From Anna Mae Wong (pictured) and her career in both silent and sound movies to producer Dan Lin of Lego Movie and Sherlock Holmes fame, Chinese and Chinese Americans have had a 100 year history in Hollywood, reports CCTV.
While they have a long way to go in eliminating the stereotypical portrayal of Asian Americans, progress has been made.
“When I first came in the 50’s, the late 50’s, there were no roles for Asian people, said 87-year old actress Lisa Lu. “I used to tell them Chinese don’t act this way – Chinese act this way, but no one pays me any attention. Now I think they respect Chinese people especially the actors and actresses are so well trained and the directors are so knowledgeable.”
Today there are two Chinese Americans featured in the ensemble cast of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D which stars Ming Na and Chloe Bennett.
“What I appreciate about them and their casting process is they had these characters and it wasn ’t about 
race and it really wasn’t about what the person looked like,” said Bennett whose father is Chinese and mother is white. “It was really about who the person was as a character and if they fit the mold to the character no matter what ethnicity and that how me and Ming-na, two Chinese-American women, ended up as two leads on a show which I don’t think has ever been done before.”
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You can read about how these Chinese Americans have been able to influence Hollywood on CCTV.
