollywood, for the most part, has stopped portraying Middle Easterners as terrorists and when they do (pretty much only on “24″), they try to mitigate such portrayal by having “good guy” Middle Eastern characters.
On “24″ – there have been 2 different seasons where Arab males were shown dating/marrying the “All American” blonde and on “Lost” Sayid had a romance w/ another blonde while the writers originally were going to have Sun (Yunjin Kim) leave her husband for the black male character.
Already that’s more times than network TV has shown an Asian-American male w/ a WF, much less an AF.
@ meiko
“mmmm…… Daniel H looks more like an american than asian, doesnt he? yeah, Very Clark Kent-ish even without the glasses. ”
By “American” do you mean Native-American, African-American or other?
And DH really looks no more “American” than Korean actors like Kim Sung Soo, Oh Ji Ho and others.
@ Jessica -
I don’t feel like I’m being targeted at all…I enjoy the debate and this type of forum always allows for an oppourtunity to learn something new, or see something from another viewpoint!
At the risk of flogging a dead horse, I’m not referring to American films/programs that are being shown in Asia…those don’t count as those programs are essentially imports. I mean local Korean/Japanese productions…written by, directed by and paid for by Asian film companies.
Language skills aside, I’m not entirely convinced that a non-Asian actor would be cast in a leading role in a local production in Korea or Japan…which would then make the non-Asian residents of said countries feel under-represented there.
Does that make sense?? I don’t want to seem obtuse or insensitive in any way…it’s just that I watch Asian films/dramas (hence my daily addiction to this site) and find that I don’t really see anyone of any other ethic groups represented in those productions either.
As for Hollywood, I do agree with hjkomo…I think the ‘facial’ landscape is changing, slowly, very slowly, but surely…
AHA!! SAMSOOKI!!!
I just remembered a good looking, smexy MALE ASIAN DOCTOR role!!!!
Jack Yang (*squeal*) played a doctor that was wooing Lucy Lui on Cashmere Mafia! Oooh, oooh…and he played a BRAIN SURGEON to boot!
Sad that it’s only one example, but an example it is!!
I don’t really want to see yet another hospital/doctor/medical drama on tv, but as long as there’s some nice eye-candy why should I complain? ;D
And I liked Moonlight … helluva lot better than Ghost Whisperer …
@bd
Totally off topic, and I’m not trying to make a big deal out of anything, but I don’t think there really is any attempt in Hollywood to portray Middle Easterner’s as “good guys”. The portrayal of Middle Easterners (especially recently) in the media hasn’t been able to escape the age-old stereotypes of “exotic” or “terrorist”. Every Arab shown on television is either gun-slinging or wearing a bellydance costume. And Sayid from Lost is just the same old horrible ignorance and stereotyping wrapped in a new shiny wrapper. An Iraqi torture specialist? Often prone to violent outbursts and kills and maims as easily as others breathe? If that’s the best Hollywood can do, save me from the worst -_-;
So yea, sorry about the mini-completely-unrelated rant, just couldn’t help myself
i watched him only once in “my father”. he’s angsty, yes. he can cry, yes. but no emotional connection, sorry. i cried when the father cried.
Ok, this seems like an open thread for some reason. I love it and all of you guys.
@Samsooki and Belleza
Yo, the fanclub is mine. I’m already designing the tshirts and badges. Samsooki, no need to worry about organizing fanmeetings -but bonus points if you grace us with a song or a concert à la Lee Junki!- and stuff like that. I volunteer! ^_^
Side note: you guys are awesome! *g*
@Belleza
“Also worth mentioning that Asian Americans don’t actually have it that bad in the bigger scheme of things. If you’re of Middle Eastern descent, it must suck that every other character is a terrorist, a terrorist wannabe, or just really good with bombs.”
Word! Cultural stereotypes will NEVER end. I don’t even remember how many movies/tvshows/reality shows/whatever depicted Italians as Mafia gangsters, pizza/pasta eaters, mummy’s boys and generally rude loud uneducated people. It’s quite frankly offensive, but it’ll never change. Should we get used to it? Of course not, but what I mean to say is, you’re right and it’s a sad, sad reality.
