Last week, Paste Magazine an article on the whitewashing of Asian roles in Hollywood.
In the article, a casting director is quoted as saying that Asian actors are "challenge" to cast because they are "not very expressive."
The article quotes an interview from the book Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism, in which author Nancy Wang Yuen is told “I work with a lot of different people, and Asians are a challenge to cast because most casting directors feel as though they’re not very expressive,”
The quote provoked anger on Twitter. Maurene Goo, an Asian YA author, saw blogger Angry Asian Man's tweet about the article, and suggested starting the hashtag #ExpressiveAsians
Can we start #ExpressiveAsians?
People began to use the hashtag to share examples of Asian actors and entertainers showing a range of emotions.
let's take a moment to appreciate this two expressive asian queens #ExpressiveAsians
Im feeling so much right now.. but in case you wanna see what that looks like Hollywood! #ExpressiveAsians
@mauxbot See: basically every moment of Bruce Lee committed to film. #ExpressiveAsians
Some used the opportunity to highlight actors who may have been overlooked by Western audiences.
Tony Leung can express more complex emotions with just his eyes than many Western actors can with their whole bodie… https://t.co/RGQvYmzrGa
A silent film star and matinee idol, Sessue Hayakawa was one of the original #ExpressiveAsians in Hollywood.
Ana May Wong literally made her career being expressive...she was a SILENT FILM STAR. Hollywood, learn your own his… https://t.co/tuvTTPxFLl
Others decided to share pictures of themselves reacting to the quote, to show just how expressive asians can be.
in honor of the #ExpressiveAsians tag i managed to track down my goofiest photos
Been expressing myself since I was in diapers✌️ #expressiveasians
"Asians are a challenge to cast... they're not very expressive" #ExpressiveAsians
Or stories of their families.
peak #ExpressiveAsians is watching two families fight for the bill and go from cheery polite to passive aggressive to scary af rage
And call out non-asian actors who might not have been the most *expressive* people on camera.
Phew... good thing they casted this super expressive actress instead. 🙄 #ExpressiveAsians
Never forget Iron Fist....
'Asians are not very expressive hey that guy with one expression from Game of Thrones would make a great Iron Fist lol.' #ExpressiveAsians
I think we can now safely say that Asians know how to express themselves.
#ExpressiveAsians Apparently casting directors think Asians aren't expressive. They've clearly never met one before