Harry Potter - Cho Chang

[iris]

Scottish-Asian Girl to Play Cho Chang in Harry Potter (http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3698000/3698147.stm)

'Scots girl to play Potter's Cho'

The girl who Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe will eventually get to kiss has been revealed by a newspaper to be a 16-year-old schoolgirl from Glasgow.
Katie Leung beat more than 4,000 hopeful girls who queued for hours at open auditions in February.

The Mirror newspaper said a Potter film insider told them she is "absolutely perfect" to play Harry's girl.

Filming on Potter 4, The Goblet of Fire, was due to start last week at Leavesden Studios.

We auditioned some of the audition hopefuls. Click here to find out what happened!
Warner Bros had not officially revealed who would be playing Cho yet.

Rumours about the Ravenclaw seeker, who Harry fancies in Prisoner of Azkaban, had been flying around the internet for a long time though.

Also thought to have been in running for the sought-after role was Neighbours actress Michelle Ang.

The Potter insider who spoke to The Mirror said Katie was "pretty and bright" and that she had a "glittering career ahead of her".

Although she appears in book 3, The Prisoner of Azkaban, it was decided Cho would not actually be in the films until GoF.

Harry finally plucks up the courage to ask Cho to the Yule Ball in GoF. She turns him down because she's seeing Cedric Diggory.

Scottish family

Daniel Radcliffe said way back in 2002 that he was excited about seeing who would be playing his Cho, but said he would not get to help decide who played her.

Katie goes to a private college in Scotland and lives with her dad, two brothers and a younger sister, reports the Mirror.

Her dad was born in Hong Kong, but moved to Edinburgh, where JK lives, years ago.

The family now live in Motherwell, near Glasgow.

[TB4000]

Yeah, I heard...and they just cast Ralph Fiennes yesterday as Voldemort...this flick is gonna be crowded as all hell.

[rice cracker]

16 years old and in college?


Oooh, sexy sexy Voldemort. *purrs*

[mr. x]

did you read the bbc's interview samplers? i swear only one girl, "marie" even looks like the type of girl who could plausibly have the name "cho"

[Faithless]

Apparently, the controversy was stranger than I thought:

Some Asian Americans are outraged by the stereotypical use of the -Ch at the beginning of the character’s names. Wikipedia says the last name Cho has no meaning in Chinese, and is closely related to Chou, which has negative definitions (i.e. "stink," "slap," "worry," "thick" and "ugly"). “Cho Chang” also means “elephant” in Thai.

Harry Potter Triggers Debate on the Asian Image in Media (http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=5ff1689637add6bad8ebc eac6f411437)

News Report, Erin Pangilinan, Philippine News, Aug 01, 2005

With the international release of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (Harry Potter #6), Asian fans and readers of the book are looking critically at how Asian Americans fit into the Hogwarts world by examining Asian roles in previous Harry Potter books.

Harry’s romantic relationship with an Asian female named Cho Chang ended in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (Harry Potter #5). The upcoming release of the film this year, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” debuts Scottish-Asian actress Katie Leung, playing the role of Cho Chang.

Asian Americans are paying attention.

Jealous online teens write their thoughts in forums and ever-popular blogs, as well as popular Asian American watchdog websites like Angry Asian Man. Some Asian teens complain that Leung is “ugly,” while non-Asian fans are “jealous” that Harry Potter is kissing an Asian (this is what happens in Harry Potter #5.)

Chang rarely speaks throughout the entire book series (until she is in a relationship with Harry Potter). She is always described as pretty and popular. One may ask: Is Rowling attempting to be politically correct by choosing an Asian as Harry’s love interest?

Some Asian Americans are outraged by the stereotypical use of the -Ch at the beginning of the character’s names. Wikipedia says the last name Cho has no meaning in Chinese, and is closely related to Chou, which has negative definitions (i.e. "stink," "slap," "worry," "thick" and "ugly"). “Cho Chang” also means “elephant” in Thai.

