#OscarsSoWhite
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- čas přidán 23. 03. 2020
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The story of Asian and Asian American women in the acting categories at the Oscars is one of absence. In this video I give a basic overview of the barriers these women have faced in casting and how America's geopolitical relationship with Asian countries has affected hyphenate identity in media.
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As Bong Joon Ho perfectly put it, “The Oscars are not an international film festival, they're very local."
And he hit the nail on the head. The Oscars have never been claimed to be an international awards show. That is why there is a "Best Foreign Film" category.
Beyond accurate from the gentleman who richly earned his Oscars this year
A tragic reality. Oscars should know their place. Best to go to Cannes or Berlin for real credits.
@@LucyLioness100 Sometimes I wonder if whether the Oscars budged this year because of that quote. Needing to uphold the prestige and all.
@@ljyljy88 i agree. the board (or whoever is behind the oscars) probably decided parasite should win as a last ditch effort to show everyone they could be diverse. i mean, these are the same people who let green book and la la land win, and it happened because there wasn't a big brouhaha about it before the ceremony.
as an asian, i'm definitely glad that parasite won. however, like you said, it feels like the award was a response to the bad press. in a way, it doesn't feel like a 'proper win'? you know?
Films like Parasite and Slumdog Millionaire winning best picture but not getting even a single nomination for their actors reads to me like the academy saying:
“We like your brown/black/yellow stories, just not your brown/black/yellow people.”
The rich family’s mother and the man in the basement were the most noticeably impressive performances in the film to me
Bingo.
I was so rooting for Park So-dam (the Kim daughter) that year, she was fantastic in the movie.
It reads more like as "we can't tell you apart" to be honest.
Americans seem to be incredibly ignorant about Korean films and directors (and non-Hollywood films in general), they've been delivering for years.
As much as I loved Parasite (the first earned Best Picture in at least ten years imo), I hated Slumdog Millionaire though. Embarassing cheesefest.
@@iampagliacci8923 gotta disagree - i thought moonlight also was a well deserved best picture win. other than that youre 100% correct
Eh Parasite has great ensamble but the individual actor just didn't stand out for me. Also consider that both best leading actor and actress were so competitive that year, with Phoenix was a sure win
Constance Wu was the lead in two non-franchise “movies-for-grown-ups” (Crazy Rich Asians & Hustlers) that were critically adored and financially bankable beyond expectations (150m+ box office).
If she was a white performer she’d be on the cover of Vogue & Vanity Fair hailed as the next great movie star.
Exactly. My thought - correct me if I'm wrong - is that the Oscar So White is just a symptom of a society and cultural problem. It's not just a problem with accepting bankable non white actors (which reflects in the scarce and few and limited offerings and projects) but the acceptance of their 'popularity', the whole machine is problematic towards non white actors.
I mean particularly for Crazy Rich Asians there WAS a lot of press coverage. No she wasn't on Vogue or Vanity Fair but if you search "Constance Wu magazine cover" its almost as if every single other magazine got in on the Crazy Rich Asians action (Time, FASHION, Harpers Bazaar, Entertainment Weekly, the Hollywood Reporter, all did cover stories). I get the sentiment but Its important to remember that film really did launch not just her career but also to a significant extent Awkwafina and Henry Golding.
Yes Awkwafina had some buzz from Oceans 8 and yes Constance Wu was known from Fresh Off The Boat but this was still a significant break out moment for both of them and Henry Golding was a complete unknown at this point.
Hustlers is more frustrating. The media spin definitely biased away from Constance Wu and towards a narrative about a career revival for J.Lo (She had cover stories on Esquire, GQ , and People Magazine promoting the film for example). It is frustrating that there wasn't room for multiple narratives coming off of that success but, and here's my guilty admission, If I only got to choose one narrative I would also have chosen J.Lo. She was the clear stand out in that film for me (along with being a producer for the film).
@God Merk there are dark asian women, but asian men are in the same spot as dark skin black women.
@God Merk all these comments are true. I think the video actually also denounces xenophobia (which is a form of discrimination, hence racist component) when it doesn't reflect the variety of ethnic and cultural background in a country as vast and varied as the US, nonetheless the world.
I don't want to complain regarding white people, but think of the portion of the video that says that Isabelle Huppert lost an Oscar she soooo deserved also because of a small, dark, foreign film wasn't seen by the Academy. Which is white, male, and old - I'm not comparing the issues here, and I really don't want to offend anyone or diminish minorities experience, I'm just using this example as further evidence, to say that the Academy sees what is different (e.g.: non white and male) as niche, auteurish experience undeserving of a broader reception.
Obviously, ,and I want to underline this in order to not be misinterpreted, a white French actress certainly has more chances and choices in Hollywood rather than a non white foreign actress.
As I see it, xenophobia and racism are two faces of the same, shitty coin, albeit one being slightly more accepted - in fact, Anna May Wong was American, but she wasn't white, so the Academy and Hollywood didn't see her as American.
Constance Wu is still on time out for her twitter comments. Those comments came out prior to Hustlers, I just think people are still mad at her.
“Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such”
Y I K E S
Genie Hossain that was just straight up racist I was like “really Ridley?”
😒 He's saying that as if there aren't already bankable actors from Bollywood and the middle East that can speak English. No offence but white people act if there's no world outside of their own sometime. English is a lingua franca. This man didn't even TRY to cast a FEW actors that were ethnically accurate to their characters.
Buy Cowboy by fx On iTunes exactly Bollywood is such a innovative and bankable industry that the same attitude I had when they did the Aladdin remake and had guy Richie direct it and have mixed race ambiguous looking actors play the lead characters when Disney could’ve gone to Bollywood resources and make a proper more authentic remake
@@Kevin-rg3yc Okay but again going to Bollywood for resources to produce a film about the Middle East and Middle Eastern culture is not any better. That's further lumping various distinct and unique cultures together and generalizing them for a western pallet. 100% not authentic or even close to proper.
