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[lightskintwin]

Earlier this summer, the producers of a coming “Jumanji” remake put out a call to talent agencies: They wanted a Chinese actor in their movie.

Male or female? It didn’t matter. And what was the role, exactly? That wasn’t clear, either.

“They want to have a Chinese component. They don’t necessarily know what it is,” said one talent agent.

It was yet another example of a new Hollywood ritual—finding Chinese actors to cast in U.S. films to try to appeal to audiences in China, which is on track to become the world’s largest box office in the next couple of years.

The tactic has yielded mixed results.

China’s audiences cheer Chinese actors who secure meaningful roles in Hollywood blockbusters, such as Shanghai-born actress and pop singer Angelababy did when she played a fighter pilot in “Independence Day: Resurgence” this summer. But quick cameos that come across as a ploy to win Chinese fans tend to fall flat.

When Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing starred in 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” she had one line: “Time’s up.”

Beijing Daily, a state-run local newspaper, said in a 2014 article that her earlier cameo in the Chinese version of “Iron Man 3” was “quite embarrassing.” Though her part in “X-Men” was more significant, it still “triggered controversy after it is released here.”

“X-Men” studio Twentieth Century Fox declined to comment.

Chinese moviegoers even have a term to describe actresses who serve as little more than props in Western films: “flower vases.”

“That’s where people have struggled a bit—not acting like the person is product placement, like the way you would find a beer can in a movie,” said Rob Moore, vice chairman at Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures.

China is the world’s second-largest movie market, with $5 billion worth of tickets sold so far this year, according to EntGroup Inc., compared with $8.1 billion in the U.S. After years of strong growth, ticket sales in China have stalled this year, though it is still expected to overtake the U.S. in the next few years.

So far this year, nearly 57% of China’s total box-office receipts were from Chinese films. But ticket sales for the first half of 2016 show a trend that has Hollywood worried: Imported movies accounted for 46.9% of ticket sales for those six months, compared with last year’s 53.5%. More Chinese movies are driving Chinese consumers to the multiplex, ratcheting up the need for Hollywood to find new ways to get them into seats.

Tina Yu, a Beijing-based consultant, said she wouldn’t watch a film just because it featured a Chinese actor. “Most of these Chinese stars, especially actresses, simply feature in a film as a ‘flower vase’ or just as a bystander,” she said. “For me, I watch a film for its story.”

Several forthcoming titles such as “God Particle” and the next Star Wars film, “Rogue One,” feature actors who are relatively unknown to Western audiences but command massive fan bases in China.

For the actors, securing the right role in a Hollywood film “opens the door to fame in the Western world,” said Darren Boghosian, an agent at United Talent Agency who represents Chinese stars including Angelababy and Li Bingbing, who had a small role in “Transformers: Age of Extinction” and took English classes to become more appealing to U.S. casting directors.

“If you’re famous in America, you’re famous all over the world. If you’re famous in China, you’re only famous in China,” said Mr. Boghosian. UTA and other major Hollywood talent agencies have built China divisions to represent local talent.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., which produced “Now You See Me 2,” began having conversations about finding a role for Jay Chou, a Taiwanese singer popular in China, in the movie before the script was developed. Qiu Jie, chief executive of Beijing-based Leomus Pictures International, released the movie in mainland China and suggested Mr. Chou to the studio.

“We emphasized that the added Chinese actor in this film should be meaningful and proper,” said Mr. Qiu. “We understand that a Chinese character will not be a lead role in the film. But if you can at least do that, the local audiences will not criticize it.”

The original “Now You See Me” grossed $23 million in China when it was released in 2013; the sequel collected $97 million, making it Lions Gate’s highest-grossing movie in the market.

Executives say the roles must naturally fit into the plot or else audiences in every country become disillusioned. Angelababy fends off aliens as part of a global-fighter brigade in “Independence Day.” Mr. Chou’s character in “Now You See Me 2” runs a magic shop that the main characters visit in Macau.

“If you can work it into the story line organically, it makes the movie bigger and more global,” said Lora Kennedy, executive vice president of casting at Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros., which is releasing “Kong: Skull Island” with Chinese actress Jing Tian next year.

Chinese stars also can help Hollywood navigate China’s restrictive regulations.

U.S. studios face restrictions in how they can market their movies in China that scale back the frequency of traditional methods such as billboards and television commercials. One tactic taking hold: Hiring Chinese pop stars with large social-media followings to record theme songs to the movies that play on local radio and serve as de facto advertisements.