UC Berkeley Chinese American student Zechariah Feng says, “Everyone seems to be looking too much into it. It’s not exactly possible to tell what Cho Chang means because we don't have the stresses (accents) to help us determine what words they are, and of course in the traditional Chinese sense a name always has some kind of meaning as technically so do names in English.”

Rumors have Korean Japanese-pop singer BoA and Filipino singer Heart Evangelista playing the role in the film. Online petitions have been circulated to support BoA as Cho Chang, with similar online discussions for Heart Evangelista. Initially, this sparked interest in the political and cultural identity of Asian Americans as they are depicted in various ways, as Pacific Islanders, East Asians, South Asians, Orientals, Chinese, Filipino, etc.

UC Davis Filipino American student Anthony Tadina does not find this surprising. He says, “Rowling based Cho Chang on what she views Asian girls are -- light skinned, skinny, smart ... the stereotype.”

Closer to home, it is not surprising to find actors/actresses with “Filipino” in their bios playing roles different from their true ethnicity. Aside from the notable films like “The Debut,” “Lumpia,” “The Flipside,” “Lolo’s Child,” “Disoriented” and other attempts to bring the Filipino American to mainstream cinema, many Fil-Am actors/actresses are cast in token roles in films as, maybe, an East Asian nurse, a Hawaiian cook, or a Chinese martial artist.

The same frustration has been expressed by some Asian Americans who have criticized Asian representation in films, ranging from old favorites like “The Flower Drum Song” to the recent druggie comedy “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”

What about the modern depictions of William Hung as the buck-toothed, tone-deaf singer; Lucy Liu as the swashbuckling dragon lady and the exaggerated image of Mulan as a warrior woman? Isn’t the Asian American much more than these images?

Which brings us back to Harry Potter and Cho Chang. What message is Rowling trying to send by choosing an Asian girl to be Harry’s love interest?

[nola]

i been reading girls hate cho chang because shes asian and an unsympathetic character-- cruel and unfeeling to harry or something.

[hooligan]

Go figure, JK Rowling should have made her Indian. It would have been more ... UK'ish.

[digitaholic83]

whats with this wm/af pairing lately?

[seanp]

Go figure, JK Rowling should have made her Indian. It would have been more ... UK'ish.
there are indian characters in Harry Potter like Parvati or something like that

[hooligan]

there are indian characters in Harry Potter like Parvati or something like that

Yeah, I think i remember them, I was just surprised because isn't the UK definition of Asian much different than that of the US? Aren't South Asians the predominant APIUK population there?

[Banana]

Yes according to some friends that visited there.

When people in the UK refer to "Asian," it's usually people from SE Asia and Indians. They refer to Eastern Asians such as Chinese, Korean, and Japanese as "Orientals." I was unable to verify their claim that "Asians" are more highly regarded and treated much better than "Orientals."

[hooligan]

I think that people should mosey over to aamovement.net to check out their article there.

[grimfan]

ome Asian Americans are outraged by the stereotypical use of the -Ch at the beginning of the character’s names. Wikipedia says the last name Cho has no meaning in Chinese, and is closely related to Chou, which has negative definitions (i.e. "stink," "slap," "worry," "thick" and "ugly"). “Cho Chang” also means “elephant” in Thai.

Oh who cares. There's an Irish kid named Seamus Finnigan in the series. Can you get anymore stereotypical than that? I bet he loves Guinness and only wears green while searching for a pot of gold.

J.K. Rowling probably wanted to concoct a multicultural school that reflects the diversity of the UK. There's a couple of black students (Dean Thomas and Angelina something), a couple of Indian twins (Parvati and Padme), and a Chinese girl (Cho Chang). Why's it a Chinese girl as a love interest? My guess is that it's "open-minded" without taking a risk or over-turning social expectations.

[nola]

She's played by a Chinese Scottish hapa from Scotland.

[mr. x]

the only thing that gets me is Cho Chang sounds like some bastardized hybrid korean-chinese name

[Banana]

It's just shy of having her being called Ching Chong.

