CAA study shows diverse casting increases box office potential across all budgets

[Shroom Man 777]

I think the issue's more sensitive for minorities/POCs IN America because to them, US-made films are... supposedly products of their own society. An all-white Single Female Lawyer's not much of a big deal for foreign audiences because there's a degree of separation for the audiences, to them that's not a show set in the same setting and in the same society as them. But to minorities and POCs who are IN America, like... if locally-made shows don't feature them despite the fact that they're just as local as White DudeBro then we can all see why these may lead to alienation.

On the other hand, in say the Philippines, there WILL be issues with regards to say local shows that only feature characters from certain groups/regions of the country and either don't show other national demographics at all or show them as bumpkins or other bad stereotypes. Like, people from outside the national capital (and the more-developed island that the capital is on) are "just" nannies or drivers or whatever.

[Q99]

I think some overseas market might even be fine with an all-white cast, especially if the country is fairly monoculture like Japan, Korea, China and etc.

Which I don't think is near making up for 1/3rd the opening on average.

Well the Chinese box office market is going to grow and potentially surpass the US market soon. Hollywood is already being influenced by Chinese audience's and government's taste/demands.

Still, I don't think China minds diverse casts, even if they like movies with famous often-white hollywood stars.... and not just the white hollywood stars.

I mean, they loved Pacific Rim, and the highest grossing Hollywood movie is The Fate of the Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. Next highest is Furious 7. Only after comes a white-lead film, Transformers. Their favorite hollywood animated movie? Zootopia.

If diversity is a big boost in some markets, but *maybe* a minor minus in China and quite possibly neutral or a minor plus (recent market, hard to say), the market still says 'go diverse.'

It also says 'go fast cars and giant robots, because China loves those,' and I must admit they make a solid point about the robots.

[Shroom Man 777]

Thanks to China we had Ip Man beating Stormtroopers with stick.

[ray245]

Still, I don't think China minds diverse casts, even if they like movies with famous often-white hollywood stars.... and not just the white hollywood stars.

I mean, they loved Pacific Rim, and the highest grossing Hollywood movie is The Fate of the Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. Next highest is Furious 7. Only after comes a white-lead film, Transformers. Their favorite hollywood animated movie? Zootopia.

If diversity is a big boost in some markets, but *maybe* a minor minus in China and quite possibly neutral or a minor plus (recent market, hard to say), the market still says 'go diverse.'

It also says 'go fast cars and giant robots, because China loves those,' and I must admit they make a solid point about the robots.

True on those points.

In addition to this, I think we need to talk about Asian-Americans as well. The issue of diversity isn't a mere issue of ethnicity alone, the origins of ethnicity is somewhat important as well. With China becoming an increasingly important market, I am getting the feeling that it might result in more mainland or Hong Kong Chinese taking over the Asian-American roles. A number of recent Asian stars in Hollywood has largely been foreigners as opposed to Asian Americans. Hollywood (backed by Chinese investment firms) might end up choosing a mainland Chinese superstar that isn't fluent in English over an Asian-American unknown even for English-speaking roles.

Thanks to China we had Ip Man beating Stormtroopers with stick.

At the expense of Asian-Americans though.

[Shroom Man 777]

Okay... now THAT is a headache lol.

[Q99]

Yea, that kinda sucks.

On the 'bright' side, there's so few asian roles in hollywood that they could pretty easily expand both Asian-American and foreign Asian actors no problem.

[ray245]

Yea, that kinda sucks.

On the 'bright' side, there's so few asian roles in hollywood that they could pretty easily expand both Asian-American and foreign Asian actors no problem.

Why would they expand Asian-American roles when they can get foreign actors with far more experience?

[Q99]

Why would they expand Asian-American roles when they can get foreign actors with far more experience?

Because Asian-Americans are often going to be initially cheaper and more available than foreign pros, and to fill a wider range of roles you'd want more actor choice.

Developing your own talent often pays off, that's why a casting agency did this study, because *they* wanted to know who they should develop.

[ray245]

Because Asian-Americans are often going to be initially cheaper and more available than foreign pros, and to fill a wider range of roles you'd want more actor choice.

