Current Events > Victory of Asian-American Character In The Last Jedi Shows How Far We Have To Go

(+) Yeah! (+)

80/80 condensing it

https://quartzy.qz.com/1163239/kelly-marie-tran-as-rose-tico-in-star-wars-the-last-jedi-shows-how-far-asian-americans-still-need-to-go-in-hollywood/
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She's not wrong. I imagine people will take offense here, somehow. Claim it is some sort of hypocrisy, or somehow attacking them, or that whitewashing is just a complete coincidence, or that its too preachy or something.

ummmm did they make sure to audition every white woman in existence before giving the role to a diversity hire?? racist sjws

Put plainly, there is no apparent reason for Rose to be portrayed by an Asian actor.

ummmm then why the fuck was she not white??

race doesn't matter in star wars. in that galaxy, humans don't see each other as different races. a human is a human.

Zikten posted...

race doesn't matter in star wars. in that galaxy, humans don't see each other as different races. a human is a human.

Yeah, but the casting agents don't live in the Star Wars universe. The point is not that Asia exists in Star Wars, its that movies like Star Wars continue to cast Asian actors in exclusive roles that are generally based on Asian stereotypes or archetypes. That's not to say that there aren't exceptions, but I think that they are talking about the majority here.

Then again, Star Wars had one black guy for 40 years or so, so ...

Congrats littleroyal
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"Victory"
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What victory?

She was probably the worst character.
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Blah, blah, blah. First Asian character to ever appear in a western release.

What happened in the 2000s that caused us to lose all of the momentum that we had in the 1990s? A guy like Jackie Chan could come out of nowhere with one film and be an instant success in the States. Jason Scott Lee didn't have the greatest career, but there was an opportunity. Remember Lucy Liu? How come her decade of success never opened up the door for others to follow?

In the 1990s, there were movies and TV shows with black actors, Asians, Latinos, and so forth. What closed the door on that? Was it the economic downturn in the US? Was it the Bush administration? Was it just us coming to the conclusion that, since racism was dead, we didn't have to be inclusive anymore?

How is it that the 1990s were a time when anyone could potentially succeed as long as they were likable and entertaining and the 2010s are a period where we act like every woman and every ethnic minority is the first person to ever break through the glass ceiling of a heretofore exclusively white male dominated Hollywood?

I didnt notice or even care. Im steps beyond the rest of the world
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Skye Reynolds posted...

Blah, blah, blah. First Asian character to ever appear in a western release.

I think the point wasn't that it was the first Asian character, it was that most of the previous famous Asian actors were predominately known for playing stereotypes (Jackie Chan as the Kung Fu master, Lucy Liu as the Dragon Lady, etc). Rose, on the other hand, follows none of that.

Dash_Harber posted...

playing stereotypes (Jackie Chan as the Kung Fu master, Lucy Liu as the Dragon Lady, etc).

When I read a post like this, I don't immediately facepalm. My hand instinctively hovers there for a moment as if to say, "I'm there if you need me." And, yes, I ended up facepalming.

Jackie Chan was a master of Kung Fu because Jackie Chan was a master of Kung Fu. And I can't think of a film in which Lucy Liu played a "dragon lady" type. She's an attractive woman and she's Asian. That doesn't make her the alluring other.

Congrats, Asians! You have shown you can be cast in terrible roles just like white actors can.
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Progressives are quick to stand in the way of progress because they want the credit for being first.

If Zoe Saldana played a government agent today, people would say that she was breaking new ground. There was a black female James Bond back in 1973.

It'd be better to recover these actors and these success stories from the past and build a line of continuity. Hey, actors of these backgrounds were successful in the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s. Why aren't they being given opportunities today when we're all allegedly a lot less racist?

I refuse to accept some preposterous answer like, "she's the first to not be a stereotype." That's the kind of bullshit that somebody breaks out when they know people aren't gonna watch a 20 year old movie or TV show to fact check. This time, the brainy female lead who was an equal member of the team will not be eye candy or a damsel in distress.

Skye Reynolds posted...

Jackie Chan was a master of Kung Fu because Jackie Chan was a master of Kung Fu.

And that is literally all he is allowed to be. Half of his jokes in his comedies are him exaggerating his Chinese accent.

Skye Reynolds posted...

And I can't think of a film in which Lucy Liu played a "dragon lady" type. She's an attractive woman and she's Asian. That doesn't make her the alluring other.

Man with the Ion Fist
Kill Bill
Etc.

Anyway, you don't need to be condescending and rude. It wasn't as funny as you think. Again, the point was not that characters played by Asians who didn't conform to Asian stereotypes don't exist, it's saying that it's nice to see an Asian actor whose role has literally nothing to do with her being Asian.