[Paradox]

the only thing that gets me is Cho Chang sounds like some bastardized hybrid korean-chinese name
It sounds phony as hell too, I don't know any asians with the first name "cho". In a way it almost sounds like Pol Pot.

[Thanol]

Katie Leung
http://www.tab-it.org/leung/gallery/albums/upload/Stills/normal_chochanglg.jpg

[hooligan]

Katie Leung
http://www.tab-it.org/leung/gallery/albums/upload/Stills/normal_chochanglg.jpg


I'm an Ice Queen, biatches!

[SunWuKong]

She's played by a Chinese Scottish hapa from Scotland.

i don't think she's mixed. she's "Chinese Scottish", meaning that she grew up in Scotland, and she's Chinese.

at least that's what i thought.

[TB4000]

Katie Leung
http://www.tab-it.org/leung/gallery/albums/upload/Stills/normal_chochanglg.jpg
So this is the girl Harry's gonna be stroking his wand to.

[DragonKnight]

So this is the girl Harry's gonna be stroking his wand to.
Maybe she'll stuff that owl up his arse...as a gesture to their undying affection to each other.

[nola]

She does look like an monoracial Asian ice queen in that picture!

[TB4000]

Check the site, this will be the first Potter movie to be rated PG-13. For sexual content.

[rice cracker]

I want that fucking owl.

[Tao]

can't they find someone better looking?

i mean if harry's gonna be a asiaphile at least give him some taste.

[TB4000]

I want that fucking owl.
Do you really need more creatures to do your bidding?

[hooligan]

Do you really need more creatures to do your bidding?

lol.

[nola]

can't they find someone better looking?

i mean if harry's gonna be a asiaphile at least give him some taste.asiaphiles have no taste.

Check the site, this will be the first Potter movie to be rated PG-13. For sexual content.that figgers! throw in an asian make it sexual.

[bluemonq]

She does look like an monoracial Asian ice queen in that picture!
forget that; she almost looks like a guy in that pic.
that figgers! throw in an asian make it sexual.
just on a hunch, i'm guessing that has more to do with fleur.

[hkRT]

I don't get it... Why do people keep saying Katie sucks? In the pic shown, I don't think she looks bad. I think she looks like an average kid. Also, nobody has seen her acting in the movie yet, I don't think. So how come people are already booing her? :confused:

[bluemonq]

I don't get it... Why do people keep saying Katie sucks? In the pic shown, I don't think she looks bad. I think she looks like an average kid.
i bet it has to do with "rumors [that had] Korean Japanese-pop singer BoA and Filipino singer Heart Evangelista playing the role in the film." :rolleyes:
Also, nobody has seen her acting in the movie yet, I don't think. So how come people are already booing her? :confused:
we're judging her on her looks, not her acting abilities. yes we are that shallow. :rolleyes:

[hkRT]

But even on looks alone, I just don't think Katie looks like an ass. Just average. I am shallow too but I honestly do not find BoA or Heart Evangelista all that pretty. BoA is cute-average and has a nice voice.

[Tao]

But even on looks alone, I just don't think Katie looks like an ass. Just average. I am shallow too but I honestly do not find BoA or Heart Evangelista all that pretty. BoA is cute-average and has a nice voice.
boa's good but omg hyroi is the hotness.

[hkRT]

boa's good but omg hyroi is the hotness.

Ya think? I guess I am just old and have weird taste. :smile:

Anyways, I know someone whose abbreviated first name is "Cho" and she's white. So the name Cho isn't too stereotyped to me.

[A.R.A.M.]

Maybe she'll stuff that owl up his arse...as a gesture to their undying affection to each other.

So owls are the new gerbils?

[Faithless]

the only thing that gets me is Cho Chang sounds like some bastardized hybrid korean-chinese name
Actually, probably closer to the sound of Rowling raking it in -- i.e., cha ching.

.
So this is the girl Harry's gonna be stroking his wand to.
Alas, yes. But it pre-maturely misfires.

