In Hollywood, who is cast as the hero and who is set aside is almost never accidental. It’s not uncommon to see Asian men cast as “unattractive” or “undesirable” compared to white men in films. This emasculation of Asian men occurs when they are portrayed as feminine and desexualized, in clear contrast to dominant white masculinity. Unlike white men, Asian men are typically not cast in leading “heroic” roles. White men usually occupy a more “masculine” space as handsome protagonists while Asian men are forgotten.
Hollywood often limits Asian men to stereotypical roles. While white men tend to play more “positive” roles in films, Asian men are frequently reduced to comedic side characters. For example, Ken Jeong’s character in the movie “Hangover” has a thick accent, limited vocabulary, and is perceived as more stupid compared to the other actors in the film. “His whole character was created so people could laugh at him,” Diane Kung said, an AAPI Literature teacher at Berkeley High School.
Not only is this unrealistic, but it is also problematic and harmful when considering the depth that white characters are commonly given. “It just puts Asian men into an image of ‘this is what Asian men are.’ They’re just nerds ... they can’t be taken seriously,” BHS junior Linus Hohmeyer said.
The stereotypes placed on Asian men in films can include the “nerd” or the “comic relief.” This not only negatively impacts Asian men watching the films, but also affects society’s perspective on Asian men. For example, in the film “16 Candles,” the character Long Duk Dong is clearly feminized and far from a typical “masculine” role. He plays the role of the “foreigner” in the movie, and is dumbed down for the audience’s entertainment, which re-enforces preexisting stereotypes. When these stereotypes are normalized, they create the assumption that they apply to all Asian men in general. “(It discourages) people from getting in relationships with Asian men,” BHS junior Kevin Marley Mocling said.
Additionally, inaccurate representations can make Asian men and boys feel confined to the box that Asian characters in films are often limited to.
“When films almost always limit Asian men to stereotypes, insecurity can lead to a lot of things, either that you believe in the stereotype and you become that stereotype, or you overcompensate, and you try to be the exact opposite of that stereotype,” Kung said.
Hohmeyer echoed that sentiment. “If that’s all they see on TV, then (Asian men and boys) themselves feel emasculated and unhappy in their place in society.”
Many famous films don’t take Asian men seriously. Rather than portraying Asian men as complex characters, they perpetuate stereotypes. Although the representation of Asian men may have improved in recent years, these persistently damaging portrayals continue to contribute to many of the stereotypes about Asian men that exist today.