Asians portraying non-Asians in movies and television

[USCTrojanzNo1]

I know that there are many instances when Asian characters have been subjected to "Yellowface" (Asians portrayed by non-Asians, e.g. Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's).

However, there have been more than a few instances where Asians have been called upon to play Caucasian, Hispanic, even Indian characters!

Here's a list of non-Asian ethnic character roles played by Asians.

Gong Li portrayed a Cuban in Miami Vice
Daniel Henney (Korean hapa) will portray a Caucasian character (Agent Zero) in the upcoming Wolverine movie
Jason Scott Lee portrayed an Asian Indian in The Jungle Book
Leonardo Nam played a white character named Brian McBrian in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (probably the only chick flick that managed to attract a sizable Asian male audience simply b/c Nam got to bag Amber Tamblyn in that movie; I knew quite a few Chinese and Korean guys who actually bought tickets to see this movie in theaters -- and they thought I was pathetic b/c I liked The Wedding Crashers!)
Justin Chon played a white boy in Twilight (named Eric Yorkie)
Michael Copon (Filipino American) played an Egyptian in The Scorpion King 2

[J Honcanese]

Didn't Lucy Liu play a character named "Mia Mason" or something for the TV series Cashmere Mafia?

IIRC, I think Gong Li was portraying a Chinese-Cuban and not a "Cuban Cuban" per se. But she did have to learn the accent for it.

[BillBlythe]

yellow face is different from what you're describing. the only clear cut 'white face' i've seen in recent years is lucy liu in charlie's angel's where she insisted not having an asian man portray her father.