Zhang Ziyi In Memoirs Of A Geisha

[Stylephox]

Originally posted by lunabella@Nov 16 2004, 05:39 PM
hmm, i find it would be hard to act japanese when you are really chinese, but i guess i'm just a bad actress. or i'm not japanese.

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I'm confused by your comment. Isn't the point of acting to portray something you're not?

 

[sugarpea]

Originally posted by Stylephox@Nov 16 2004, 10:42 PM
I'm confused by your comment. Isn't the point of acting to portray something you're not?

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but im if you are physically not japanese how can you portray one?

 

[purplelucrezia]

Originally posted by sugarpea@Nov 16 2004, 11:27 PM
but im if you are physically not japanese how can you portray one?

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If you're a talented enough actress you can make people look beyond that physical shell.

 

[softgrey]

i repeat..you cannot tell just by looking at someone if they are japanese or chinese...

or korean ....etc...

 

[Meg]

Originally posted by softgrey@Nov 17 2004, 05:37 AM
i repeat..you cannot tell just by looking at someone if they are japanese or chinese...

or korean ....etc...

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I think you can for the most part. It's harder if you're not surrounded by people of different asian ethnicities. But I think someone who has lived around Chinese people their whole life would be able to tell if someone came along and was japanese.

 

[stylegurrl]

Originally posted by softgrey@Nov 17 2004, 12:37 AM
i repeat..you cannot tell just by looking at someone if they are japanese or chinese...

or korean ....etc...

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All of the Asian people I know are able to look at each other and guess (with 99% accuracy) what another Asian person's national origin is. I personally am getting better at distinguishing them. There are definite differences.

There are differences among my people as well. I can usually tell the difference between Black Americans and people from the Caribbean and Africa, without hearing them speak.

 

[sugarpea]

Originally posted by stylegurrl@Nov 17 2004, 01:04 AM
All of the Asian people I know are able to look at each other and guess (with 99% accuracy) what another Asian person's national origin is. I personally am getting better at distinguishing them. There are definite differences.

There are differences among my people as well. I can usually tell the difference between Black Americans and people from the Caribbean and Africa, without hearing them speak.

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thank you...one you are part of a community you are able to tell...even then, if you are surrounded by many asians you begin to sense a difference, not in all cases of course, but certainly if you look at zhang ziyi its quite obvious she isnt japanese

 

[sugarpea]

Originally posted by purplelucrezia@Nov 16 2004, 11:38 PM
If you're a talented enough actress you can make people look beyond that physical shell.

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true in some circumstances, but you cant always do so if its so inaccurate. ill know shes chinese just like i know jesus wasnt a white dude...i cant look past it...

 

[wyatt.]

Originally posted by Meg@Nov 17 2004, 12:53 AM
I think you can for the most part. It's harder if you're not surrounded by people of different asian ethnicities. But I think someone who has lived around Chinese people their whole life would be able to tell if someone came along and was japanese.

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i think you can too. it's just that isn't this an american film? so...well i don't think the majority will even see it let alone be able to tell

 

[saturnine]

I loved the book when I first read it years ago, but I'm a bit dubious about the film adaptation, as I always am.

 

[meowmix]

i actually thought the book (golden's) was rather interesting, but now that i've learned so much more about geisha culture and asian literature, the value of golden's book really depends upon how you look at it... i certainly would not regard it as remotely educational

 

[Cammy]

Originally posted by softgrey@Nov 17 2004, 12:37 AM
i repeat..you cannot tell just by looking at someone if they are japanese or chinese...

or korean ....etc...

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This really isnt true i mean often it is hard to tell many peoples ethnicity but it is usually quite obvious to tell if some one is from japan, china or vietnam based on looks.

personally i think my friend Aya should play Sayuri haha she is the most beautiful person i have ever met, with that perfect white japanese skin i could kill her, but i wont

 

[Stylephox]

Originally posted by sugarpea@Nov 16 2004, 10:27 PM
but im if you are physically not japanese how can you portray one?