I feel like that quote should have been circulated more in the press, at least to shut up the people who'd inevitably insist that the film's racism is 100% separate from any of the crew behind it.
If it makes Ridley Scott feel any better, no one watched Exodus: Gods and Kings anyway...
so true!! haha
It's a good drinking film
Yeah, it was a huge flop.
That movie really is like a Mad-Lib casting. Who should we cast as Seti? John Turturro! Joshua? Aaron Paul! People LOVE Breaking Bad! The powerful Egyptian matriarch? Sigourney Weaver! Who wouldn’t flock to see that?!?
I actually saw it and it was boring as tar for most of it
So glad that Audrey Hepburn turned down the role in Sayonara. As she said, "I'd be laughed off the screen." Wish that ScarJo could adopt the same sentiment 50+ years later.
To be fair, Ghost in the Shell is originally Anime, and Anime characters were drawn with BIG eyes, not necessarily Japanese, or Asian, having said that, the film was shite.
How so?
Michael Reilly lol not all anime have big eyes. Especially not ghost in the shell. And it’s weird people still believe monolid eyes = small eyes.
Michael Reilly serious question but what is Ghost in the Shell plot line? I’ve read Motoko conscious is put into ScarJo body, and sge was stripped of her identity. So I think that made sense to cast a non asian actress.
But was that really the plot of the anime or the movie? If that was just a tweak that the movie team made than that’s is questionable
@@bethyoung5814 No idea, one of my faves is/was Alita Battle Angel, OMG I LOVE that anime, and the new film was fantastic, no one seemed to mind that a south american portrayed that robot/human hybrid which was originally an asian written anime, but there you have it, Anime , I thought, may have been written by Asians, but the characters were universal.....
As an asian-american, a professor once said to me, “if ever a man approaches you & calls you exotic, you should run”. That always stuck with me. It was always hard to explain to my white counterparts, especially men because most of them thought exotic just meant you were pretty. This video was a great way to get that message across!
Yeesh. If exotic means pretty, why not just say pretty? It's like saying "Pretty, but let's project something to supplant your identity :)"
It's a "nice" way of saying "I don't care to know or find out anything about you, so I'm going to operate entirely on stereotypes". Nobody likes that.
@@jauxro Being described as "exotic" fetishizes and objectifies the person. The person is being liked for their looks and their perceived stereotypes.
@Sean Kelly ... I'm gonna let someone else explain to you why it feels horrible to be fetishised for your race, but as a half-n-half I'd just like to add that "diversity" is not a personality trait. "Mixed marriages" are beautiful... When both parties see each other as people first and foremost, not a collection of "outsider" traits.
Sean Kelly Personally, I’ve have plenty of experiences where men have approached me & - without even saying hello - they immediately jump to “omg what are you”/“you’re so exotic”/“you’ve got to be mixed”. It’s always seemed to me that the “exotic-ness” of my existence & therefore my race is more desirable than who I am as a person. It feels very much like it doesn’t matter what person/personality is attached to those features just that those features are present. In short, fetishizing my race. Am I saying that I never want someone to call my features beautiful? Absolutely not. But it becomes problematic when I have to answer what my race is before I’ve even said what my name is.
The fact that Greta Gerwig's director snub at the last Oscars was covered everywhere yet no one acknowledged Lulu's amazing work makes this video even more upsetting.
peak white feminism
Truth
@@HelenaCabello18 J-lo isnt white, she's of latin descent.
@@rebeccanascimento8234 she's a white latina sis
@@rebeccanascimento8234 she's white
The love for Parasite, and the fact that Bong and Waititi won screenplay gave me hope. While it would have been wonderful for more women of color to be nominated, seeing an Asian man and an Indigenous man walk away with those screenplay awards was quite wonderful.
And the fact that the internet was in an uproar over Awkwafina's snub is also good, it's a sign that we are ready for the tides to shift.
I would’ve wanted Greta Gerwig to win Adapted Screenplay for _Little Women,_ at the very least to prevent the 2010s from becoming the first decade since the 1960s to lack a single female Screenwriting Oscar winner. Oh well… :/
@@Wired4Life2 I loved her movie. The new dialogue was so good, and I felt like Gerwig captured the spirit of the book very well.
BlueFox94 I really liked Little Women too but I don't think you should downplay Taika's achievement of being just the third Indigenous person to ever win an Oscar and the first ever to win a writing or directing award
@@BumbleBeaL09 I'm cool with Taika winning, but I'm going to remain firm in my stance that _What We Do in the Shadows_ and _Hunt for the Wilderpeople_ are stronger films.
The Farewell was so specific yet so universal.
And that made it beautiful
I cried so much. Such a beautiful movie.
@@luisfanluis i was a sobbing mess! the way that film moves! the way it's silences are so loud! the way it is closed up and simultaneously an exposed nerve over the subject of the pain immigrants suffer! ICONIC, to say the least
Very true like "The Joy Luck Club" it was truly about the American experience told by people Americans saw as foreign!
There's also a massive lack of south Asian actors in media, and if they are included they are presented as geeks or incredibly poorly, especially since 9/11
What would it have to do with 9/11 though? it has always been like that, 9/11 had no effect on the representation of South Asian actors.
There isn't a massive lack of South Asian actors in media. There are not a significant number of South Asians in America. One should not expect a small immigrant group, most of whom are first generation immigrants, to produce a lot of actors and get a lot of representation.
ffs You already have Bollywood!!
Arabs fall into the same category.