Possible derivation for Cho Chang?

Cho Chang name examined... (http://www.theninemuses.net/hp/3.html)
Chang, Cho - Ravenclaw seeker. Harry has a rather large crush on her. [Former] girlfriend to Cedric Diggory.

"Cho" is Japanese for "very, extremely". "Chang", when used as a first name, can signify a person that is quick thinking and to the point. Therefore Cho Chang is "very quick thinking", quite appropriate for a Ravenclaw. Additionally, Haruka informs me that "Cho Cho" is Japanese for "butterfly".
I believe that Japanese meaning of Cho is correct. But why mix the ethnicities?

[digitaholic83]

So why do koreans want boa playing as this white kid's asian fantasy while asian americans dont want this white guy with an asian girl period?

Perhaps korean natives dont see eye to eye like asian americans do? Beats me. Anyway, she looks abit chubby there.

[hooligan]

So why do koreans want boa playing as this white kid's asian fantasy while asian americans dont want this white guy with an asian girl period?

Perhaps korean natives dont see eye to eye like asian americans do? Beats me. Anyway, she looks abit chubby there.

Interesting, I don't mind her role as long as it's not flat, but I don't think that'll be the case. I have to wonder, maybe Harry Potter is a chubby chaser.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

So why do koreans want boa playing as this white kid's asian fantasy while asian americans dont want this white guy with an asian girl period?

Perhaps korean natives dont see eye to eye like asian americans do? Beats me. Anyway, she looks abit chubby there.

I'm sure I'll get shit for this, but it's probably for the same reason why Asian women in Asia are a bit more receptive and not so much repulsed by asiaphiles as Asian American women (in general). Over there they buy into the whole "Oh but we're also interested in your culture and language" bullshit a lot easier. A lot of people in Asia, even males, may have the tendency to see white male attraction to asian females as a good thing (as in like "OMG, they love our women? We're honored"). I realize that this is a sweeping statement but I wouldn't be surprised if it held true overall. I think people will interpret what I just said as an insult to the intelligence of Asian people in Asia but I don't know how else to put it.

[nola]

sure, they'd be glad westerners are interested in their pop cultures and celebs. there's money in that too.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

^ Well it's also not just limited to the aspect of women, it's like...Asian people from Asia seem flattered even when the compliments are clearly patronizing, although admittedly they can be patronizing in return. E.g. "Wow that's awesome, he can say 'hello' in our language", or "You like kimchi/sushi? That's so cool." I've had Asian people thank me (a Chinese person myself) for studying Japanese/Korean/Chinese, while they are studying English at the same time. It's the weirdest feeling in the world, they seem to be thanking me but I feel insulted. I'm like what the fuck? It's as if they attach some type of larger inherent value to English above their own language. Obviously the reasons for this can be explained after looking back at history and past processes of socialization, and again I don't mean to paint Asian people as Western-worshipping sellouts (as I realize there are just as many who don't buy into this), but I guess it's just that the ones that do stand out that much more to me.

[nola]

yuppers and not just asian countries either. americans have alot of power overseas though i haven't been abroad lately.

[Banana]

Yes, Gumby. I'm too am surprised you weren't flamed for pointing out that people in Asia are generally retarded when it comes to racial discussion.

My first experience with this idiotic mentality is when I went to Taiwan and was talking with some of my cousin's friends about interracial dating. After stating I went out with white girls before, they said "it must have been an honor." Mind you, this response came from both men and women.

