Background of Asian american cinema
For years, Hollywood had narrowed down the vast amount of different Asian cultures into one character archetype called the “Oriental.” Roles that were written within these archetypes were typically villains or supporting characters such as laundry workers or servants. The leading roles that were specifically Asian were often played by white actors in “yellow face.” “Yellow face” is when a white actor uses costumes and makeup to make themselves look Asian.
How does this expand our understanding of Asian America?
Movies have such a big impact on the way that we view the world, especially in America where the influence of of Hollywood is so strong. The portrayal of Asians in popular cinema is often driven by stereotypes of focuses on individual aspects of Asian culture, instead of the group of people, customs, and religion as a whole. Our goal is to show how these images, and portrayals, of Asian characters produces and reinforces stereotypes that can be harmful to the Asian American image.