@
“Otoh, BD Wong’s character on SVU is totally ASEXUAL – unlike for the other characters, there is no mention ever of his character ever being in any sort of relationship.”
Ah yes, I was just looking for a Asian-American fictional doctor. It didn’t even cross my mind to add the “sexual” aspect in my search. It was already VERY difficult to find that character as it is…had I included “sexyness” or “sexuality” it would’ve been impossible to find one. Samsooki already pointed out how Asians and Asian-Americans are generally seen in one of his previous comments (here? In an older Open thread? Ack, my memory is acting up agian).
“And in that interview, Wong stated that growing up, he had more problems/issues w/ his self-esteem in being an Asian male than he had w/ being gay.”
Ok, I may have misinterpreted, but I thought he said he had problems growing up with both of his identities: as an Asian-American and as a gay man. I didn’t hear him saying he had more problems with one or the other…but I may be wrong.
I think the Hollywood landscape when it comes to Asian Male and Female actors in leading roles is definitely changing….though very slowly. If and when they cast an Asian Male actor in a sexy and smart leading role, I will be sure to watch…I don’t remember who said it but an FBI agent would be nice.
Thank you for the tip on Tim Kang in ‘The Mentalist’. I’m going to try to catch it next week.
@Samsooki
You write some great stuff. I always enjoy the thoughts you put into them. I too wish more talented Asian actors could break into Hollywood though in most cases, maybe the language barrier (fluency, accent etc) is what’s holding it back?
You will be hard pressed to actually find an Arab (Middle Eastern) actor in Hollywood actually. Good luck trying to find an actors of Muslim descent (Aasif Mandvi of the Daily Show is the only one I can think of–but he isn’t Arab). I started boycotting Hollywood years ago and I don’t own a TV anymore so I don’t know if things have changed, but knowing Hollywood and how deeply ingrained it is in its own culture, I doubt it. I wish federal laws of equal employment opportunity were enforced in Hollywood b/c it is shocking what they get away with. It is one of the only institutions in America which still gets away with shocking stereotypes and racism.
@Sere “but it’ll never change.”
I think it might if people feel comfortable raising the issue, so it is great that we are all talking. Money defines Hollywood so if people stop funding the lousy products, things will change, I think. I remember once mentioning to a friend after yet another ridiculous Seth Rogan movie came out that even though Jews and Asians are a similar demographic in terms of numbers in America (5%), Hollywood representation is widely skewed with comedians, actors, etc., of Jewish descent making over 60% of the representation while Asians make up a negligible amount (no leads, except for rarities like Harold and Kumar) and Arab Muslims almost zero. Of course my friend refused to engage with the topic because it started to go into uncomfortable area of politics for her. Hollywood is VERY political.
Oh and to some who asked why Asians are not represented much, a lot may have to do with the intensity of the fear of Communism, the second WW (Japan– the only country to have a nuclear attack on it), the Korean War, the Vietnam war, etc. I don’t think people realize with the end of the Cold War just how high the fear of Communism is in America. Because of America’s tendency to conflate regions, Asians are pretty much lumped together as “Chinese” and there is a tremendous amount of fear and hatred of China to this day. Imagine what that hatred was like in the 1950s-70s (the height of Communism, with post-imperial Japan, a communist Vietnam, North Korea, Laos, Cambodia). So to counter the fear of that scary world, that world is made impotent. Asian men are actively silenced or their male identity destroyed by portraying them as asexual or effeminate and by having the Asian women on the arms of White men (as the more virile one) .
Seriously, Hollywood is sick.
@62 yvhsien -
“I too wish more talented Asian actors could break into Hollywood though in most cases, maybe the language barrier (fluency, accent etc) is what’s holding it back?”
No, it’s not a language barrier. The fact is that the culture and thinking of the mainstream has to change. And it will change, but in the meantime, you have thousands and thousands of Asian American guys who have grown up in this country with complexes about their own masculinity.