[Paradox]

I'm sure I'll get shit for this, but it's probably for the same reason why Asian women in Asia are a bit more receptive and not so much repulsed by asiaphiles as Asian American women (in general). Over there they buy into the whole "Oh but we're also interested in your culture and language" bullshit a lot easier. A lot of people in Asia, even males, may have the tendency to see white male attraction to asian females as a good thing (as in like "OMG, they love our women? We're honored"). I realize that this is a sweeping statement but I wouldn't be surprised if it held true overall. I think people will interpret what I just said as an insult to the intelligence of Asian people in Asia but I don't know how else to put it.
It might be true for some asian countries but certain segments of the foreigner population earn really bad reputations. EFL teachers in Taiwan and Thailand are an example of this. I heard that EFL teachers are treated with suspicion in Hong Kong too but I haven't been there lately to verify this. In Thailand just about every white male or "farang" is considered a sex tourist of some type until proven otherwise. I've talked to many Thais and they generally keep farang at a distance unless they have a completely legitimate reason for being there. This is mainly because of the rep Thailand has as a destination that attracts the seedier scumier type of tourist. Mainstream Thais unfortunately come across this element every once in awhile so there's a budding xenophobia there. You can see it in their media too, farang are often depicted as villains in movies etc..

So basically if a country has been exposed to lots of asiaphiles like Thailand has then it develops a different attitude.

[I'm a Robot]

Yes, Gumby. I'm too am surprised you weren't flamed for pointing out that people in Asia are generally retarded when it comes to racial discussion.

My first experience with this idiotic mentality is when I went to Taiwan and was talking with some of my cousin's friends about interracial dating. After stating I went out with white girls before, they said "it must have been an honor." Mind you, this response came from both men and women.

I don't happen to like the mentality either, but it should be remembered that there's an emphasis (superficial or not) placed upon racial equality here in the US that isn't present in some other cultures. We have plenty of stereotypes here as well about what it means to date a certain race. The difference between the US and Taiwan is that the Taiwanese don't pretend to cover it up. This hardly makes them "retarded."

[TB4000]

http://extratv.warnerbros.com/v2/news/0805/12/3/video.html

Scenes from the trailer. Just a brief glimpse of Cho Chang and that winning smile.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

So basically if a country has been exposed to lots of asiaphiles like Thailand has then it develops a different attitude.

Hmmmm doesn't seem to have affected Japan yet :biggrin: *ducks*

[digitaholic83]

Hmmmm doesn't seem to have affected Japan yet :biggrin: *ducks*


Wanna bet?

I'm sure I'll get shit for this, but it's probably for the same reason why Asian women in Asia are a bit more receptive and not so much repulsed by asiaphiles as Asian American women (in general). Over there they buy into the whole "Oh but we're also interested in your culture and language" bullshit a lot easier. A lot of people in Asia, even males, may have the tendency to see white male attraction to asian females as a good thing (as in like "OMG, they love our women? We're honored"). I realize that this is a sweeping statement but I wouldn't be surprised if it held true overall. I think people will interpret what I just said as an insult to the intelligence of Asian people in Asia but I don't know how else to put it.

So you saying native korean males love seeing their counterparts dating white men or white men who are america GIs?

[hooligan]

Wanna bet?

So you saying native korean males love seeing their counterparts dating white men or white men who are america GIs?

Yes, I'm sure Asian women in Asia are much more receptive. It's so obvious. : |

[Napoleon Chynamite]

So you saying native korean males love seeing their counterparts dating white men or white men who are america GIs?

I'm saying Asian people from Asia in general are more easily receptive to white people who are into their culture without taking into account that they might be being stereotyped or objectified. I've met more than my fair share of Korean people who have tried to introduce me to Korean girls because they seem to like the fact that foreigners like their women, their food, whatever. That one article printed in the Chosun Ilbo a while back titled "Why Foreign Men Love Korean Women" with an obviously positive tilt explains a lot of my sentiments. I imagine the same goes for many people who are Japanese (but I don't really know any Japanese people around here) or Chinese (but since I'm Chinese, I wouldn't really get this from Chinese people), and I've seen plenty of situations which support what I'm saying among Chinese and Japanese as well, being overly impressed because some white guy (or some whitewashed Asian guy) can speak two words from their language, being impressed because an Asian guy like me can speak fluent English, being impressed because I've dated white women, equating "American" with "white" so I will never be really "American" in their eyes, the list goes on and on. Once again I never said that they all thought like this, but the ones that DO think like this are that much more apparent to me because it's so different from the attitudes that I'm used to seeing among many AA's in the U.S.

