Views from the Edge
Commentary
Actress Lana Condor, star of To All The Boys I Loved Before, spoke up about her views on the criticism that there should have been at least one Asian American among the boys her character Lara Jean Covey crushes on.
To All the Boys I Loved Before, a romantic comedy film based on the best-selling young adult novel by Korean American author Jenny Han features three sisters whose Korean American mother died a year earlier and are being raised by their white father.
“We tried to stay really close to the book and they weren’t written that way. If Jenny was telling a different story, we would tell it,” Condor told The Cut. “But I will say this: My boyfriend in real life is Cuban but he is very light-skinned. There are times when people online will say, ‘Of course she’s with a White guy.’ Oh, so Asian people can only love Asian people? I can only be with my race?”
“You are being racist unknowingly and continuing to put us in a box that we don’t need to be in. It’s really unfair. People should be able to love who they want to love. It’s offensive to me — you’re continuing to promote tribalism. So I can’t be with who I want to be with? These are probably the same people who have an issue with the LGBT community. It’s the same thing — you telling me who I can love is unfair,” she said.
“In my experience, I’ve loved all races. It’s not like I can only be with my people. I don’t think we should be stuck to only loving people based on what they look like,” said the 21-year old Vietnamese American actress.
Condor might be missing the point of the criticism. There was an opportunity to cast an Asian American actor but the thought never crossed the mind of the director and casting director. It only seems natural that an Asian American girl would at least know one Asian American boy. It is that way in the real world. The character wouldn’t necessarily had to “win” the girl’s heart, but at least have him in the game.
Author Han acknowledges that Asian males need better representation beyond the old stereotypes, but not in this movie.
There is one scene in which Lara Jean, her little sister and Peter, one of the love interests, are watching Sixteen Candles and they point out the racist nature of Long Luk Dong. That’s the only presence of an Asian male in the movie.
The movie, available now on Netflix, has been widely praised and Asian American girls are reportedly streaming the film over and over. Having Lara Jean and her two sister play key roles in a popular movie is a step forward and it apparently is having a positive impact on young Asian American girls.
“For the most part, the fans are really excited and happy. … That’s who we are trying to please at the end of the day,” says Condor.
Ahhhhhh To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was so cute and delightful!!!!!!!!!
Also, I’m pinching myself that I got to watch not one but TWO movies featuring Asian American leads this week. Feeling so weepy.
— Emily X.R. Pan (@exrpan) August 19, 2018
just watched to all the boys i’ve loved before and cannot describe my happiness and emotion over lara jean and her sisters being specifically half asian half white ??????
also the movie was SO CUTE i died at least 17 times probably
— ????? ???? ????? ????? (@apricotjoy) August 19, 2018
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RE: Lana Condor Rebukes Those who Wanted an AsAm Love Interest in To All The Boys I Loved Before: Lana Condor missed the point. No one is saying Asian women should only date Asian men– it’s just that Asian women are so rarely paired with Asian men in American media, and when they are, it is as secondary characters. If the movie producers could change one of the love interests to an African-American, then surely they could have changed any number of the other four boys to whatever race they wanted. Make it the model UN kid, or the camp kid both who get 2 seconds of screen time, Otherwise, the movie is just promoting the image that only White Males are attractive.
RE: Lana Candor Rebukes Those who Wanted an AsAm Love Interest in To All the Boys I Loved Before: So we have Crazy Rich Asians. The door has recently opened. Every project can’t be everything to everyone. CAAM is accepting entries for it’s film festival. Get busy & write and stop complaining. I know the history. So change it. Stop slamming the people making a difference. At least they try and are not armchair critics.
RE: Lana Candor Rebukes Those who Wanted an Asian American Love Interest: SHe is clearly missing the point…… another Brenda Song next he making. Don’t expect expect much from her in the way of support of the asian American community.
RE: Lana Condor Rebukes Those who Wanted an AsAm Love Interest in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: “It only seems natural that an Asian American girl would at least know one Asian American boy. It is that way in the real world.” is not necessarily a true statement. Growing up in Detroit, most of the few Asian American boys I knew were either relatives or might as well have been. Working in the family restaurant left little time or opportunity to socialize much with anyone outside of the immediate neighborhood, where we were the ONLY Asian American family for miles. This may not be the case for many, but it has been the situation in many parts of the country for years. While this reality isn’t ideal, I applaud it’s authenticity.