“It gives you another way in,” said Mr. Moore at Paramount, which released “Transformers.”

The theme song for “Now You See Me 2,” sung by the film’s Mr. Chou, had a chorus that called out the film: “Now you see me ‘cause I let it be / Wanna find the key you gotta follow my beat.”

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hollywo...re-chinese-actors-in-the-spotlight-1474304341

No more "flower vases" LOL This is also why Hollywood can safely ignore Asian Americans because they can just use Asian actors who are already superstars either in their region or country.

 

[Zoe]

I didn't realize they had their own term for the obvious pandering.

I want to see more representation, but if the role/scene is so inconsequential that it only gets shown overseas, then it's meaningless.

 

[DrBo42]

Flower vases is real fucked up but accurate. Landis talked about this as well and how the nature of the industry now with bankable stars makes it kind of impossible to give big roles to asian unknown actors (or at least unknown to western audiences). Which is the big reason Ghost in the Shell is so embarrassing.

 

[TemplaerDude]

Hollywood doesn't give a shit because people keep rewarding them with money. Nothing will change other than a bunch of feel-good statements.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I'm all for more diversity in films, but it's obvious most Hollywood studios just put them in there so they can get a Chinese release.

 

[triplestation]

Huehuehuehue

 

[joebruin]

Times up is kind of apt

 

[Pai Pai Master]

I'm all for more diversity in films, but it's obvious most Hollywood studios just put them in there so they can get a Chinese release.

Yep this is really only being done to make more $$$ in China. Not because its the right thing to do to make the industry more racially diverse.

 

[BronsonLee]

HERE'S MY CHANCE

 

[explodet]

“That’s where people have struggled a bit—not acting like the person is product placement, like the way you would find a beer can in a movie,” said Rob Moore, vice chairman at Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures.

Flower vases? Beer cans?
Even with increased demand Asians can't find good roles.

 

[MadLaughter]

RIP Skeletons in movies

 

[jon bones]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

 

[pa22word]

Yep this is really only being done to make more $$$ in China. Not because its the right thing to do to make the industry more racially diverse.

Corporations are only motivated by $$$

Expecting them to ever do the "right thing" purely on morals is a naive exercise in futility. If you want to make an argument that including diverse set of actors can positively bump their bottom line, they might listen though.

 

[BronsonLee]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

Accept our peaceful non-threatening ways

 

[MadLaughter]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

Just seems like it needs to be done way better. So far a lot of these moments or characters seem like studios checking off a box, and it's super transparent and half-assed.

 

[Deleted member 20920]

I didn't realize they had their own term for the obvious pandering.

I want to see more representation, but if the role/scene is so inconsequential that it only gets shown overseas, then it's meaningless.

The term flower vase has been around a long time but primarily refers to actresses or women characters who only exist in movies or tv shows to look pretty or to act as a foil to to the male leads. It can also imply that an actress is bad at acting.

With or with Hollywood, I always feel that frmale characters in a lot of Chinese movies tend to be just there and rather useless in the overall plot.

 

[Platy]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

How is it different than any other influence of a market ?

 

[The Jackdog]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

this is exactly how i feel, and its because of how its done, lately.

watch any giant blockbuster and youll see what i mean.

Transformers: age of extinction does it.
Independence day 2 does it.

theres a bunch those are just the two i remember. The point im making is when you see it the movie might as well not have dialogue and instead say THIS IS THE PART INTENDED FOR CHINESE AUDIENCES SO THEY LIKE US. Plenty of movies have does it well, but the bigger the budget the more forced into the movie it seems. It always feels like the script is done pre production has started and someone says "AW SHIT we forgot about china guys! Change whatsherface to a chinese actress or whatever". and its always done insultingly. like youre not getting main characters, youll get, in the case of independence day 2, a side love story for side character who serves as comic relief. congrats?

this isnt to say it cant be done. it clearly can. the big heavy hitters lately though all feel like they are just jamming these parts in right now

 

[lightskintwin]

Just seems like it needs to be done way better. So far a lot of these moments or characters seem like studios checking off a box, and it's super transparent and half-assed.

Just look how they're handling the Jumanji remake, they don't even know what role they want this person to have, just that they need some Chinese component to their film. LOL

 

[HStallion]

I think we need more Tibetan actors just to piss off the Chinese.

 

[pa22word]

I am torn - I love minority inclusion but dislike the encroaching influence of the Chinese market in Western films.

