TOKYO: The film world of Asia, known for producing Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, Brillante Mendoza and other greats, is too busy making movies of its own to fret much about the debate slamming Hollywood — the casting of white people in roles written for Asians.
While hurt, irritated or dumb-founded perhaps about the so-called “white-washing” syndrome, performers here aren’t expressing the level of outrage of a Margaret Cho, George Takei or other Americans.
Many shrugged off the phenomenon as inevitable, given commercial marketability needs, noting Asian films also cast well-known actors over and over.
It’s also a sensitive topic. South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun declined to be interviewed through his representative, who noted Lee was set to be in a Hollywood film.
Kaori Momoi, who appeared in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” as well as Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Sokurov’s “The Sun,” suggested acting was ultimately about individual talent, not skin color or nationality.
Momoi praised the devotion, skill and professionalism of Scarlett Johansson, whose starring in “Ghost in the Shell,” based on a Japanese manga, has stirred up an uproar as a prime example of “white-washing.” Momoi played the mother of Johansson’s character.
“I felt blessed to have worked with her,” she said.
Vijay Varma, an India actor who starred in “Monsoon Shootout,” shown at the Cannes Film Festival, pointed out insularity was prevalent in Bollywood as well.
Families dominate the business, although he was an exception and came from a family unrelated to movies. Bollywood counts on mass appeal, casting the “familiar,” just like Hollywood, he added.
When an effort that defies boundaries turns out to be a great movie, like “Life of Pi,” which starred an Indian actor, combined live action with computer graphics, and had a Taiwan-born director Ang Lee, “it feels really good,” Varma said.
While hurt, irritated or dumb-founded perhaps about the so-called “white-washing” syndrome, performers here aren’t expressing the level of outrage of a Margaret Cho, George Takei or other Americans.
Many shrugged off the phenomenon as inevitable, given commercial marketability needs, noting Asian films also cast well-known actors over and over.
It’s also a sensitive topic. South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun declined to be interviewed through his representative, who noted Lee was set to be in a Hollywood film.
Kaori Momoi, who appeared in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” as well as Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Sokurov’s “The Sun,” suggested acting was ultimately about individual talent, not skin color or nationality.
Momoi praised the devotion, skill and professionalism of Scarlett Johansson, whose starring in “Ghost in the Shell,” based on a Japanese manga, has stirred up an uproar as a prime example of “white-washing.” Momoi played the mother of Johansson’s character.
“I felt blessed to have worked with her,” she said.
Vijay Varma, an India actor who starred in “Monsoon Shootout,” shown at the Cannes Film Festival, pointed out insularity was prevalent in Bollywood as well.
Families dominate the business, although he was an exception and came from a family unrelated to movies. Bollywood counts on mass appeal, casting the “familiar,” just like Hollywood, he added.
When an effort that defies boundaries turns out to be a great movie, like “Life of Pi,” which starred an Indian actor, combined live action with computer graphics, and had a Taiwan-born director Ang Lee, “it feels really good,” Varma said.
