Why Won't Hollywood Cast Asian Actors?

[Locutus]

That's unfortunate, the argument you're advancing is that Asian Americans aren't American because Americans are only of European and African descent? I think African Americans would have a different opinion when it comes to whether there is a preference for them on-screen.

That's a very unusual interpretation of the argument. First, I'm not American, and secondly, this entire thing is about the PHYSICAL. It has nothing to do with accents, or culture, or nationality. It's just the grubby reality that sex sells. If women don't want them, and men don't want to be them, they won't be cast. It really is that simple.

 

[Locutus]

There are many perfectly competent Asian American actors that are not being given the opportunity to read for roles because they are excluded from the casting process. It doesn't matter if Asian American actors make up X% of the field when they're offered a smaller share of the lead roles.

Sigh ..... it won't happen as long as they're not considered 'sexy'. It's the animal nature of our nature.

 

[Locutus]

The argument being made is that more diverse casts are making more money, yet casting has still not followed suit; instead there is a continuation of non-diverse casts, which make less money.

They are diverse ENOUGH to continue as is, clearly. And many colours and creeds are represented. Just not east Asians

 

[Locutus]

It is up to them what they want to sell, and there is nothing wrong with calling attention to the fact that they are exclude certain groups of people. Calling them out on discrimination is part of what gets things changed.

It would, if the reason they were excluding Asians was anything OTHER than the simple fact that there is no audience demand.

 

[Locutus]

Asian Americans are just as much a part of American society as Italian Americans, Asian cuisine is not part of Italian cuisine. They make more money with diverse casts, that's the point, the money and risk argument (i.e., we'll lose money!) does not hold much water.

once again, it's just the east Asian male who is excluded from major roles. and it most certainly is because smaller profits will be realised. a film or tv show can still have a very diverse cast without an east Asian male in the lead.

 

[Locutus]

Yes, sometimes people do not optimize to what brings the greatest profits due to biases and preconceived attitudes. Many businesses hire people not based on their abilities, but on their connections, they're not objective automata focused on one thing. Guess what? The film industry is quite subjective and all decisions are not solely based on money.

They invest huge sums into market research, as it happens. And it's been demonstrated repeatedly in studies that non-Asian women do not find east Asian males attractive, and don't want them as male leads. Male respondents do not want east Asian males in lead roles, either.

If you think Hollywood money allows personal prejudice to influence their decision making, you're clearly unaware of just how successful the formulas are.

 

[SummerMadness]

They are diverse ENOUGH to continue as is, clearly. And many colours and creeds are represented. Just not east Asians

I disagree, they're not diverse enough if they're leaving out Asian Americans. Moreover, they should include more African Americans and Latinos in roles as they are still underrepresented.

It would, if the reason they were excluding Asians was anything OTHER than the simple fact that there is no audience demand.

This is the constant argument, that is doesn't sell... but it does. It sells big, in fact, which is what the article points out.

once again, it's just the east Asian male who is excluded from major roles. and it most certainly is because smaller profits will be realised. a film or tv show can still have a very diverse cast without an east Asian male in the lead.

It's just the male characters that are excluded?

They invest huge sums into market research, as it happens. And it's been demonstrated repeatedly in studies that non-Asian women do not find east Asian males attractive, and don't want them as male leads. Male respondents do not want east Asian males in lead roles, either.

If you think Hollywood money allows personal prejudice to influence their decision making, you're clearly unaware of just how successful the formulas are.

Of course they allow personal prejudice to influence them. That's how you get the McDonald's "I'd Hit It!" ad campaign. Market research is not a magic elixir that's always right.

 

[MehGuy]

I don't know.. if men have to suffer the onslaught of older women in film, maybe you dames can take a few Asian men in return.
Lol.

We'll deal with the masculine aging, and you can deal with the feminine height and build.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Politicians runnin' around puttin' shrimp on treadmills and studying the effects of lesbian giraffe arthritis or something

Well they have got to spend "OUR" money on something extremely stupid. These "faux" studies are being done by some of their biggest campaign contributors, I.E. payback for supporting the losers. And the worst part is when the results of these studies are released a portion of the population actually believe they're true...

 

[Locutus]

This is the constant argument, that is doesn't sell... but it does. It sells big, in fact, which is what the article points out.

It's just the male characters that are excluded?

Of course they allow personal prejudice to influence them. That's how you get the McDonald's "I'd Hit It!" ad campaign. Market research is not a magic elixir that's always right.

DIVERSITY sells (maybe, a bit. or rather, lack of it doesn't prevent sales), but east Asians in lead male roles doesn't. That's the thing you're overlooking.

Yes, it IS just the males. Or rather, leads. Male leads are the lynchpin for almost all films (yes that sucks, but there it is). If the male lead isn't someone women would quite like to mud wrestle, and men would quite like to be, the film will make less money. I don't know how many more ways I can say this.

The dollar drives everything. Even prejudices out the window.

