MovieChat Forums > The King and I (1956) Discussion > White Actors Playing Asian Characters?

White Actors Playing Asian Characters?

posted 12 years ago by JM_Hizon
8 replies | jump to latest

What is the deal with Caucasian actors playing Mexican, Native American, or Asian characters? It looks absurd.

http://www.youtube.com/enid1911

[–] lroy77 11 years ago

Not only that but Japanese playing Chinese, Koreans playing Vietnamese, etc. etc. etc. Never could understand that. The magic of Hollywood makeup.

[–] ladylaughinglizard 11 years ago

Totally agree. It is distracting

[–] velcronewsletter 11 years ago

at the time i can't imagine they had many leading asian actors to fill the parts

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OCOE - obsessive compulsive olive eater

[–] gribfritz2 8 years ago

What is the deal with PC police judging 60 year old movies by today's standards? They sound absurd. Equally absurd would be to cast principle roles in a Hollywood film in 1956 with unknown "ethnic" actors; mainly because no one would have gone and seen it.

[–] marktayloruk (2375) 3 years ago

It's known as acting.

[–] laurence01 (12) a year ago

Thank god someone with a brain, even American equity agrees that there is no problem with this. Which is why Jonathan Pryce was allowed to open in "Miss Saigon" on Broadway.

[–] April-151-CT (10210) a year ago

Yeah but at least they're made up to look the part. Much different than race swapping. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12248) a year ago

That was how Hollywood did things back then. It was normal for the 1950s and nobody complained at all. And for the record, most of the "Siamese" women in the film were played by Hispanic actresses.