@@anotherabeer4341 It matters because when you are a child, television is your magical world. Whether a child watches animated cartoons on the small screen or movies on the silver screen, he or she subconsciously begins to idealize the characteristics of the protagonist (physical traits along with their personality/mannerisms). When you don't see people who look like you, you begin to feel down about your unique features and begin to desire Eurocentric traits as that is what your favorite superhero/princess has. Of course this mindset changes once you become a teen. You stop idealizing the media and start learning how to love yourself. This process of self-love and appreciation for your race would have sped up tremendously had your race gotten leads on mainstream media.
Thank You for coming to my Ted-Talk ❤️
Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such is my favorite actor.
Got a good chuckle from this
*Scarlett Johansson has left the chat*
You didn't see her here? To the left of the screen at 3:20
@@thecrazygainerguy lol I did! I made the comment before watching th video! But I knew she would talk about her! She hits every detail!
The reigning Asian/Trans/WOC/flora&fauna queen we need in these trying times 🙏
Ms.Queue she had ENTERED!
A reminder that she got TWO Oscar noms this year and Awkwafina didn't get any
as an asian american woman, THANK YOU
@Talebird K The Man with the Iron Fist, Game of Death, Enter the Dragon, Rush Hour, and The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift, just as some examples.
Talebird K how many black movies have Asian people in them? Stop trying to create unnecessary rivalry, the common enemy feeds from it.
@@cqtaylor lol fast and furious are you fucking kidding
@@mrmisterman999 In "Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift," 99% of the cast was Asian; it literally took place in Japan; and Bow-Wow is black. Done.
@@cqtaylor those movies are a fucking joke kid. To even mention them is laughable and they're not Asian by any stretch of the imagination
Can we get one over Hispanic/Latina women? They are VERY underrepresented at the awards as well.
Ana DeArmas might become the first Latin American actress to win the award for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in 'Blonde'.
Good point. I remember hearing an interview with Chita Rivera who was so good in West Side Story. The next role she was offered was a bit part being a madame of a Mexican brothel.
@@paulskyekahawaty6133 You mean ethnically Latin. There has been a Latin American woman who won the Academy Award.
@@MiniM69 Yes and yes there have been few Latin American actress who won, for Supporting category though... If you may not know Ana DeArmas will is the lead of upcoming Marilyn Monroe biopic 'Blonde'.
She already mentioned it in the 1999 awards episode but it bears repeating: FERNANDA MONTENEGRO WAS ROBBED
When you were talking about the Farewell being nominated in the Foreign Language category, my mind instantly jumped to Inglorious Bastards. I'm glad you mentioned that!
Both Kill Bills had extended sequences in Japanese and Chinese respectively, but something tells me they also wouldn't be put into the Foreign Language category for ~some~ reason...
@@Vohalika because it's mostly in English?
They should just get rid of the category. It would open diversity and open up the Academy to so much more films. America will always be a melting pot of different cultures define the films as so as well.
@@vsusanmoon Not even that, it's just not about the US anymore. Also you know that if they get rid of that category they would nominate mostly the same films but now without the recognition of a Pain and Glory or a Cold War.
@@travisspazz1624 but the Farewell had a lot of English!
I've been watching more Anna May Wong movies recently. She was definitely a true talent who was unforgivably underutilized. In another world she would have been one of the biggest stars.
Mark Allen you’re a Neanderthal get out
Mark Allen mongrel
Mark Allen the irony
Where are you finding them? I stopped getting TCM and there are barely any older movies on streaming.
@Mark Allen you're trying so hard to be edgy and funny, shut up
Thank you for this beautifully written video.
Last time we talk about Asian American actors in Hollywood, we received quite a few comments asking why these actors can't just play in their home turf. The amount of times we have to say "John Cho is an American" is disheartening.
Whoa! Accented Cinema?!
I agree. A lot of these Asian-American actors who were born and raised in America shouldn't be required to go back to their "home turf" (which isn't even their home). With the recent influx with Asian-American roles and movies, I think the future is looking bright for this moment (although I have a doubt this will stay the trend).
The Awkwafina oscar sunb was a damn shame, she was awsome and Lulu Wang is amazing.
I commented on Awkwafina being snubbed on a Facebook & some jerk said she didn’t deserve to be nominated for “The Farewell”
What actress would change for her, the ones that got nominated?
They always nominate the overrated white Saoirse...
@@cooperwesley1536 Charlize with Awkafina. The makeup and hair department did half the job with that performance anyway. I kinda had the same issue with Gary Oldman. I liked his performance but it's obvious the makeup team were doing the heavy lifting there.
Also an issue I have with all these biopics is that, as Izzy said in another video, it kinda becomes more about imitation over actual performance. We are trying to see how well Charlize or Renee or whomever replicate what we know about the real person. That can be somewhat impressive but very rarely does it go beyond that. Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin is one example of a performance that transcended the person he was actually playing. Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles was good but I feel like at times it was more caricature than anything else. And a lot of these performances fall into this category. Rami Malek, who is so much better in literally everything else, played almost an SNL version of Freddie Mercury.
awkwafina sucks
I honestly was sad that The Farewell was not nominated for best costume as it was so easy to identify who were the Japanese-Chinese vs the American-Chinese vs the mainland Chinese based on their style of dress.
But let’s be real: Best Costume Design is actually for MOST Costume Design. Subtle accuracies be damned
Could you please tell me how the costumes made the Chinese, American and Japanese look different from each other?
Like best editing is most cuts, because Yang Jin-Mo deserved it.