"minority" is a relative term, unless you want to argue that the 1 billion+ ethnic chinese in China are a "minority"

Suits in hollywood aren't doing this to appeal to the 5.6% of asian peoples in the US. They're doing it to try and make better inroads to the Chinese market specifically. The former is just a side benefit.

 

[PSqueak]

RIP Skeletons in movies

Ray Harryhausen is rolling in his grave.

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

America is so diverse they could literally make movies that are successful in any corner of the world.
Hire some Asian-American actors, and you'll get your chinese market. But this way you still have Americans in your movies. Your movies stay American.
Stop selling them short.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

This is not about diversity

This is about selling movies in another market

 

[FStop7]

this is exactly how i feel, and its because of how its done, lately.

watch any giant blockbuster and youll see what i mean.

Transformers: age of extinction does it.
Independence day 2 does it.

theres a bunch those are just the two i remember. The point im making is when you see it the movie might as well not have dialogue and instead say THIS IS THE PART INTENDED FOR CHINESE AUDIENCES SO THEY LIKE US. Plenty of movies have does it well, but the bigger the budget the more forced into the movie it seems. It always feels like the script is done pre production has started and someone says "AW SHIT we forgot about china guys! Change whatsherface to a chinese actress or whatever". and its always done insultingly. like youre not getting main characters, youll get, in the case of independence day 2, a side love story for side character who serves as comic relief. congrats?

this isnt to say it cant be done. it clearly can. the big heavy hitters lately though all feel like they are just jamming these parts in right now

I think the sanctity of our comic book and Transformers movies will somehow manage to survive intact.

 

[pa22word]

America is so diverse they could literally make movies that are successful in any corner of the world.
Hire some Asian-American actors, and you'll get your chinese market.
Stop selling them short.

Doubtful. With Nationalism on the rise to a fierce degree in China a better bet would be they want nationally Chinese actors in films. If you pay attention to the article in the OP, it's talking about nationally Chinese actors in Hollywood films being cast in side rolls causing irk in the domestic Chinese market.

The first studio to really mine Hong Kong actors for the goldmine investment that it is going to be will be sitting very pretty in the future.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

"minority" is a relative term, unless you want to argue that the 1 billion+ ethnic chinese in China are a "minority"

Suits in hollywood aren't doing this to appeal to the 5.6% of asian peoples in the US. They're doing it to try and make better inroads to the Chinese market specifically. The former is just a side benefit.

The sad part is that the former isnt really true.

Asian Americans want Asian Americans in movies. And there is an argument to be made for wanting that. And most of the times, Hollywood ends up just shoehorning a Chinese Superstar into the movie to be eye candy
So nobody is a winner. Chinese audiences hate the flower vase, Asian Americans hate that the role was given to a Chinese superstar whos just a prop, and western audiences know ita pandering.

 

[lightskintwin]

America is so diverse they could literally make movies that are successful in any corner of the world.
Hire some Asian-American actors, and you'll get your chinese market.
Stop selling them short.

The problem is those Asian American actors will be unknown to both Domestic and International markets particularly Chinese markets. There's no added benefit in doing it, as opposed to casting Asians who may be unknown in Western Markets but are already superstars in either their regional or national markets particularly Chinese markets.

 

[explodet]

The point im making is when you see it the movie might as well not have dialogue and instead say THIS IS THE PART INTENDED FOR CHINESE AUDIENCES SO THEY LIKE US.

There might as well be a needle scratch sound, teamsters disassembling the set, a green screen drops from the ceiling, most of the cast disappears and the "China" scene starts.

Okay, I'm exaggerating a tad.

 

[NEO0MJ]

The worst case I recall was in Iron Man 3 where Tony had to get an operation.

 

[The Jackdog]

I think the sanctity of our comic book and Transformers movies will somehow manage to survive intact.

they are shitty movies, obviously. but letting the point go way over your head is an option too.

producers need to start building rolls for actors that arent so forced and shoehorned in from the beginning, instead of just building roles to check a box.

There might as well be a needle scratch sound, teamsters disassembling the set, a green screen drops from the ceiling, most of the cast disappears and the "China" scene starts.

Okay, I'm exaggerating a tad.

exactly though. preproduction is not a short process. now stupid jumanji is weeks from shooting if not underway and they are trying to jam a chinese component in, when it could of been built in, natural, less weirdly offensive wayyyyy earlier.

 

[jon bones]

How is it different than any other influence of a market ?