Meanwhile, asian-american guys generally have grown up in insular households, with a rigid caste system and patriarchal governance. It makes for a difficult childhood, disciplined with frequent beatings and indoctrination into a conservative culture that has long since evolved in the respective motherlands outside of the US.
it makes for a difficult life trying to mature —> mainstream america tells us that we are model minorities, asexual though we might be. Our anachronistic cultural upbringing from our close-knit households, on the other hand, give us no workable framework for social interaction with the modern asian-american female, much less the non-asian female.
We grow up with nothing to fall back on. Our dads are our most potent early influence in our lives, but that influence helps us not at all, to deal with women of our generation. And mainstream culture indirectly tells us that we aren’t really desireable as men anyway. Makes for a messed up time around puberty and beyond, I’ll tell you what. LOL.
But, I think times are changing. And certainly, with respect to my own life, with my recent reflections and change in attitude, I’m much more balanced, happier and stable now than ever before, and I even sport a gentle Binnie smirk on my face most of the time.
Sometimes it’s important to look behind you to see how far you’ve come…
I just remembered about the portrayal of the ‘Asian’ fellow in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s'…
Mickey Rooney (not sure when he became an Asian dude) played the Asian man of seemingly non-descript decent (maybe they were trying for Japanese)…look for it at about 3:00 in the following clip…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOWd95vInHI&feature=related
Pathetic, but it does show that things have begun to change and have changed!
@63 Nom Kitteh
“I think it might if people feel comfortable raising the issue, so it is great that we are all talking. ”
You’re absolutely right. I was seeing things a bit dark the other day. I’m usually not like that.
@Tippy -
“Language skills aside, I’m not entirely convinced that a non-Asian actor would be cast in a leading role in a local production in Korea or Japan…which would then make the non-Asian residents of said countries feel under-represented there.”
——————————
Again, it’s not the same thing.
How many whites or blacks were born and grew up in Korea and Japan and are Korean and Japanese citizens?
Pretty much all the foreigners in Korea and Japan are expats and are in Japan temporarily (the exception would be Zainichi Koreans and they usually have to hide their Korean heritage in Japan to make it in the Japanese entertainment industry).
Aside from ESL teachers, GIs and businessmen/women – there really isn’t much diversity in the characters non-Asians would be able to play – that’s why the whites cast in Korean films are either set in the US (D-Wars) or have roles as ESL teachers (Please Teach Me English).
As for the Jack Yang character on “Cashmere Mafia” – while it was “revolutionary” in that it showed an Asian-American male and Asian-American female as love interests (or should I say potential love interests; pretty sad when it is revolutionary in 2008) on a network show, Jack Yang’s and Lucy Liu’s characters really never “got it on” on the show and Liu’s character ended up having a couple of liasons w/ some WMs (also both their characters admitted that they really didn’t date Asian and that they normally dated white).
And I didn’t say that Arabs were now being shown as “good guys” – just that Hollywood has pretty much shut down the portrayal of Arabs as terrorists (when was the last time you saw Arab terrorists as the “bad guys” in a Hollywood film?) and that the few times that they do so (usually on TV shows), they do try to mitigate the negative portrayals w/ “good guys” (such as an Arab anti-terrorist agent or a good-looking Arab-American male marrying the “All-American girl” on “24″).
As for Sayid on “Lost” – yeah, he was an interrogator for the Iraqi National Guard, but that was more due to circumstance and he clearly isn’t depicted on the show as a “bad guy.”
Also, my point was largely that Arab male characters aren’t asexualized as Asian male characters are.
Not only are Arab females primarily portrayed w/ Arab males (the few times they are depicted in the media), unlike AFs where they are primarily depicted w/ WMs (heck, BMs are more commonly depicted w/ AFs than AMs and in reality that is a rare combination), there have been MORE portrayals of Arab males w/ white “All-American girls” than there have of Asian-American couples.
Whether AMs are depicted as geeks/nerds, the Asian gangster or evil Communist – they are all pretty much depicted as being asexual.
“Sometimes it’s important to look behind you to see how far you’ve come…
I just remembered about the portrayal of the ‘Asian’ fellow in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’…
Mickey Rooney (not sure when he became an Asian dude) played the Asian man of seemingly non-descript decent (maybe they were trying for Japanese)…look for it at about 3:00 in the following clip…”
——————
No doubt thing are improving, albeit slowly.