You guys remember when Lucy Liu played the love interest in Lucky Number Slevin?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Jackie Chan played a down on his luck police officer who spent most of his film brooding over the loss of his squad in a very heartfelt and toned-down role?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Nikki Soohoo appeared on a variety of popular television shows in prominent roles?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Harry Shum Jr. played a lead role on Glee for his slick dance moves?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Brenda Song starred in a multitude of popular Disney sitcoms?
No?
Kay.

But you guys remember when some fat chick was diversity hired to play a role directly marketed because of the race of the character in an attempt to say "Hey, look what we did!"
The role in the movie itself has nothing to do with race, but the Star Wars team is damn sure patting themselves on the back and basically screaming "Look guys, we hired an Asian!"

Out of all the things I posted, Star Wars is the racist and offensive one.
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Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

This one was my favourite because I think they barely ever mentioned him being Asian in the series. It's brought up like three times.
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we dont have to go anywhere, journalist.

when 2% of the nation is trying to garner more than 10% of attention
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What a crap article. Apart from Holdo she was easily the worst character in the movie.
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We need more John Cho
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SGT_Conti posted...

Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

This one was my favourite because I think they barely ever mentioned him being Asian in the series. It's brought up like three times.

The only time I can remember it being referenced was when Merle called him a chinaman or something and Daryl corrected him with "He's Korean!"
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Herschel once referred to him as "the Asian boy" when talking to Maggie and I think Negan says something about him being Asian but I just stopped paying much attention by that point.
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Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?

I don't remember this at all. Where is this Vanessa Hudgens dope ass porn?
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Dash_Harber posted...

Man with the Ion Fist
Kill Bill
Etc.

A "dragon lady" is an Asian femme fatale. Lucy Liu's chracter was a crime boss. She didn't use her sexuality as a weapon.

Anyway, you don't need to be condescending and rude. It wasn't as funny as you think. Again, the point was not that characters played by Asians who didn't conform to Asian stereotypes don't exist, it's saying that it's nice to see an Asian actor whose role has literally nothing to do with her being Asian.

You're right. I apologize.

This isn't the first time though that an Asian actor has been treated like a person and not a character type. It's silly that people try to act like this is the first time.

The statement from these cites should be "We need more characters like this," not "This is the first time an Asian character is just a person."

Window_Starer posted...

Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?

I don't remember this at all. Where is this Vanessa Hudgens dope ass porn?

She sent Drake Bell nudes.
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Has there ever been an American movie with an Asian male lead role that doesn't use martial arts?

Yes it is called Mayhem.
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Veggeta_MAX posted...

Has there ever been an American movie with an Asian male lead role that doesn't use martial arts?

Better Luck Tomorrow is Justin Lin's best film.
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I like the part in The Last Jedi when Rose was an Asian maintenance tech who had half a yin yang necklace.
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China became a huge market for the tiny handful of western movies they allow in each year.
That's why. There's no huge diversity awakening or multicultural renaissance - it's just money.

So where exactly do the humans originate from in Star Wars anyway
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Coffeebeanz posted...

So where exactly do the humans originate from in Star Wars anyway

Corellia, give or take what's canon this week.

Skye Reynolds posted...

Blah, blah, blah. First Asian character to ever appear in a western release.

What happened in the 2000s that caused us to lose all of the momentum that we had in the 1990s? A guy like Jackie Chan could come out of nowhere with one film and be an instant success in the States. Jason Scott Lee didn't have the greatest career, but there was an opportunity. Remember Lucy Liu? How come her decade of success never opened up the door for others to follow?

In the 1990s, there were movies and TV shows with black actors, Asians, Latinos, and so forth. What closed the door on that? Was it the economic downturn in the US? Was it the Bush administration? Was it just us coming to the conclusion that, since racism was dead, we didn't have to be inclusive anymore?

How is it that the 1990s were a time when anyone could potentially succeed as long as they were likable and entertaining and the 2010s are a period where we act like every woman and every ethnic minority is the first person to ever break through the glass ceiling of a heretofore exclusively white male dominated Hollywood?

The 90s had economic prosperity and thus an air of optimism so people weren't constantly looking for shit to scapegoat as the source of their problems.
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We need more hot asian girls in movies >_> I'm totally on board with that
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i love that ce thinks "asians in stereotypical roles as asian people" is the representation we are seeking in media, and that somehow the existence of these near-offensive caricatures and typecast pigeonhole things should cow asians into being grateful (not that some of them weren't able to break free of the stereotypes)

that being said

einegutePerson posted...

when 2% of the nation is trying to garner more than 10% of attention

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KhlavicLanguage posted...

ummmm did they make sure to audition every white woman in existence before giving the role to a diversity hire?? racist sjws

KhlavicLanguage posted...

Put plainly, there is no apparent reason for Rose to be portrayed by an Asian actor.

ummmm then why the fuck was she not white??

Maybe she was simply the best actress who auditioned?
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Do SJWs in Japan ever complain about their movies being yellowwashed and demand more white people representation?