ぼじん Each country has their own particular styles. My mom & I instantly recognised from just the clothes, hair & makeup which family members were the expats living in Japan because their style was spot on; subtle but spot on. On second viewing, it was also easy to see how Americanised Billi’s style and fashion sense was, and how her parent’s were also from the rest of the family. I guess if you aren’t familiar with how distinctive everyday fashion is just region to region, you can easily overlook it. Like anecdotally obaachan who lived stateside for half a decade dresses differently than “Humiko Obaasan” and “Sachiko Obaasan” her sisters, my great aunts, who live in Kitakyushushi. Yeah, she has a different fashion style than most white Americans, but it’s not the same as Japanese living in Japan. These sort of understated distinctions were utilised to great effect in the film.
Like I don’t blame people for not noticing that in 2013 film Belle that Dido was pink that transitioned to purple while Bette was blue that led to teal. It was subtle as ribbons, accessories, as well as blatant as the gowns, but there are plenty of people who never noticed the character assigned colours and the colour change and specifically which scenes were which colour indicative of significant thematic elements of the film. But it’s there and it’s appreciated as a utilised tool in the art of visual storytelling.
The costuming (in conjunction with hair & makeup) were on point and the effort was appreciated by my family & me and I wish was more recognised at least by others in their industry
Thankyou so much for writing about this, that detail and thought is magnificent.
OMG, This should absolutely become a series of videos. As a part of the Latino community myself I'm super interested in this recent turn there seem to be happening in HW with latino talent. I don't believe it's that sincere tbh
Luis Miguel Álvarez LOL, Latino countries already extend from the southernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego all the way up to the northern border of Mexico. There’s Spain too. What’s the matter, you still can’t create any of your own thriving cinemas in all that landmass?!! Why not?
@@anotherabeer4341 sir this is a wendy's
@@oof-wi7hp end his ass sis 😂
@@anotherabeer4341 you really included Spain to Latin America, yikes couldn't be more ignorant
I would like to see that too. It seems that we are still primarily being cast in the same types of roles. The Latino population is rapidly growing in the US and yet there are very few movies specifically about the Latino-American experience, let alone ones that have been recognized by the academy.
The joy luck club is a underappreciated masterpiece, ALL the actresses gave phenomenal performances...even their children counterparts.
And Margaret Cho always talked about how east Asians women difficulty to get roles as just human being and not as ''yellow fever''
I love that movie, it is so great.
@Mark Allen Agreed, there are some gems.
@Mark Allen People should start with Ozu, he's so great.
@Mark Allen I already do, all watch ANYTHING made by Wong Kar-wai.
well i already do watch Japanese cinema, my all time favorite film director is Satoshi Kon. it's just that for the last 10yrs in Japanese cinema nothing really did grasp my interest, only animated works. but recently Shoplifters and 37 seconds were amazing ! Or just for stunning visuals with slice of life stories made by Makoto Shinkai. Just so much movies and so little time !
2019: A year where both an Asian directed, produced, and lead film would go on to win best picture and yet when Lucasfilm decided to practically erase their only leading Asian character in their cinematic series from their last installment of a trilogy.
Which Lucasfilm do you mean?
@@SafiShamrock the rise of skywalker, and he's talking about rose tico. The character had a substancial role in The Last Jedi, but fans hated her, and bullied the actress out of instagram, and also almost erased her from the franchise.
Jeremy Ocelotl - TBH, Rose Tico was a horrible character. They only added her to be the love interest of that black stormtrooper guy.
Jeremy Ocelotl Kelly Marie Tran had more lines presenting at the Oscars this year than she did in Rise of Skywalker
@@braydenfitzsimmons6824 3:20 hot
The scene of Mulan with her makeup on isn’t portraying a geisha makeup, but very much portraying the makeup style which was done by women in Tang Dynasty (one of the sayings is that the tale was from the Tang Dynasty) of China which also used lot of white powder, red blush and interesting form of eyebrows.
I'm not an expert, so I won't disagree with you on that but I watched one of those "how accurate are the costumes" videos and I believe the fashion historian did say that Mulan mixed some Geisha elements in. Perhaps that's what the video is referencing - that it used some stereotypical looks, merging different elements of the culture just to "look Asian"
Hmm, the secind time analytical youtubers made that mistake
the tale and the poem of Mulan is at least 100 years prior to Tang Dynasty
As someone from Mainland China, no. Mulan was a figure in a poem that predates Tang dynasty, therefore, it's historically inaccurate. Learn more Chinese history.
@@scottdreyer2910
Are you talking about the video by Glamour? I found that video pretty inaccurate to be honest. The presenter was constantly referencing different style from different dynasties despite the fact that different dynasties of China had different trends and preference. At one point she said Mulan showing her undergarment in her daily outfit would be considered as inappropriate too which was wrong as back in that period of the Southern and Northern Dynasty (AD 420-589, one of the theories of the origin of the tale), men and women dressed much more exposing and loosen clothing as they wanted to achieve the look of light weighted and almost as if they could drift to the heaven by a wind blow. Lots of painting and figurative artefacts showed that a lot of them wore clothing that would show their undergarment.
czcams.com/video/hoO_MGRqXBM/video.html
you can watch this video of very accurate recreation of the clothing, makeup and hair from that period. I am only saying this because I found that video pretty inaccurate cause she was not referencing the actual painting and artefact from that period. And the reason why I want to point out that the look in Mulan is because i have encountered so many times that when a movie or tv show accurately presented the white powdered face and red blush makeup from the ancient china, there is always someone who have not learnt the history of it coming to say that is a rip off of Japanese geisha when in fact, a white powdered face makeup was often used by acient Chinese noblewomen throughout most dynasty. It is just very hard for me as an Asian, who is passionate about ancient clothing and makeup aesthetic seeing people saying geisha stereotype all the time without willing to learn more about the history of it.