Because Hollywood is not creating movies to appeal to Asians, they're trying to get these films aired in China.

One results in thoughtful inclusion of minority characters, one results in ticking off check boxes to ensure the movie is aired abroad. Unfortunately, some of those check boxes are stupid as hell.

"minority" is a relative term, unless you want to argue that the 1 billion+ ethnic chinese in China are a "minority"

There are 1 billion ethnic Chinese people in America?

 

[pa22word]

There are 1 billion ethnic Chinese people in America?

Not everything is about you. Read the OP. this isn't about minority inclusion at all. It's about shoehorning nationally Chinese actors into hollywood films in order to appeal to the Chinese domestic market, of which I assure you ethnically Chinese people are most certainly not a minority.

 

[CaviarMeths]

I'm actually perfectly fine with commercial products doing things that increase their commercial viability. We probably shouldn't pretend that our tastes in movies are terribly different than China's anyway.

 

[El Topo]

I think the sanctity of our comic book and Transformers movies will somehow manage to survive intact.

It's okay as long as a movie panders to the American people.

 

[explodet]

I'm actually perfectly fine with commercial products doing things that increase their commercial viability. We probably shouldn't pretend that our tastes in movies are terribly different than China's anyway.

Yeah, the motives I can understand perfectly. It's not a bad thing that they're trying to make their product more appealing.

They're just kinda bad at it. The execution is clumsy.

 

[call_kotaku]

Hasn't the flower vase moniker has been around for a while? I recall it being used to describe casting pretty women who are bad/wooden actresses, not specifically describing token Chinese casting in Hollywood.

 

[Straight Edge]

This isn't helping Chinese-American actors, it's helping Chinese actors.

 

[StMeph]

Stop watching major studio blockbusters? There are plenty of films that don't feel the need to pander or look for growth in new markets.

 

[Messofanego]

Are the Chinese satiated with Chinese Americans as having bigger roles or is it only if they're native Chinese? I just remembered that Europa Report had a Chinese-American (Daniel Wu) as one of the main characters.

BD Wong is great in Mr Robot and Gotham, he should be in more films.

 

[SmackDaddy]

The fuck is happening? It's not about throwing Chinese people into a movie because they aren't represented in hollywood... it's about not shying away from them when the part calls for it. How can people be this dumb?

Oh yea, old and rich.

 

[gwailo]

Hasn't the flower vase moniker has been around for a while? I recall it being used to describe casting pretty women who are bad/wooden actresses, not specifically describing token Chinese casting in Hollywood.

It's been around for a while - I've heard it for years - sometimes "jade vase" is used also. People have used it to describe Angelababy since she is good looking but can't act for a damn.

 

[Just_myles]

Hollywood man. haha they literally put out a casting call to any Chinese actor they can find? Kind of racist.

 

[The Kree]

Not simply because Chinese people exist, mind you. LOL

 

[tkscz]

This is not about diversity

This is about selling movies in another market

Well... yeah. Hollywood is a business. If it can make money off of diversity, it'll diversify the shit out of movies. What gets me is how some people in this thread are surprised. Hollywood doesn't give a shit about the art, or other people, just money. Majority of the US is white, so most movies star white people. It wants China's money, so it forces more Chinese people in to get China's money.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Id love to see a movie where some random Chinese superstar appears just at the end to save the day, and then disappears again

 

[Zoe]

How is it different than any other influence of a market ?

Do other markets get scenes put in specifically for them which then don't even appear in the home market? See:

The worst case I recall was in Iron Man 3 where Tony had to get an operation.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Well... yeah. Hollywood is a business. If it can make money off of diversity, it'll diversify the shit out of movies. What gets me is how some people in this thread are surprised. Hollywood doesn't give a shit about the art, or other people, just money. Majority of the US is white, so most movies star white people. It wants China's money, so it forces more Chinese people in to get China's money.

Exactly. Can't just keep giving out token parts then act shocked it backfires or doesn't get the numbers they want.

Plenty of talented Chinese actors out there. Bring em in. I'll go see a great movie from hollywood staring Chinese actors. No different to me from seeing White people in movies my entire life.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

What part did she play in Iron Man 3? I can't remember.

 

[Zoe]

What part did she play in Iron Man 3? I can't remember.

There's a reason for that:

Wang Xueqi briefly plays Dr. Wu in the general release version of the film. A cut of the film produced for release exclusively in China includes additional scenes featuring Wang and an appearance by Fan Bingbing as one of his assistants.