Disclaimer: All this is based upon my observations, please don't be so quick to label me as someone who simply makes blanket statements in order to further that white-man-hating asian-men-have-big-dicks-too cause.

[TB4000]

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/harrypotter/uk/med/trailer/93ke89_hp4_goblet_trlf2_qt_300.mov

Actual trailer. I'm scared.

[Tao]

ah sweet, she looks cuter in the trailer.

[kimpossible]

http://extratv.warnerbros.com/v2/news/0805/12/3/video.html

Scenes from the trailer. Just a brief glimpse of Cho Chang and that winning smile.

What is with Harry's Supercuts soccer mom hairdo?

[yoMAMA]

so who's playing cho chang?

Boa?

( and why anybody gets into hp is beyond me) :p

[mr. x]

so who's playing cho chang?

Boa?

( and why anybody gets into hp is beyond me) :p

You really haven't been reading the nooze these days huh? :rolleyes: just kidding we all love yo mama

[gau dog]

I wouldn't call Katie a pretty girl.

[TB4000]

Full trailer online. Revel in innocent Harry's awkardness as he asks Madame Cho to the ball.

http://movies.aol.com/movie_exclusive_harry_potter_goblet_clip

[Chinasaur]

the only thing that gets me is Cho Chang sounds like some bastardized hybrid korean-chinese name

Word. That's the first thing I thought of too when I saw the thread.

[AngryABCGirl]

Does anyone else find the trailer too frightening for children?

[TB4000]

Does anyone else find the trailer too frightening for children?
They made it PG-13 for disturbing images and fantasy violence. The fourth book is pretty bad as far as the subject matter goes, though. The kids in this movie are basically teenagers now, guess they're just changing with the times.

[TB4000]

http://chud.com/nextraimages/potter4onesheet.jpg

Cho Chang is supposed to be on the poster they release to the theatres, though.

[Leinad]

the only thing that gets me is Cho Chang sounds like some bastardized hybrid korean-chinese name

lol tru tru.. .thinking about Cho Chang (o my love... jks), she might be the first Asian on a Harry Potter film... haven't seen ne in the other HP movies.

Makes me think, I was kinda dissapointed when I saw no asians on ne Star Wars episodes, (or maybe I missed them...) as I am a StarWars frantic:frown:

[Faithless]

http://chud.com/nextraimages/potter4onesheet.jpg

Cho Chang is supposed to be on the poster they release to the theatres, though.
I don't think I saw her character on the TV trailers.

Sounds like there were more Asians slated for HP movies:

Asians debut in new Potter movie (http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE420051108023658&Page=4&Title=Features+-+People+%26+Lifestyle&Topic=0)

Interestingly since the Patil sisters in the original book, authored by J K Rowling, are twins of Asian origin, the casting agents of the film -- the fourth in the Harry Potter series -- spent time visiting schools in the Bradford area searching for the perfect pair of Asian girls to play these characters.

However, when they failed to find twin Asian girls, they zeroed in on two girls, "who just had fantastic chemistry" between them. Hence Shefali and Afshan studying in two different parts of London were chosen to play the roles of Parvati and Padma Patil respectively.

Tuesday November 8 2005 15:59 IST *PTI

NEW DELHI: Harry Potter's new film is the latest to join the Hollywood trend of casting actors from South Asia.

In the forthcoming film -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- two Asian actresses will get to share the screen space with Harry Potter, currently the heartthrob of millions of children.

The girls -- Shefali Chowduhry and Afshan Azad are second-generation Bangladeshis currently based in London. They play the characters of 'the Patil twins' in the film slated for a worldwide release this November.

Shefali and Afshan who play Harry and his best friend Ron's dates for the yule ball say they are 'overwhelmed' to be a part of this huge film.

"I can't describe what I feel right now when I await the release of the film. I feel very very privileged. It's an opportunity of a lifetime," Shefali told PTI from London.