You talking about the success of Crazy Rich Asians and how it was helping other Asian movies made me cry. It’s just nice to be hopeful for the future.
Right!!?!? The lead actor in CRA has been in 2-3 big movies since then too (maybe more? I've seen him in previews for at least 2 other movies) and you just know he probably wouldn't have been cast if not for the notoriety of CRA. And who knows, maybe he'll be the next big star. Funny how that works ;)
Scott Dreyer also, Constance Wu was the lead of two huge ($150m+ box office) movies-for-adults (non-franchise - Crazy Rich Asians & Hustlers) films in consecutive years.
If she was a white actress she would be on the cover Vogue & Vanity Fair hailed as the great movie stars. Sigh
Brayden Fitzsimmons - Isn’t she married to a white man?
What does that have to do with anything? Is she not Asian enough if she’s married to a white guy? What’s wrong with you?
It probably flopped in China because the government told its people not to go see it. They can’t let their people know how happy Chinese people are living outside of China where they are actually free to think and believe whatever they want. I really hate the Chinese government especially the way it treats it’s own citizens.
Really hope the rumors are true and the new Damien Chazelle movie will have Anna May Wong as a character. It would be great to remind people of her. She should be a movie legend but hollywood didn’t let her.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
"She should be a movie legend but Hollywood didn’t let her." Say it louder for the people in the back.
@@mhawang8204 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Agreed but I would hold my breath on counting on Damien Chazelle. We saw how he treated jazz and it’s historical roots in La La Land.
Tyshawn Davis right how he pushed the white savior narrative of jazz music in la la land I’m gonna take his portrayal of Anna may wong with a grand of salt
I'm very surprised that Lucy Liu has a Hollywood Star and Ming Na Wen does not. Ming Na has been a powerhouse since the Joy Luck Club.
And what? Don't be reading no imd page
Most Hollywod stars are brought by the celebrity, unless you are a true star (Tom Hanks, Meryl...)
The Cavalry doesn’t need no stinking star. She is the star.
Yet she hasn’t been in high profile and very successful movies like the likes of Kill Bill or even Charlie’s Angels. Sad but true.
La Femme Futile that is true. While Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels are okay movies, they were really popular.
To this day, I think Ming Na’s biggest movies are still The Joy Luck Club and Mulan.
If people want to know more about South Asians in Hollywood history, the podcast "You Must Remember This" recently put out an episode about Merle Oberon.
I think it's good, i recommend it.
Southeast Asian American here, I'm gonna so listen to that!
what's the name of the episode? i can't find it
@@nailahhuq1238 155: Passing for White: Merle Oberon (Make Me Over, Episode 4)
I just found that show! It's SO GOOD!!
thank you legend ❤️
Katharine Hepburn in yellow face is so disturbing O_O
This.
Try viewing “The Conqueror”. There’s no technical yellow-face makeup but it’s considered one of the most racist films ever made
The film is made in 1944 and even the extras are white! It's hair raising!
@@LucyLioness100 John Wayne alone is racist
Hollywood directors need to stop relying on the same stars over and over again and start taking a chance with newcomer actors, especially POC actors. Give them a chance.
Can I just say how appreciative I am of you clarifying at the start that you use the term ‘Asian’ in this video to refer primarily to ‘East Asians’? Because that distinction is SO important and the majority of American media either doesn’t understand or more often does not care about clarifying who the hell they’re talking about what they refer to ‘Asians’. Sincerely, a grateful descendant of South Asians.
Also important to point out that legendary actresses like Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, Joan Chen, Sylvia Chang to name a few never got the recognition they deserved at awards like the Oscars. They deserved it for their powerhouse performances in the movies that they made, which were so much better than eventual Oscar winners.
Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh are my favorite East Asian actresses, so graceful and talented
Most of them have a couple of big roles in Hollywood movies, but they don't like Hollywood and return to their homes, were they have better roles and and are big stars. Occacionally they return for a couple of movies.
@@WielkiMistrzuBe I also love Maggie Cheung in ...In the Mood for Love
Ming Na Wen is totally right. It's sort of like trying to find a job fresh out of school and all jobs require 5 years of experience. We can all understand this Catch 22, but no one works to change something as easy as casting.
There is no we all. Speak for yourself.
I’m curious about Native American’s history & roles in cinema- I’m of Indian heritage on my father’s side, though both he & I were born & raised in Australia - would you consider doing a video on that topic?
That'll definitely tie into the white savior motif. Quite a few films seem to favor the 'hero changes sides to join more primitive people and protect them from invaders' trope, usually with said hero being white. Dances with Wolves is a popular example of this, and a couple of other films off the top of my head that fall into the camp (Last Samurai and Avatar) both beat the idea of the side the savior joins being basically like that of Native Americans.
Star Trek Insurrection even does this, sorta, but it's boring so who cares.
first of all Indians come from India
Matthew
Well, I’m sorry for using a term that has been interchangeable for decades.
@@OcarinaSapphr- As just a general movie watcher who sees a ton of stuff, my two favorite films starring/about North American Indians in the past few years are The Grizzlies and Wind River. I cannot recommend either one of them highly enough.
@@kelly5693 Wind River....starring two white people.....
Wong was so ahead of her time. Wow
Ugh. My high school did a version of The Pink Panther where rather than cast an Asian man, they put yellowface on a white man for one character. This was in 2013. Drove me crazy. 😠
Rachel Vaupel oh dear, is it that no Asian dude auditioned or-
@@NoName-dx1no I can't remember but it was weird
This is what it's like to be Filipino-American right now. My last name is German. FilAm people in the US call me "too white" and say I'm not Filipino enough. I was born and raised in Manila.
Well Fil-Ams say a lot of ridiculous things like they're not Asian but Pacific Islander.
