I was reading some entertainment magazine and found a one page spread article (interview actually) on Daniel Henney.
I kept reading it til I found a paragraph where it said (something like this - i'm not too sure the exact words) "...he's one of handful Asian actors in Hollywood"; and then at the end of the interview he explained how he didn't like being offered the stereotypical characters in hollywood for him - kung fu movies, drag racing driver, or anything that has funny title such as Dim Sum Sum.
Then I went.. Isn't he half British?
My point is, for some of you that are Eurasian, do you get offended when people just generalizing on what you look the most?
I mean, he does look Asian.. but he's not.
I had this conversation with my bf and his family but I didn't really get the answer - Why did they call him Asian. In fact that they were interviewing him, did they ask him first or they just "assumed" that he wouldn't mind being called Asian in a one page spread article in a famous film magazine.
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Identity Crisis?
#2
- little miss trouble
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Posted 09 May 2009 - 11:39 PM
it's because us mixed people are weak-sauce.
in general, if famous mixed people are half-white, they are promoted as "full" (if they kind of look it) because it sells them better.
if they are mixed, but look "white" (like, say, keanu reeves), people just assume that they are white.
plus, people are used to labeling half-white people by their non-white half.
usually that person never puts up a fuss because, again, mixed people are weak-sauce that way and care way too much about being accepted by non-white minorities.
in his case, he's a mixed guy who got into the entertainment world through acting in korea.
so, even if he is half, it sounds like he's decided to identify as full because that could possibly land him more roles, and because to a degree he looks asian so he might as well call himself asian.
personally, i think that mixed ppl (especially famous mixed ppl) should identify as and be identified by others as mixed, but again, mixed people are weak sauce in that most of them only care to be accepted by their minority half (if they are half white), and because the non-white fans will support them as one of their own.
in general, if famous mixed people are half-white, they are promoted as "full" (if they kind of look it) because it sells them better.
if they are mixed, but look "white" (like, say, keanu reeves), people just assume that they are white.
plus, people are used to labeling half-white people by their non-white half.
usually that person never puts up a fuss because, again, mixed people are weak-sauce that way and care way too much about being accepted by non-white minorities.
in his case, he's a mixed guy who got into the entertainment world through acting in korea.
so, even if he is half, it sounds like he's decided to identify as full because that could possibly land him more roles, and because to a degree he looks asian so he might as well call himself asian.
personally, i think that mixed ppl (especially famous mixed ppl) should identify as and be identified by others as mixed, but again, mixed people are weak sauce in that most of them only care to be accepted by their minority half (if they are half white), and because the non-white fans will support them as one of their own.
i write an important thing, and do not let's finish. a way of writing for freedom.
#3
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Posted 10 May 2009 - 01:32 AM
^ Yeah I totally agree with you; but then again when it comes to the media, what are they gonna say about their race; do they have any race/ or preferable / or just say all of their race?
That's why I think people generalize too much and I think - to make it easier to identify someone. You know for example "Do you know that guy from xmen, the agent zero?" "Which one?" "The asian one"
Do the media always do this kinda stuff? Like putting some race on to their article even though it's not true (in this case that he's not (fully) asian but they called him "Asian actor") - I'm talking here about interview, which means, I'm assuming, they asked the person and then put them on the magazine. Cos I seriously never noticed this before.
The other reason I'm making this thread is because I'm making an article about this for the next issue for my online magazine so yeah it'll be good having people's opinion about mixed race and a possible identity crisis.
That's why I think people generalize too much and I think - to make it easier to identify someone. You know for example "Do you know that guy from xmen, the agent zero?" "Which one?" "The asian one"
Do the media always do this kinda stuff? Like putting some race on to their article even though it's not true (in this case that he's not (fully) asian but they called him "Asian actor") - I'm talking here about interview, which means, I'm assuming, they asked the person and then put them on the magazine. Cos I seriously never noticed this before.
The other reason I'm making this thread is because I'm making an article about this for the next issue for my online magazine so yeah it'll be good having people's opinion about mixed race and a possible identity crisis.
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