This 17-year old who is pursuing her A-level in college and has sociology and religious studies as her subjects says she's glad she did what interests her ‘the most’.

"I was always interested in drama and even took it as a course earlier. So when this opportunity of acting in a film came my way, I was only too ready to take it," she says.

It was different for 16-year-old Afshan -- also an A-level student learning Chemistry, Biology, English and Media Language in her college -- who auditioned for the role for pure kicks.

"It was a total joke for me. The casting agents came to my school and my friends and I did it for fun. But I became very serious about the entire thing once I got in."

Interestingly since the Patil sisters in the original book, authored by J K Rowling, are twins of Asian origin, the casting agents of the film -- the fourth in the Harry Potter series -- spent time visiting schools in the Bradford area searching for the perfect pair of Asian girls to play these characters.

However, when they failed to find twin Asian girls, they zeroed in on two girls, "who just had fantastic chemistry" between them. Hence Shefali and Afshan studying in two different parts of London were chosen to play the roles of Parvati and Padma Patil respectively.

The girls have generated a lot of interest owing to their South Asian roots and the cinema owners across India feel it will only add to the film's business.

"As it is Harry Potter films have done exceedingly well in South Asia. With two South Asian girls grabbing important roles in the fourth film, it will impact the film's fortunes very positively," says Kamal Gyanchandani, vice-president, PVR Pictures.

The girls who are making their Hollywood debut with this Harry Potter film follow Indian films too and would 'definitely consider' any Bollywood project that comes their way.

"As of now, there are no offers. But if they come, then why not." Asks Shefali. "Though I haven't seen a Bollywood film for quite some time, but I do enjoy them," she continues adding that her favourite Indian actor is Shah Rukh Khan.

Afshan too is an SRK fan though she also admires Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan. In fact she makes it a point to watch every Indian film "that everyone's talking about in London." Her last being No Entry.

However, even as their first Hollywood venture hits the marquee, the girls are unsure if they would continue with acting and remain tight-lipped about any future projects in Hollywood, "taking each day as it comes".

While Shefali says she doesn't know if she would take up acting as a profession, 'studies' are Afshan's main priority and she'd "rather not say" anything about her career span as an actress.

"I want to concentrate on my studies. The future is undecided. If I get offers, then let us see, may be I would take it up. But as of now, I'm taking each day as it comes," says Afshan.

The girls who have not been to this part of the world so frequently, do hope that South Asians like the film and appreciate their effort.

"I hope they are glad to see a Bengali girl in a Hollywood film. I want them to see my talent and see me as an individual," says Afshan, who is the more forthcoming of the two.

And glad they will be, chirps Shalini Narayan, a young Harry Potter fan in India.

"I think this time people will come to see the film not just because of the story line but also because they will be curious to see a South Asian face in a Harry Potter film," she says.

Shefali and Afshan are keeping their fingers crossed as the year's most keenly awaited film hits the theatre on November 18 worldwide.

[Banana]

I think they could have made a more realistic sounding Asian name like Ping Pong.

[robotic]

I think they could have made a more realistic sounding Asian name like Ping Pong.

whenever i hear ping pong, i always think of this ping pong:

http://www.offoffoff.com/film/2003/images/pingpong.jpg

[grimfan]

I haven't read the 5th and 6th books, but is there any mention of Chinese or Indian guys in the world of magic? If not, then I find it very annoying that Rowling's view of multiculturalism (which she has clearly tried to create with sprinklings of black, Asian, and Indian characters in the series), with regards of Asians, is that of a lone girl who primarily acts as a love interest to non-Asian guys. Wow, things have really changed.

[snailpoo]

I haven't read the 5th and 6th books, but is there any mention of Chinese or Indian guys in the world of magic? If not, then I find it very annoying that Rowling's view of multiculturalism (which she has clearly tried to create with sprinklings of black, Asian, and Indian characters in the series), with regards of Asians, is that of a lone girl who primarily acts as a love interest to non-Asian guys. Wow, things have really changed.
There is. There's some world Quiddich tournament with wizards from all over the world.

