hollywood

Jay Chou’s Hollywood debut

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 | posts | 2 Comments

Jay Chou has been cast in the role of masked vigilante Kato in the new adaptation of the Green Hornet.

He replaces Hong Kong star Stephen Chow, who was originally set to direct and act in the film but pulled out citing “differences” with Columbia Pictures, according to HK paper The Apple Daily. The movie also stars Nicolas Cage and Cameron Diaz and is due out July 2010.

Bruce Lee as Kato in the 1960s television series, The Green Hornet

A commentary from Hyphen Magazine criticizes the Jay Chou choice, saying it’s a snub to all the available Asian American actors who could have played the role, and points out that Jay Chou isn’t exactly skilled in martial arts.

I understand there are a lot of unemployed Asian American actors out there who are probably very talented, but are unfortunately type cast because of the color of their skin. But I have also cringed once too many times when an Asian American does indeed land a role, as a Chinese speaking FBI for example, and bungles the few lines of Mandarin in the script to the point of incomprehensibility. That is, what did you just say?? And so, because of this pet peeve, I really don’t mind casting a non-American for Asian roles in Hollywood productions. At the same time, the character of Kato I believe, is largely a non-speaking role. !!

A versatile musician and performer (from performing Chinese opera inspired pop songs to Chinese hip hop styles) I don’t think there will be a problem if Jay Chou enrolls in some martial arts training.

So what do you think? Asian American snub? Or is Jay Chou cool as Kato?

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It’s like being in a movie…

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 | posts | No Comments

…except it’s, like, really being in a movie.

I am sitting at my desk here at the AP in New York, finishing up my evening shift, and dozens of film extras are milling around.

Seriously, there are more than 20 people here “pretending” to work.

They are all fake journalists. Standing around, shuffling papers, walking back and forth with notepads and pens in hand, chatting over coffee mugs and moving boxes of stationary from one desk to another.

The AP newsroom is the set of Drew Barrymore’s newest film, Going the Distance.

I’m trying to get some writing done for the night, on the phone with the cops to get some information on a story in the Hamptons, and I can’t hear a thing because the director is screaming instructions to the extras.

One extra comes up to me and says, “You’re fired!”

Another tells me I’ll be famous.

I scoff: “I’m already famous!”

“Really?” asks the extra to my left. “What do you do?”

“I’m the only real reporter here!” I exclaim. Haha ha.

This is very distracting, alarming, yet uniquely New York all at once.

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