Over the years, representation of minorities in film has been scarce. We have seen many generic, stereotypical roles of Asian characters as immigrants who know nothing of American culture and are been treated lesser than that of their opposing, major, white counterparts. However, this past summer, we have seen a rise in representation of minorities in film. From the major motion picture, Crazy Rich Asians, to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, films are featuring strong female leads that obliterate Asian stereotypes. These movies have allowed young Asian women to look up to these figures. Personally, as an Asian American woman living in today’s society, it is so refreshing to get to see girls who look like me portraying characters that we see in our everyday lives. Watching movies with relatable characters has allowed young women,such as myself, to see the future of film for minorities. Here’s a list of films from the last couple of years that show the importance of minority representation in film.
1. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
This summer, the major feature film, Crazy Rich Asians, directed by Jon M. Chu, features an all Asian-American cast. It film clearly shows that minority groups can be portrayed as typical movie characters we generally see in movies versus the racial stereotypes usually given to them. Starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding, this romantic comedy features two young lovers in the process of getting married, but with the disapproval of Nick’s (Golding’s character) wealthy and selfish family. Overall, this movie is funny and emphasizes that representation in film is possible. It shows the film industry’s approach to a successful progressive movement in media.
2. Mulan (1998)
In this classic Disney favorite, we witness Mulan, our empowered main character, attempting to bring honor to her family and impress her father. Mulan doesn’t naturally fit the “feminine” stereotype like her female counterparts, but she most definitely has pride, strength and courage to bring her family the best honor to their name. This Disney animated film is just one example of a strong, female Asian character in film. . Although Mulan is not set in modern day United States, the setting in an Emperor-ruled China shows that these types of roles taken on by women were not common nor encouraged. Mulan’s character is voiced by Ming-Na Wen, this was pivotal in the late 20th century. This film motivated kids to look up to a new Disney Princess, one who didn’t look like the typical princesses they had seen prior to this film being released. Mulan really sets the stage for young little girls all across the world.
3. Mean Girls (Broadway Musical, 2018)
When you think Mean Girls, your first instinct might be to think of the movie with Lindsay Lohan playing Cady Heron and Rachel McAdams as Regina George. However, the movie does not portray Asian women in a way that is not stereotypical as there are a group of girls who never speak English in the entire movie. I am referring to the Broadway musical, Mean Girls, which opened this past April. Understandably, this article refers to film, but since the musical is a portrayal of the movie, I felt that this was still fitting. Gretchen Weiners is portrayed by Asian American actress and singer, Ashley Park. Gretchen’s character is a girl trying to fit in with the popular crowd and seeks approval from her best friend, Regina. She sings a song in the play titled, “What’s Wrong with Me?,” and the lyrics describe the struggles of being in high school and wanting to be well liked. Correct me if I’m wrong, but these are common insecurities that nearly everyone struggles with at some point in their life. Specifically, as a person of color, this also shows the struggles that students of color face all the time, and Ashley Park accentuates that so well in her character, Gretchen, in the hit Broadway show.
4. Charlie’s Angels (2000)
In Charlie’s Angels, Lucy Liu plays a badass, crime fighting woman in a female group of three private detectives. Alongside her are fellow castmates Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz. Together they are able to complete missions as a powerful group of women capable of a lot more than looking pretty. As an Asian American actress, Lucy Liu portrays her character as strong, smart and sensible. This is different than the common stereotypes that we see in normal crime fighting movies. Asian characters are usually on as they are commonly on the side and speak very little English. This movie just shows how powerful not only women can be, but how powerful Asian American women can be.
5. To All the Boys I Loved Before (2018)
Not only is this my personal favorite movie on this list, it has captivated the hearts of viewers everywhere. This movie depicts a young Asian American girl struggling to go through high school. It isn’t just relatable among all generations, but really speaks to the struggles that any girl faces in finding relationships. The movie is based on the book trilogy by Jenny Han, and depicts sixteen year old Lara Jean Covey who loves romantic novels and happens to be in love with her sister’s boyfriend, Josh. However, when Josh and her sister break up, Lara Jean must distract Josh from approaching her with questions on her feelings. Together, her and another boy, Peter Kavinsky devise a plan to fake date to distract Josh and the whole story soon unfolds. Lara Jean is portrayed by Lana Condor. Condor has expressed her immense gratitude for this role, as it is rare that Asian American women are cast in major roles, let alone where the main character is meant to be an Asian American woman. Ultimately, this film is abundant in wholesome and coming of age content that is sure to make you heart burst with emotion.
While I only gave you a flavor of some of the movies that have begun the progression in minority representation in film, these films convey messages that are common among all young women across the globe. These movies give hope that representation in film is possible and we are moving in the right direction to bring about more awareness to the lack of these movies. Hopefully, there will be plenty of films for representation to rave about in our near future.