Omg so sad...😢
@cici I'm so sorry. That shit is real. :
This was amazing! It's so rare to see anyone tackle Asian-American representation with such sensitivity and breadth of knowledge. Thank you for making my week, and keep up the great work. As an Asian-American woman trying to make it as an actress, this means a lot, especially since it comes from one of my favorite CZcams creators.
I wish you luck! I'm not Asian American, but I'm behind you guys all the way!
Did you forget (or did I miss) the worst "Asian" in movie history? Mickey Rooney in Breakfast At Tiffany's...
This.
Even he regret it too
This video focuses on actresses.
As a Brit I find it strangely interesting that when Anna May Wong clips are being shown a large percentage of them come from Shanghai Express, for obvious reasons and a British film she did called Piccadilly
Also if anyone wants to know more about Merle Oberon look up You Must Remember This podcast’ latest season Make me over where there is an episode dedicated to her and the lengths she went though to pass as white and hiding her Indian heritage, using skin bleaching products, misleading about who her family was and origins etc
And last random thought you can see the lasting effects of the “yellow peril” in works such as Agatha Christie from the 20s and 30s, and that’s not going into the Charlie Chan series which at the time was trying to fight against the stereotypes of the “dangerous Asian”, by having a heroic Asian character so it shows the damage done by small mindedness
Apologies if I’m not coming across as well as I mean to, blame the lack of fresh air after 7 days lol
But as always love and so appreciate the hard work that goes into these posts they are always so wonderful, educational and so well written
I never hit a notification so fast as I do with these
I really appreciated making the Oscars intro shot the shot of Park So-dam sitting on the toilet while the sewer water is coming up in Parasite because apropos lol.
I hope Reese Witherspoon does produce more diverse films. I know with her book club she does include various cultures. I would love her to make some of her book picks that aren't a white heroine into a film, or plot twist have actors of various nationalities play the lead.
I have a Filipino mother and a British father, I was born in the Philippines but grew up in the UK, I was bullied when I was a kid because of the shape of my eyes (don't ask me why) and that I look different as compared to my half brothers who have a French mother. I felt like I didn't belong because maybe I'm not British enough but when I'm in the Philippines, I'm also a stranger, although I can speak the language (because my mother made sure I will) I did not grow up in the Philippines meaning I am not really aware of the Filipino kind of living. It was only in 2016 when I persuaded my father that I come to the Philippines to study and to be more closer to my Filipino relatives and learn the Filipino way of living first hand. I only know the ways through books and researching on the internet but I never really knew it. But still, despite living and spending time in two different countries, I feel like I don't belong to either countries because both would treat me as a stranger. In the Philippines, I'm always called a "foreigner" because of my relatively fair skin but everyone would be shocked the moment I open my mouth because I know how to speak language fluently. There's just something very complicated and difficult of being "in between" or having an "otherness" it makes you feel like you are out of place or a stranger wherever you go and it's even harder when people treat you as such.
Rewatching this video after 2 years, now that Michelle Yeoh is nominated for Best Actress at The Oscars. First Asian to be nominated in the category! I’m getting goosebumps. I know Anna May Wong is watching with such joy and pride ❤❤❤
There should be a movie biography on Anna May Wong. Awkwafina should star in it
albert penuelaz - Emma Stone would be a better choice.
S L 💀
I think an actress like Ming Na or Fiona Choi would be better suited to playing Anna over Awkwafina. Not saying she wouldn't do a great job it's just she doesn't look like Anna to me.
@@abandonedfragmentofhope5415 Fan Bingbing would be my choice.
@@eamonndeane587 Can Fan Bingbing speak with an American accent?
Also, "Otherness" is also a new idea to old school audiences. Think about how groundbreaking "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was, it only had a best screenplay oscar nom and nothing else. I think that movie was out in 2003 or 2004.
2001 actually
2002, and the sequel came out 14 years later.
Puppy Power!!! But how groundbreaking was it? Are there still a lot of successful Greek or Grecian characters in movies?
Otherness is still not that big of a deal to most audiences, there are more people discovering it as a concept, but this is an old concept from the late 1700s
The original was based on Nia Vardalos marriage to Puerto Rican/Jewish man Ian Gomez. Yet the subsequent movies, tv series the male character was WASP.
Same with Bend it Like Beckham, that became an underground hit in the early 2000s! Also, yay South Asians!
It’s staggering to me how Parasite swept every award last year and none of its actors got acting nominations. Song Kang Ho could run circles around Leo’s hammy acting in OUATIH, likewise Park Sodam or Cho Yeojung against Margot Robbie’s thankless role in the same film.
I loved this video. It’s so sad that there has been no prominent *south asian* representation in the media! Breaks my heart. When people talk about asian, they rarely include South Asian so it was nice to see Ben Kingsley mentioned.
In the U.K., it’s the opposite with Asian mainly referring to people from South Asia. It’s likely because most Asian immigrants in the U.K. tend to be from the Indian sub-continent, but from East Asian in the USA.
In reality, the American Media only identify the 'East Asians' as Asians. Also, The notion no Asian has won Best Actress isn't really true, Cher, who's half Armenian became the first Actress of Asian ancestry to have been honored and in 2011 Israeli-born Natalie Portman became the second of Asian ancestry and the first Asian born.
@@paulskyekahawaty6133 Vivien Leigh was born in British India, and I may be misremembering but there may have been controversy over her ancestry, but it may have been about another actress that was was partly of colour and tried to hide it from Hollywood.
@@peterdunlop7691 Merle Oberon tried to hide her Indian roots, partly because of her illegitimate child status.
Paul Skye Kahawaty that was probably what I was thinking about. It may have been mentioned in BeKind’s Vivien Leigh Oscar video.