However, things are significantly better for Asian females than males.
AFs not only get cast more frequently for shows and films (Asians are the only group in Hollywood where the females get more work than the males), but they actually get depicted as having romantic lives (pretty much always w/ a non-Asian male) and they are also significantly more represented in advertising/commercials as well as network/local news.
AFs are way overrepresented in advertisments/commercials and when they are depicted w/ a partner – they are usually depicted w/ a WM (almost always if the actors are younger).
For products geared to women – clothing, cosmetics, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, contraception, etc. – AFs are commonly represented in advertisements.
Otoh, you almost never see AMs depicted in advertisements for male products – deodorant, shaving products, clothing, cologne, etc.
And take a look at the news anchor chair – AFs abound on both network and local news, otoh, you’d be hard pressed to find an AM anchor.
And as for the “yellow-face” character done by Mickey Rooney – we still see the same thing today – both Eddie Murphy and Rob Schneider have done it recently and we still see the Long Duk Dong (the “Donger”) characters frequently as well in films like “Alfie.”
In addition, the portrayal of gay men in the media have seen much more advancement than that of AMs (it’s not uncommon to now see portrayals of attractive, successful gay men w/ romantic lives on TV shows; you’d be hard pressed to find one for AMs).
@69, bd:
Your comments are spot-on.
It’s funny (sad, but funny) that whenever I DO see an asian guy on television, be it a commercial or a tv how, I almost freak out (because it happens so rarely) and I pay really close attention:
1. what is he wearing (is he portrayed as being cool or as a nerd)
2. is there a white authority figure nearby to order around the asian male
3. is the asian male just background noise or is he there for a reason
4. does the asian guy speak with an accent…
5. is the asian guy portrayed as being a “guy” or as being a neutered person.
***
Note, I’m NOT blaming Hollywood (well, not 100% blame) for the lack of representation and the bias that is inherent in the portrayal of the asian male in America. They follow cultural trends and political correctness as quickly as any institution, so they are merely reflecting society.
This is about changing the mainstream thinking, and that takes time. In the meantime, I just hope that asian guys who grew up here are able to recognize the bias and adjust their own self-esteem and identities to match who they are, and not accept what the mainstream says. Easier said than done, but it is possible.
@bd
I agree with Samsooki – great observation
@Samsooki
Despite what Hollywood thinks or feels about AM, there are some very attractive (sexy and good-looking) AM out there – Asian-American males included. I too would like to see more AM in American print ads.
I was just thinking – maybe their view may change if there’s actually an AM supermodel. Are there any? There are several AF supermodels that grace the runways. I wonder if that helped the AF break-through in Hollywood. You know, since supermodels are supposed to epitomize beauty.
@71, yvhsien -
The ones that I know are Tyson Beckford (although he is claimed by African Americans, sort of like the way that Tiger Woods is also claimed by African Americns) and Brent Chua.
I don’t know any others who have the -American as part of their identity. Like, I’d like to say that Rojam was Chinese American, but I don’t think he spends any time in the US, and certainly, he’s nowhere to be found in American mainstream media.
Another AHA moment!!
Ken Watanabe! He’s pretty mainstream Hollywood and he is directly from Japan!
I can’t think of any Asian male supermodels though, but to be honest, I’m hard pressed to name any male models…they just don’t have the same high profiles as the women in general.
*sigh*
Grrreeeeeaaaaat….
After reading all the comments about how white women don’t find Asian men to be sexy…I FEEL LIKE SUCH A FREAK!!!!!!!
I’ve always found asian and Native American men to be extremely sexy.
Who knew no other white woman finds them sexy?!?!
Oh well, more for me!
;~D
@ Tippy
I wouldn’t exactly consider Watanabe to be “mainstream Hollywood” – he’s pretty much regulated to “exotic” roles as a foreigner (pretty much Japanese roles).
What I and others are talking about is the dearth of portrayals of Asian-AMERICAN males (as just “regular” guys in American society).