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Jim Carrey is Canadian and he portrays American characters in his movies. I don't see what the big deal is. I can see why there would be certain sensitivities, considering the past relationship of the two countries, but this is Hollywood afterall. It isn't going to be accurate anyway!

 

[plasticine20]

Originally posted by softgrey@Nov 17 2004, 12:37 AM
i repeat..you cannot tell just by looking at someone if they are japanese or chinese...

or korean ....etc...

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Actually you really can. I'm Vietnamese and I can tell the difference between a lot of Chinese, Japanese, other Vietnamese, etc. I am not right all of the time; I won't be able to play the "identify the Asian" game with complete accuracy, but they really do have some features that are typical of their nationality. And it would be easier for me because I've grown up around them. You do have a good point with that website, but it is also much harder to judge from a flat picture than looking at someone in real life.

 

[Meg]

Originally posted by Stylephox@Nov 19 2004, 02:02 AM
Jim Carrey is Canadian and he portrays American characters in his movies. I don't see what the big deal is. I can see why there would be certain sensitivities, considering the past relationship of the two countries, but this is Hollywood afterall. It isn't going to be accurate anyway!

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I agree. I actually find statements like that quite racist. That was the traditional reasoning in hollywood behind not using black actors. If the character is 'white' why use someone who is black? I mean granted, the story is about japanese culture but thats like saying a canadian or british person or australian (think russell crowe in A Beautiful Mind) can't potray a great American icon. Get over it.

 

[sugarpea]

Originally posted by Stylephox@Nov 18 2004, 09:02 PM
Jim Carrey is Canadian and he portrays American characters in his movies. I don't see what the big deal is. I can see why there would be certain sensitivities, considering the past relationship of the two countries, but this is Hollywood afterall. It isn't going to be accurate anyway!

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um....no offense, but this is one of the dumbest things ive ever heard....canadian and american are nationalities...which have nothing to do with race or ethnicity....jim carrery is white so he can play people who are white, regardless of nationality...its irrelevant if he's canadian and plays an american...and what is this "past relationship" you refer to between japan and china? just because there is a "past relationship" as you allude to, does not mean that a chinese person can necessarily play a japanese person...it is likely that you will be able to tell that the individual -- zhang ziyi in this instance -- is not japanese which means that from the outset you have already insulted japanese culture by not even having the decency to have a japanese person play the role but instead take the easy route and find any "asian" since, they think, we wouldnt be able to tell the difference anyway

 

[Meg]

In regards to the above, I think as a Canadian that is quite insulting of you not to aknowledge the differences that many Canadians and Americans feel there are between each other. (I don't really subscribe to this thought but I know many many Canadians do) And as aforementioned, this is a Hollywood made movie. It's realistic to expect that most of the viewers watching will not be able to tell that Zhang Ziyi is not Japanese.

 

[sugarpea]

Originally posted by Meg@Nov 18 2004, 10:26 PM
In regards to the above, I think as a Canadian that is quite insulting of you not to aknowledge the differences that many Canadians and Americans feel there are between each other. (I don't really subscribe to this thought but I know many many Canadians do) And as aforementioned, this is a Hollywood made movie. It's realistic to expect that most of the viewers watching will not be able to tell that Zhang Ziyi is not Japanese.

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no im not talking about cultural differences between canadians and americans, certainly there are some, and i dont mean to undermine them...what im saying is this....if you showed me a picture of jim carrey...there is no way i would be able to tell that he is american or canadian because you cant see a nationality...and just because the viewers dont realize that the individaul is not japanese (and of course there are people who should) that does not absolve them of the responsibility to find a japanese actor...i realize that we have such low expectations for hollywood, but its time we expected more...the "come on, its hollywood" excuse is silly, especially sinces films are a medium which shapes so many of our interactions with people...

 

[Meg]

I think that is a valid point. Maybe it's just because I'm not Japanese that I don't find it offensive.

 

[bee]

i too wondered why they didnt use a japanese actress, but i cant say im too offended because this is what i expect from hollywood. theyre using her because she is proabably the most well known asian actress in america, which = more $$$ at the box office. stupid, yes, but id say that the average american isnt concerned with that.