The movies are made here in the US. There are lots of white people here. By the law of numbers, most of the best auditioning actors/actresses will be white.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

Do SJWs in Japan ever complain about their movies being yellowwashed and demand more white people representation?

No, because Japan isn't the widely diverse country that espouses diversity as one of the pillars of its society, pledging equality, etc

Japan is a much more homogeneous nation than the US.
They don't have the same values as us.

So to compare the reaction of the Japanese public, who are not going through the same things as Asian Americans, to the American public is a bit disingenuous if you ask me.
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einegutePerson posted...

when 2% of the nation is trying to garner more than 10% of attention

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Rogue One didn't have an Asian in the main cast?

Also, Rose being responsible for literally that most BS thing in all of SW isn't a win.
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Can't unsee female Bobby Lee
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Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Lucy Liu played the love interest in Lucky Number Slevin?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Jackie Chan played a down on his luck police officer who spent most of his film brooding over the loss of his squad in a very heartfelt and toned-down role?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Nikki Soohoo appeared on a variety of popular television shows in prominent roles?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Harry Shum Jr. played a lead role on Glee for his slick dance moves?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Brenda Song starred in a multitude of popular Disney sitcoms?
No?
Kay.

But you guys remember when some fat chick was diversity hired to play a role directly marketed because of the race of the character in an attempt to say "Hey, look what we did!"
The role in the movie itself has nothing to do with race, but the Star Wars team is damn sure patting themselves on the back and basically screaming "Look guys, we hired an Asian!"

Out of all the things I posted, Star Wars is the racist and offensive one.

All of this.
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Solar_Crimson posted...

KhlavicLanguage posted...

ummmm did they make sure to audition every white woman in existence before giving the role to a diversity hire?? racist sjws

KhlavicLanguage posted...

Put plainly, there is no apparent reason for Rose to be portrayed by an Asian actor.

ummmm then why the fuck was she not white??

Maybe she was simply the best actress who auditioned?

She may have been. However, TFA and TLJ were cast specifically to push minority casting. JJ Abrams talked about it at length for TFA.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

Do SJWs in Japan ever complain about their movies being yellowwashed and demand more white people representation?

Actually, a lot of Japanese fans were shitting on the live-action "Attack on Titan" because all the characters were played by Japanese actors instead of white.
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Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Lucy Liu played the love interest in Lucky Number Slevin?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Jackie Chan played a down on his luck police officer who spent most of his film brooding over the loss of his squad in a very heartfelt and toned-down role?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Nikki Soohoo appeared on a variety of popular television shows in prominent roles?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Harry Shum Jr. played a lead role on Glee for his slick dance moves?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Brenda Song starred in a multitude of popular Disney sitcoms?
No?
Kay.

But you guys remember when some fat chick was diversity hired to play a role directly marketed because of the race of the character in an attempt to say "Hey, look what we did!"
The role in the movie itself has nothing to do with race, but the Star Wars team is damn sure patting themselves on the back and basically screaming "Look guys, we hired an Asian!"

Out of all the things I posted, Star Wars is the racist and offensive one.

Do you think naming a handful of actors somehow means asian actors arent given the short end of the stick or in a lot of cases no stick at all?
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Blue_Inigo posted...

Jorep posted...

You guys remember when Lucy Liu played the love interest in Lucky Number Slevin?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Steven Yuen played an attractive lead in the Walking Dead who often times led the team with his quick wit?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Jackie Chan played a down on his luck police officer who spent most of his film brooding over the loss of his squad in a very heartfelt and toned-down role?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Nikki Soohoo appeared on a variety of popular television shows in prominent roles?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Harry Shum Jr. played a lead role on Glee for his slick dance moves?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Vanessa Hudgens starred in an incredibly popular musical and went on to do some dope ass porn?
No?
Kay.

You guys remember when Brenda Song starred in a multitude of popular Disney sitcoms?
No?
Kay.

But you guys remember when some fat chick was diversity hired to play a role directly marketed because of the race of the character in an attempt to say "Hey, look what we did!"
The role in the movie itself has nothing to do with race, but the Star Wars team is damn sure patting themselves on the back and basically screaming "Look guys, we hired an Asian!"

Out of all the things I posted, Star Wars is the racist and offensive one.

Do you think naming a handful of actors somehow means asian actors arent given the short end of the stick or in a lot of cases no stick at all?

Statistically, Asians are overrepresented in Hollywood - 4% of the roles, 2% of the population.
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einegutePerson posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Do SJWs in Japan ever complain about their movies being yellowwashed and demand more white people representation?

No, because Japan isn't the widely diverse country that espouses diversity as one of the pillars of its society, pledging equality, etc

Japan is a much more homogeneous nation than the US.
They don't have the same values as us.

So to compare the reaction of the Japanese public, who are not going through the same things as Asian Americans, to the American public is a bit disingenuous if you ask me.

I mean the point wasn't aimed at Japan specifically, it was just the first country that came to mind. Replace it with China or Uganda or whatever you want
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