[bluemonq]

that would be book four, and no individuals are singled out. really, defence against the dark arts aside, the cast of characters have been pretty much set since book three or so. the only real additions that i can think of are the older weasley brothers and fleur. and no, there aren't many asian characters in the series as a whole. all of the ones i can recall are female. so unless rowling introduces asian characters for her final book, this will have been a very pale series.

[hooligan]

In other news, Hermione is now in her own posters. Is this the start of something tragic?

[TB4000]

Tomorrow is the day. Can you handle it?

[Leinad]

whenever i hear ping pong, i always think of this ping pong:

http://www.offoffoff.com/film/2003/images/pingpong.jpg

same here robotic...wat'd u do with knuckles?... wat other way can you think from ping pong?

Tomorrow is the day. Can you handle it?

yes.

They made it PG-13 for disturbing images and fantasy violence. The fourth book is pretty bad as far as the subject matter goes, though. The kids in this movie are basically teenagers now, guess they're just changing with the times.

lol tru tru... soon harry's gamete will fertilise one of cho's eggs, then the magic of fusion takes place, then new life is created. Wizardry...

[returntosender]

lol tru tru.. .thinking about Cho Chang (o my love... jks), she might be the first Asian on a Harry Potter film... haven't seen ne in the other HP movies.

Makes me think, I was kinda dissapointed when I saw no asians on ne Star Wars episodes, (or maybe I missed them...) as I am a StarWars frantic:frown:

Actually, there was one asian guy in the starwars series. I think he got shot and killed during the attack on the deathstar.

I salute you brave asian man!

[mr. x]

Actually, there was one asian guy in the starwars series. I think he got shot and killed during the attack on the deathstar.

I salute you brave asian man!
well I always like to think of Yoda as a Chinese Jewish hybrid...

[grimfan]

Actually, there was one asian guy in the starwars series. I think he got shot and killed during the attack on the deathstar.

I salute you brave asian man!
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I know that guy! I think he was a B-wing pilot, and his last line was "There's too many of them!" He died in the Battle of Endor, which was the attack on the second Death Star.

Star Wars in itself is an homage to Japanese myth and culture, so maybe the inclusion of major Asian characters would almost demean it to be "Samurais in Space". At least with a non-Asian cast, it can pretend to be fresh and innovative, when it's really just a Westernization of traditional samurai stories.

[TB4000]

Just got back. Pretty intense stuff for some british kiddies to go through, and they're cursing a blue streak in this one to boot. ;)

Voldemort is a scary motherfucker, I must confess.

[SunWuKong]

blah. all this hurrah about Cho Chang and she had, what, less than five lines?

[bluemonq]

i think this is just to set up the cho-harry thing for OotP. i saw it last night...they stripped out most of the plot from the book, they did. i think the thing with neville giving harry gillyweed instead of dobby made a bit more sense. however, they lost a lot by getting rid of ludo bagman.

oh, and too much focus on the cgi and setpieces.

[Leinad]

blah. all this hurrah about Cho Chang and she had, what, less than five lines?

lol... that was kinda dissapointing aye... i wanted to see wat a chinese-scottish person wud sound like... :frown:

[grimfan]

i wanted to see wat a chinese-scottish person wud sound like...

She sounded like an extra out of Braveheart. But honestly, why would a Chinese-Scot sound different than a Scot-Scot?

[luv]

that was a looooong book, so i think they did what they could even if that meant rewriting or leaving out 1/2 the book.

[TB4000]

The house elf liberation and the money given to the Weasleys was left out, which were both huge foreshadowings for the next book.

[Leinad]

She sounded like an extra out of Braveheart. But honestly, why would a Chinese-Scot sound different than a Scot-Scot?
nothing... but it'd be different to the usual nz accent (and the british 1s from the fil) i get by nz chinese ppl in nz.