The Farewell was such an emotional film, I keep going back and making all my family watch it with me
MING NA WEN DOESN'T HAVE A STAR?!
Yes, it is a travesty.
A lot of people don't, the person has to pay $30,000 for it and she could have declined.
May I ask why is there an obsession of being bathed by asian women? I swear the clip used in the video and a scene in a movie I accidentally watched about a war in vietnam has a scene of it. They were so jarring that I remembered
It's not so much that they were Asian. It's more of the fact that they found a woman who had the patience to wash their back at all.
@@reikun86 There does seem to be something of a trope of 'otherness' women bathing men. Seen it in films set in Middle-Eastern countries, African countries, Asian countries... Hell it's a whole thing in You Only Live Twice (though you may not notice after they 'make him Japanese').
Good observation! I’d guess it’s to show how submissive and subservient their characters were. The bathing suggests they are sexual, yet non-threatening at the same time.
Perfect little obedient, sexually willing, gentle wives. 🤮
AEle 03 - it’s a fetish that all white men have.
It’s weird as hell... I don’t know why it’s a thing... afaik bathing your SO is not a thing in Asian culture in general.... I am super curious where that particular ‘stereotype’ comes from.
As a person watching this in early May 2021, GO YUH-JUNG YOUN!!!!!
It's a damn shame that Ming Na Wen and Lucie Lu aren't more acclaimed than they are now as actresses.
no it isn't
After having read "Memoirs of a Geisha", I feel it was a brilliant story. Unfortunately, the movie failed to depict the rich and complex original story. If they had stuck closer to the book and cast Japanese actors, it could've been excellent. So I absolutely agree with you on how Hollywood sure likes to fetishize Asian culture and lump it all together without recognizing any differentiation between the cultures.
I wish Michelle Yeoh was nominated for The Lady.
wait, the movie that glamorizes a recent human rights criminal ??
I LOVE MICHELLE. Such a class this woman has. And I also adore Gong Li, her roles in "Raise the Red Lantern" and “Memoirs of a geisha" were a-ma-zing!
@@onlinepersona1995 Keep in mind that the film was released before the recent scandals surrounding Aung San Suu Kyi occurred.
@@eamonndeane587 also the Triumph of the Will before those recent scandals with Hitler happened
@onlinepersona123 I'm thankful at least that Michelle is an Oscar winner thanks to 'Everything, Everywhere, All At Once'.
when the Freaky Friday scene came and you said “ohhh mAgIc coOKie” I died 💀💀💀
Anna May Wong is continually ignored when videos of beautiful actresses are made, she is one of the most beautiful of actresses of all time. It was a shame she was not cast in The Good Earth.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would do itself the greatest service by appointing you their president. Let's see them really turn it around before their 100 year anniversary.
They WILL turn it around!!
I cannot wait for you to make a vid about Sophia Loren's Oscar!!! Especially what’s happening in Italy right now it would be nice to have a reminder of its golden days.
Mamma Mia, I want Sophia! Love Natalie Wood and Piper Laurie that year as well and I would also enjoy seeing Be Kind's take on the race. I have a feeling Sophia just edged Natalie for the prize- I want to go back in time and work for the Academy as a vote-counter.
slc2466 yup also Audrey Hepburn that same year nominated for the iconic breakfast at Tiffany’s I would love to see BKR commentary on how at the time the author hated her performance and originally selected Marilyn Monroe as Holly instead
Honestly, I didn’t like "Two women" - there was something synthetic about Sophia’s acting that didn’t make it bearable to me.
While I am happy that people are giving East Asians more attention, I have yet to see any support or representation from central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Mongolia. When people say Asian, they mean Chinese, Japanese, or (recently) Korean. Central and south Asians are ignored.
That is very true.
And there are many people of South Asian descent in the US. Even in the south, we have a lot of them due to Indo-Caribbean immigration from Guyana and Trinidad.
America has no obligation to make movies for every sub-category of people in the world
@@87dramarama then it shouldn’t have crafted the narrative of the melting pot
@@felicitysmoak3757 there are plenty of Asians in movies and TV but you guys always want more
@@87dramarama shut up
Thanks for mentioning Anna May Wong. She is one of my favorite actresses. "Toll of the Sea" is like the saddest film ever, but still very good.
Also, I love your channel. I'm also a fan of films (all, old and new) and am interested in the history of the Academy Awards. I just watched "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." I think that film would be great for you to cover as one of the first prominent Hollywood films to portray single-parenthood positively AND for the Oscar royalty in (Berstyn, Ladd, Foster cameo...and super short cameo from a future Oscar winner sitting at the counter in the final scene as an extra).
YES! She gave us what we needed during quarantine! Thank you!!!❤️❤️
This is my first time leaving a comment on your channel, even though I've been a subscriber for a while. First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRODUCING THIS VIDEO during a time when I'm seeing an alarming rate of anti-Asian hate crimes triggered by our country's coronavirus crisis. I shared your video with all my Asian American contacts; hopefully, it contributes to your CZcams revenue. I look forward to seeing your next video, whatever the subject may be. Stay safe!
As an east asian american.....thank you. This video explained things so clearly and respectfully. Media rarely talks about the asian experience in the western world.
Once again: a perfectly researched, well narrated and entertaining video! Love this channel! Thank you👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I just referenced your videos in my MFA thesis and I have to say thank you so much for the work you do. We really need this content.
If you do any more videos on Asian representations it might be interesting to talk about how south East Asian women are portrayed in Vietnam War films
Yeah! As well as Filipinas! They're usually objectified.
Anyone else here after watching Netflix’s “Hollywood”?
