Race, Gender, and Hollywood's Asians, 1984-2004

Abstract

Elaine H. KimPeople of color are increasingly visible in the federal government as well as in movies and on TV in the U.S. today. How have representations of Asians changed since the days of yellowface, when white actors played Asians and when Asians appeared mostly in demeaning roles as sinister villains, comical servants, faithful sidekicks, faceless masses of heathen hordes, and sexualized objects of white male desire? This paper contextualizes Hollywood representations of Asian men and women today and suggests ways of appreciating the work of Asian directors and performance artists.