thefederalistfreestyle: Meet the Asian George Washington and Actors Defying Asian Stereotypes (Vice)
thefederalistfreestyle:Meet the Asian George Washington and Actors Defying Asian Stereotypes (Vice):In the production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton that’s currently touring the country, George Washington is Korean and Alexander Hamilton is half Japanese. There weren’t many Asians in America during the time the play is set, but they are front and center in the hit musical, the cast of which is made up of actors from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The show continues to sell tickets at an alarming rate, breaking Broadway sales records. Some fans claim it’s changed their lives.“I think playing Washington [in Hamilton] for anyone is a big deal,” says Korean-American actor Marcus Choi, who plays the part in the Philip cast of the US tour of the production, and has been performing and acting professionally for 22 years.“It’s such a great role filled with intensity and integrity,” Choi tells me. “I think the bigger deal is the fact that in such a successful show, the Hamilton creative team has taken another step forward and non-traditionally cast an already non-traditional show.”When it comes to a lack of diversity in Hollywood, Asian-Americans are among the least represented. In 2015, only 3.9 percent of speaking or named characters in the top 100 grossing movies of the year were Asian, according to University of Southern California’s Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative.[…]Choi thinks there are two sides to that coin.“Yes, I’ve been asked to audition for stereotypical Asian parts [like an] immigrant, migrant worker, and sushi chef,” he says. “But I’ve also [intentionally] done Asian-American shows like Flower Drum Song, Miss Saigon, and Allegiance.”He says it’s important for genuine narratives involving Asians to be up front and center.“I know that the commercial exposure to the Asian experience is broadening with shows like Fresh Off the Boat and Kim’s Convenience in Canada,” Choi explains, “but I also know that there is a long road ahead of us due to the fact that we are [among] the most underrepresented ethnic group in entertainment.” […]More bawling that the castings are “unrealistic” and “biased” in 3…2…1… -- source link
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