Ming-Na is bae. She was and always IS going to be Mulan, she was INCREDIBLE in Joy Luck Club, and as much as I don't much care for the show, as a Marvel fan, she's an absolute BADASS in Agents of SHIELD. I love seeing diversity in movies--it makes me appreciate people as a whole so much more.
I watch your videos multiple times each, 'cause your level of professionalism and academic-style research for the videos is stellar. I'm happy you finally have a sponsor for the video, you should be paid all the money!
I had Ming-Na Wen on my wall for 10 years as Mulan, and I didn't even know who she was.
A wonderfully overdue perspective done with this level of quality. Thank you!
I have to say that most of these films I've never even heard of. You are doing an amazing job shedding light over them.
I wish you would’ve highlighted Zhiyi Zhang in ‘Memoirs of a Gesha’ who was nominated for the Globe & SAG Award that year. And although it was a Geshia role at least her love interest was asian too
She complained about the movie early on. I think she hasn’t seen the film and doesn’t realize how complex the characters are even if they are geishas.
I was so pissed Akwafina didnt get nominated. I didn't care about this years Oscars after that.
At least she won the Golden Globe.
Kumarin yeah her and lupita snubs pissed me off bc they truly gave in my opinion the best female lead performances of 2019
Yes!!! She did way better than Renee in my opinion.
@@ellehansen7507 LOL you're right but then my Lupita always goes above and beyond. I will give Zellweger credit, in Judy all her annoying mannerisms worked to her advantage.
i think this asian discramination ‘not enough english language’ thing but considerably an american film will happen again with upcoming 2020 film Minari starring Steven Yeun because all actors are korean
This is one of the most underrated channels on CZcams. Excellent video, thank you so much for your great work.
Zhang Ziyi Was Phenomenal in Memiors of a Geisha. It is still one my Favorite films. She should have been nominated for best actress.
YES. I'm so glad that you made a whole video essay addressing this!
"I am suspended between two worlds."
AHHHHHHHHHH
After seeing both Bombshell and The Farewell, it’s an outrage that Charlize got nominated over Awkwafina. Awkwafina gave a groundbreaking and emotional performance. It was such a departure for Awkwafina. Charlize was bland and just sort of did what she always does only in a less interesting way. So it really makes no sense why Charlize was nominated over Awkwafina
DANIELLE PALAZZOLO bc she became Meghan kelly according to the press and critics which is true in terms her portrayal but we never got to see an emotional side to Meghan in bombshell.
Basically what BKR said in her previous video(s) about biopics. If one portrays a real person, unlike a fictional character, the audience has a point of reference. And of course the physical transformation, etc.
Charlize wore a nose and did a voice. Nicole got an oscar for doing that 2 decades ago. It's baffling that still impresses these academy basics.
DANIELLE PALAZZOLO Charlize being nominated wasn’t the issue. She deserved that nomination. If anything, you should be upset that Scarlett and Saorsie-in that category-was nominated over Awkwafina and Lupita.
Dominique Deveraux I actually liked their performances. Their performances were emotional and have depth. Charlize was deeply uninteresting
How does this channel not have more subscribers? It's well researched, well presented and has unique insights not covered by other film youtubers.
Anybody remember the yellow-face of Joel Grey in "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" from 1985? The yellow-face gave the movie it's single Oscar nomination: Best Makeup. SMH x infinity
wut
OMG really? I had so much respect for Joel Grey because of his performance in Cabaret :(
Granted he shouldn't have taken the role, but at the same time everyone that was part of that movie should've seen how messed up of an idea that was.
you do sooo much research and you're so well spoken ahhh plz never stop making videos
I still find it odd that Crazy Rich Asians didn't get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay
So happy you covered this.
Your videos have been my quarantine savior this past week. I'm currently watching all of them again. So brilliant! Hugs from Colombia.
Thank you, BKR! This was a good one that I watched immediately when it was in my feed!
How in the world does Ming-na Wen not have a star? I’ve been a fan of hers for years.
Great spotlight! Joy Luck Club was such a wonderful movie! Ming-Na Wen deserves more recognition for her career. Also, Michelle Yeoh is EVERYTHING and I'm sad she hasn't been awarded. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is one of my all time favorites, another movie that received accolades without acknowledging the amazing individual talents. I am happy to see an apparent shift in opportunities for diverse stories and characters and opportunities, and I truly hope that will continue to flourish. Support diversity! Thank you
Okay!! That was a hot follow-thru on a topic you had already covered young lady and yet you deepened it. You are not playing. I wad fascinated.
Hi @BeKindRewind. I just want to thank you for your videos. They are courageous and highly educational, not only from films' perspective, but humanness angle as well. Congratulations and please don't stop.
Take care of yourself as well. Your channel is really great. Thanks for the well researched, well written content.
Thanks again for yet another insightful comprehensive post.
I not only love the quality and nuance of of your videos, but also your presenting skills.... especially your voice. its so calming to listen to.
I love your channel so much. Your video essays are so well researched and articulated. Appreciate the depth with which you address and highlight real issues. Your videos have caused me to go back and revisit some of my favorite classics and view them under a new lens. Keep up the great work!
Very good video. I just love the quality of your investigative effort to make this videos a great source to understand the situation of film (mainly in the US) as of right now. I hope you make Part 3, detailing the hurdles existing for Latin American actors and actresses to win awards, in English or in Spanish and Portuguese.
I'm so excited for this, can't wait to see how you cover this topic. I've been hoping I would get to hear your thoughts on parasite!
BKR: your videos are so impressive. Well researched, thoughtful and informative. You're a blessing to CZcams, and I'm so happy you're around!
This is just so well-made. The issues are well researched, the writing is extremely compelling, and the visuals really contribute to the arguments. Thank you so much! I am left completely in awe of you and deeply infuriated about the issue.