Developing your own talent often pays off, that's why a casting agency did this study, because *they* wanted to know who they should develop.

Ideally that will be true, but Hollywood often wants established actors because that has the resume and fan-following to go along with it. There is also the element of how Asian-Americans are perceived as opposed to foreign Asians. Asian-Americans actors have remarked they are usually seen as less confident because they are an ethnic minority in the US, whereas foreign Asian actors are the majority in their country and never had to deal with racism in the same manner.

Foreign Asian actors/actress are seen as being more comfortable in their own shoes, whereas Asian-Americans actors/actress are seen as coming with certain cultural baggage.

[Q99]

Ideally that will be true, but Hollywood often wants established actors because that has the resume and fan-following to go along with it. There is also the element of how Asian-Americans are perceived as opposed to foreign Asians. Asian-Americans actors have remarked they are usually seen as less confident because they are an ethnic minority in the US, whereas foreign Asian actors are the majority in their country and never had to deal with racism in the same manner.

Foreign Asian actors/actress are seen as being more comfortable in their own shoes, whereas Asian-Americans actors/actress are seen as coming with certain cultural baggage.

True, but if one builds 'em up in smaller roles... if you don't have any big names of a group, a good policy is to increase the number of small-time roles, see who hits it off and gets more comfortablw, and make some names.

[TheFeniX]

I mean, they loved Pacific Rim, and the highest grossing Hollywood movie is The Fate of the Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. Next highest is Furious 7. Only after comes a white-lead film, Transformers. Their favorite hollywood animated movie? Zootopia.

VInnie and The Rock are really hard to pin down as "diverse." Yes, they are members of a minority group, but they are rarely if ever treated as such. The Rock alone is able to be Husband to Carla Gugino and father to Daddario in San Andreas. These guys are "American as Apple-pie" the same way Arnold, a thickly-accented foreigner, was an American icon.

I assume this is in large part due to the success of Arnold and Hollywood only having a few options for "Beef-cake" roles. But even Michael-Clark Duncan didn't enjoy their success in casting options.

And from what I learned from MMA, at the least the Japanese and Koreans are fascinated with the "Beefcake" phenomenon. Hong-Man Choi is a local example, but they LOVED bringing over American heavyweights are treating them like royalty. As for the Chinese, who knows? However, Basketball became a huge deal over there IIRC after Yao Ming was signed to the Rockets. It's only gained in popularity over the years.

I think people just love tall/largehueg doods.

Ideally that will be true, but Hollywood often wants established actors because that has the resume and fan-following to go along with it. There is also the element of how Asian-Americans are perceived as opposed to foreign Asians. Asian-Americans actors have remarked they are usually seen as less confident because they are an ethnic minority in the US, whereas foreign Asian actors are the majority in their country and never had to deal with racism in the same manner.

Foreign Asian actors/actress are seen as being more comfortable in their own shoes, whereas Asian-Americans actors/actress are seen as coming with certain cultural baggage.

True, but if one builds 'em up in smaller roles... if you don't have any big names of a group, a good policy is to increase the number of small-time roles, see who hits it off and gets more comfortablw, and make some names.

I don't know if that's what he's talking about. For reference, an Asian character in a show is almost always going to get saddled with certain baggage. Probably uptight and demanding parents. And this is a pivotal part of their character (Ming-Na in ER for just one example). It's treated as this big deal, which it is, but is almost wholly attributed to honoring the family. Or for a black character, "sticking it to the white man" (though this is less prevalent). If this theme is applied to a white character, it's almost solely because "we come from money" so race/nationality is not an issue.

We routinely remind minorities and minority actors they are said minorities and there are things about them that should be true. But, unfortunate implications aside, white people as the majority in American are allowed to come from all types. I would assume this is exhausting to minority actors.

Meanwhile, what does Jet Li care about all this? He was big in China before-hand, got even bigger over here, and gets to just have fun knowing little to no English. Same thing with American/Brazillian MMA fighters who are/were brought over to Japan, are members of a visible minority over there, treated like a combination Freak Show + royalty, make shittons of money, then come back home.

Or be Bob Sapp and just live it up because the Japanese love you.