 

[Locutus]

I don't know.. if men have to suffer the onslaught of older women in film, maybe you dames can take a few Asian men in return.
Lol.

We'll deal with the masculine aging, and you can deal with the feminine height and build.

It's only an onslaught if you're 22

 

[MehGuy]

It's only an onslaught if you're 22

Not according to many other older men I know. Youthfulness, is pretty much our height for women. Lol.

 

[Locutus]

Not according to many other older men I know. Youthfulness, is pretty much our height for women. Lol.

.

I would suggest that in reality, most men prefer women more or less their own age. Some prefer older women of course, but the idea that most men would actually have a relationship with women significantly younger than them is just that, an idea. They may enjoy looking at attractive 25 year olds when they're 45, but they would be unlikely to marry them. And not just because the 25yr olds aren't likely to want to marry them

I know many middle aged men, some really eligible and with the fitness and looks of 32 year olds. Those who have been single in their middle years have all ended up with women their own age, even though they could have snaffled much younger women. We all reach a point in life where the drive to breed (the impetus for youth seeking) is replaced by a drive for intelligence/character/companionship etc.

 

[MehGuy]

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I would suggest that in reality, most men prefer women more or less their own age. Some prefer older women of course, but the idea that most men would actually have a relationship with women significantly younger than them is just that, an idea. They may enjoy looking at attractive 25 year olds when they're 45, but they would be unlikely to marry them. And not just because the 25yr olds aren't likely to want to marry them

I know many middle aged men, some really eligible and with the fitness and looks of 32 year olds. Those who have been single in their middle years have all ended up with women their own age, even though they could have snaffled much younger women. We all reach a point in life where the drive to breed (the impetus for youth seeking) is replaced by a drive for intelligence/character/companionship etc.

And I see many women go for shorter men based on intelligence/character too. Where are you going with this? All I was arguing for is that the eye candy we see in many recent films seem unfair. Like the latest Jurassic World film. Women get Chris Pratt, and we men get a old masculine faced looking lady who I don't know the name of.

I want both genders to feel equally inadequate about their looks. Most shorter men know they look henious to many women, yet many women seem to be naive how henious older looking women look to men. And I'm not arguing that women don't find aging men gross, just that the difference is more severe when it comes to female aging. Just like a woman's height can be a problem for men too, but obviously not as severe as for the typical woman. A 40 year old man might look gross, but most 40 year old women look like nuclear holocaust victims to men. What is the difference? There's a masculine dimension for when women age. Older women literally look like little men to many of us.

If we're going to be an equal society, we need to be just as cruel to women's physical faults as we are for mens. I see way too many women mouthing off about men's height without worrying about the conseqences. With many women deluding themselves into thinking women don't age like milk. It's an unbalanced view.

 

[USincognito]

Really, to be fair to Hollywood, as soon as they start producing more Asian-centric films, they will hear constant complaining about how they don't "get"Asian culture, how they perpetuate Asian stereotypes, how Hollywood Asians are not like real Asians, etc.

After Lucy Liu was in Charlie's Angels, I remember her giving an interview where she talked about being Asian in Hollywood. She remarked that part of the problem was not being able to match her up with a spouse/parent/child actor of Asian background who could hold her screen presence. Everybody gets all mad when there's one token minority in a film for no apparent reason.

If you think that answer is bunk, you'll need to take it up with Lucy Liu and not me.

I think Daniel Dae Kim could handle her just fine.

 

[Locutus]

And I see many women go for shorter men based on intelligence/character too. Where are you going with this? All I was arguing for is that the eye candy we see in many recent films seem unfair. Like the latest Jurassic World film. Women get Chris Pratt, and we men get a old masculine faced looking lady who I don't know the name of.

I want both genders to feel equally inadequate about their looks. Most shorter men know they look henious to many women, yet many women seem to be naive how henious older looking women look to men. And I'm not arguing that women don't find aging men gross, just that the difference is more severe when it comes to female aging. Just like a woman's height can be a problem for men too, but obviously not as severe as for the typical woman. A 40 year old man might look gross, but most 40 year old women look like nuclear holocaust victims to men. What is the difference? There's a masculine dimension for when women age. Older women literally look like little men to many of us.

If we're going to be an equal society, we need to be just as cruel to women's physical faults as we are for mens. I see way too many women mouthing off about men's height without worrying about the conseqences. With many women deluding themselves into thinking women don't age like milk. It's an unbalanced view.

I agree actually. Older women packaged as "sexual temptation" to sell to 25 year old men is laughable. But 40 year old women are very attractive to 50 year old men. It's all relative, my dear!

Chris Pratt. Shudder. Spit. Yuck. Give me Kris Holden-Ried any day

 

[MehGuy]

I agree actually. Older women packaged as "sexual temptation" to sell to 25 year old men is laughable. But 40 year old women are very attractive to 50 year old men. It's all relative, my dear!

Chris Pratt. Shudder. Spit. Yuck. Give me Kris Holden-Ried any day

I find this 40 year old cute.