Chan Complains of Limited Roles for Asians

[nicedream]

Martial arts legend Jackie Chan claims Hollywood limits roles for Asians and says it's time he became a "real actor" by taking on roles other than as a kung fu fighter, a local newspaper reported Friday.

"It's all the same, cop from Hong Kong, cop from China. Jet Li, Chow Yun Fatand I all face the same problem, our roles are limited," said Chan, 50, referring to other Chinese action stars who have sought roles in Western movies.

"Yes, I get treated like a king over there but I'm not happy. I get frustrated when I see them doing things the wrong way but I can't say anything," he told The Straits Times.

The acrobatic, high-flying action hero was in the city-state to promote "New Police Story," a sequel to the 1985 movie that catapulted him to international stardom.

Chan's latest Hollywood film, an adaptation of the Jules Verne classic "Around the World in 80 Days," was a summer dud. Three others — "The Medallion," "The Tuxedo" and "Shanghai Knights" with Owen Wilson — also received lukewarm responses at the box office.

Although Chan returned to the United States this year for the filming of "Rush Hour III," he said he wants to move away from action movies.

"I've always wanted to change, to become a real actor, like (Oscar winner) Robert DeNiro. I don't want to be seen as an action hero anymore."

source: yahoo news

[Banana]

Guess he wasn't as clueless as I thought and maybe Hollywood will get the idea.

Doubt it.

[tommyhtown]

OK Jackie, but Rush Hour III? Come on.

[fossilfuel]

I'm a Jackie fan - but I doubt he's gonna be getting Robert DeNiro roles...

his English isn't very good, it's going to relegate him to "foreigner" roles

he's not very handsome, even in his youth, he's always had the comic look

have any of his HK dramas become hits even in HK? I don't recall any, there might be a few though

even if Hollywood DID accept Asian males in lead roles, I don't think he'd make it very far as a dramatic actor.

[SunWuKong]

it's great that he recognises this of Hollywood, but even in HK, he would be limited to kungfu roles, firstly because he's typecasted himself for decades, and secondly because he's shitty as a dramatic actor. however, in HK, he has enough money to totally fund his own films and even distribute them.

Originally Posted by fossilfuel

he's not very handsome, even in his youth, he's always had the comic look

you know back in the... i think early 80s, when there were rumours that he was getting married, a lot of girls were really sad, and one even committed suicide.

[yoMAMA]

he's not married?

[well better be a prenup.....:D]

[moJo]

he's married, isn't he? and he's got a grown son. isn't he an actor too or some kind of celeb in HK too? i can't keep up with the HK gossip that my mom tells me.

i heard about the girl who killed herself too. she was japanese, i thought.

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by yoMAMA

he's not married?

[well better be a prenup.....:D]

yes, now he's married. but just a few years ago it was revealed that he had a love-child with some other woman.

[fossilfuel]

Yeah, I believe two girls killed themselves over him. One jumped in a subway and another killed herself in public or something when he announced plans to marry like 20 years ago.

I was getting at the idea that he wasn't handsome in a classic sense, like Ti Lung or some other contemporaries. But hey, millions of crazy Asian women can't be wrong

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Originally Posted by fossilfuel

Yeah, I believe two girls killed themselves over him. One jumped in a subway and another killed herself in public or something when he announced plans to marry like 20 years ago.

I was getting at the idea that he wasn't handsome in a classic sense, like Ti Lung or some other contemporaries. But hey, millions of crazy Asian women can't be wrong

Obviously fame and money go a lot farther than good looks in most cases (if we're talking about men). Am I the only one who thought that he looked better before he had surgery done on his eyes? Dunno. Stupid western beauty standards, people are so brainwashed that they think big eyes look better even if they don't match the rest of your face.

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Banana

Guess he wasn't as clueless as I thought and maybe Hollywood will get the idea.

Doubt it.

And it took him how fucking long to realize this? And him on the level of Deniro. Come on now Jackie. I could see Chow Yun Fat as a good dramatic actor but not Jackie.

[PropellerheadCP]

I say let him do what he wants and see what happens. I'm pretty sure that people aren't going to pay to see him in a dramatic role, unless they're hardcore fans. Either way, I still think it's cool of him to do so.

[TB4000]

I've always hoped he would choose to do a live action version of his cartoon series, but after hearing this, I doubt it would come to pass now.

[Chu Chi]

Ive only seen parts of Jackie Chan movies, but I still understand his point. Will he recieve the same promotion if he portrays a lawyer using words instead of a slapschtick super hero using his feet and fists?

CC




http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...le_jackie_chan

[Gunz]

The entertainment industry is heavily driven by Western (primarily AMerican) production. It is hard for Asians to make something which Western audiences will understand or appreciate on a mass (interepret as big dollar gross) level. Movies like Crouching TIger and recent Hero started out in Asia, and has a new foll;owing in the US. However, the taste was spawned from Matrix and Kill Bill fervor, initiated by Western directors and producers. With this momentum, it should take another 15-20 years before main acts with Asian actors get into the big time. I still remember when Bruce Lee was denied the Quai Chang Caine role in the late 60s or early 70s, because he was Chinese, and his english was not fluent. I think Western viewers are beginning to accept the features of Asians on screen, and it is not far off before more Asians venture into the acting schools and professions to get casted for productions which center around Asian actors. Language is becoming a huge thing to get Western sudiences to see the films. Western audiences hate reading subtitles, and they hate hearing accented-english.