Foreign actors like Watanabe, Jackie Chang, Jet Li, Chow Yan Fat, etc. just reinforce the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype and Asian-Americans don’t really relate to them (just as black Americans wouldn’t relate to the portrayal of blacks in the media if they were primarily of foreign blacks from Africa).
Heck, even Asian-American male actors have a tough time getting roles as Americans – most have ended up playing some foreign bad guy (enemy soldier, Asian gang member, martial artist, etc.).
The two most high profile roles which have gone to Asian-Am male actors consist of playing foreigners on “Lost” and
“Heroes” (both Daniel Dae Kim and Masi Oka had to endure Hollywood execs, producers, agents, etc. thinking that they were foreign actors and didn’t really speak English as they made the rounds of parties in LA; not that diff. from when director John Hughes thought that Gedde Watanabe was Japanese and didn’t speak English during the filming of “Sixteen Candles”).
And as for the whole Arabs are terrorists thing – while Hollywood has largely stopped doing that (in a no. of recent films, the bad guys were changed from Arab terrorists to a different type of bad guy) – keep in mind that the Arab terrorists were FOREIGNERS and that Asian males have been and continue to be portrayed as the “evil” foreigners.
Go back to all the films about WWII, the Korean War or Vietnam (or after Vietnam such as the Rambo films).
3 or 4 of the Bond films have Asians as the bad guys (even recent ones like “Die Another Day”), the Asian male abuses AFs until she is rescued by the WM hero has long been a staple (see films like “The Transporter”) and Hollywood is still making films set in the jungles of SE Asia where the “good guys” end up killing rows and rows of “little Asian men” (speaking of “little Asian men”; it’s hardly surprising that the Asian male character in “Ocean’s Eleven” was a tiny, 95 lb Chinese guy who could barely speak English).
“The Departed”, which was a remake of the HK film “Infernal Affairs” didn’t have any good guys Asian-Am male characters (there are AA male cops and FBI agents, you know) and yet, the film had the Chinese Triad gang members (w/ Jack Nicholson’s character making the requisite penis-size jokes).
What I and others are talking about are Asian-American male actors playing Asian Am male roles – foreign actors or foreigner roles do little to break the stereotypes and instead, actually reinforce a no. of them.
As for the modeling industry, Asian-Am female models are WAY more represented on the catwalks, print adverisements, commercials and billboards than Asian-Am male models.
In fact, during the past few years of shows during Fashion Week in NYC, there were about DOUBLE the nos. of AF models to black female models (in comparison to their % of the pop., AFs tend to be OVER-represented in the media).
Comments by Samsooki and BD (esp. #9, #69, and #75) are very thought-provoking. Thanks for writing.
I absolutely agree with TD regarding typical Asian male stereotypes in American films and TV. That will take time to overcome, and so long as Asians and Asian Americans are not in the positions of power to make filming and acting decisions, the bad choices will continue.
However, Bad acting, good acting, Asian, half Asian, half White, does it really matter. I am extremely proud of the class act that is Daniel Henney. Before we jump down his throat regarding his acting skills, let’s first remember that he started as a model. It’s a new endeavor for him and maybe he lacks the natural, inherent skills of a Mr. Brando. However, are most of us excellent at what we want to do from the start? I see continued improvements in his acting from Kim Sam Soon , Mr. Perfect and now to Wolverine. Yes, none of his performances were Oscar worthy but so what? It’s a good thing that a kind, decent person like Daniel is representing the Asian Americans, not to mention extremely sexy and good looking. Can we just be happy for him and wish him much success? Hollywood is hard enough without us tearing him apart. I hope that we can all stand behind him and other Asian American actors/actresses and support them through their successes and failures.
Correction, BD, typo
daniel henney is a great actor.
an actor takes on a role and makes it his own..
thats exactly what he does!
he always adds his style into his roles.
I really can’t wait for this show to come out! I just saw a promo video set to “Swim” by Jack’s Mannequin (a fantastic song). This really looks like an interesting concept for a show, and I loved Alex O’Laughlin in Moonlight, so I just know this will be great. The promo video is on YouTube at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eJrY4HiLZM