Asians trash "Geisha"

Question

Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. The film stars Ziyz Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li.
What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles?
Lois

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. The film stars Ziyz Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li. What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles?[/nq]
This would be the same Hollywood that cast **** Van as a Cockney?

A good story cannot be devised; it has to be distilled. Raymond Chandler

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. ... Yeoh and Gong Li. What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles? Lois[/nq]
Read this interview with the producers and you'll understand. Redford had the same problem trying to cast Jim Chee for the movie from the very popular Tony Hillerman books, and had to go with Lou Diamond Phillips.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/article display.jsp?vnu conten t id=1001572586
Nov. 30, 2005
Fisher, Wick: Difficulties in making 'Geisha' clear

By Anne Thompson
After extensive executive stints at Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures, in 2001 Lucy Fisher joined her husband, Doug Wick, as co-head of Sony-based Red Wagon Prods. Red Wagon has produced such high-quality studio pictures as 2000's Oscar-winning "Gladiator," the "Stuart Little" series and "Girl, Interrupted." The Hollywood Reporter deputy film editor Anne Thompson talked with the married duo about producing two widely hailed book-to-movies: Universal's current release "Jarhead," directed by Sam Mendes, and Rob Marshall's "Memoirs of a Geisha," which Sony Pictures will platform Dec. 9.

The Hollywood Reporter: "Jarhead" took the short route from book to screen. But what took "Memoirs of a Geisha" seven years?

(more on site)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. The film stars Ziyz Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li. What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles?[/nq]
**** yeah! And what about Don Cheadle playing a Hutu hotel manager, or Danny Glover playing a South African leader? I mean, what's the deal with that?
jaybee

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. ... Yeoh and Gong Li. What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles? Lois[/nq]
It's an old Hollywood tradition that really hit some high notes in the fifties. In "Teahouse of the August Moon" (1956), no less than Marlon Brando played Sakini, an Okinawan interpreter for the U.S. occupying forces. The movie has lots of Japanese actors, but why Brando as Japanese? (Even though he did a pretty **** good job.) Brando was box office!

In the same time frame, Brando made another picture, "Sayonara" (1957), in which he played an American officer stationed in Japan. LOTS of great Japanese actors in that one, BUT... they had to toss in Ricardo Montalban playing, of all things, a Kabuki actor, and there ain't much in this old world more Japanese than Kabuki! With all those other Japanese actors, why couldn't they have gotten a real Kabuki actor? Hey... That's Hollywood!
For the record, these are both classic films well worth an evening of your time. Have plenty of Kleenex on hand for "Sayonara." Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki (you may remember her as Mrs. Livingston on the TV series, "The Courtship of Eddie's Father") won Oscars for their supporting roles. Overall, it took four Oscars and six additional nominations. Not too shabby for a movie with the Corinthian leather spokesman playing a Japanese supporting role.
Caroline

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main actresses are Chinese, and the story is about Japanese geisha. The film stars Ziyz Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li.[/nq]
Point of distinction in regards to "Asians". I think the Chinese are generally pretty okay with it, since for the most part we're happy to see our own people find success in Hollywood (sniping about CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON aside). It's the Japanese that are kicking up a fuss about it, with understandable reason.
Anybody seen the trailer yet? They sound pretty good speaking English.

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[nq:1]What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles?[/nq]
Why should they? It's acting - pretending to be something you're not.

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]What's the deal with Hollywood? Why couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles?[/nq]
[nq:1]Why should they? It's acting - pretending to be something you're not. Bert www.bertcoules.co.uk[/nq]
Movies are made by a bunch of grownups playing dress-up.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Asians are dissing "Memoirs of a Geisha" because the main ... couldn't they have cast Japanese actresses in those roles? Lois[/nq]
[nq:1]It's an old Hollywood tradition that really hit some high notes in the fifties. In "Teahouse of the August Moon" ... and six additional nominations. Not too shabby for a movie with the Corinthian leather spokesman playing a Japanese supporting role.[/nq]
Nothing beats Charlton Heston playing a Mexican, IMO.

Though Sir Alec Guinness as an Arab wasn't too shabby, either.

Stephen Mack
"Nobody's smart enough to be wrong all the time." -Ken Wilber

Asians trash "Geisha"

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