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| Got talent? Ben Ross on the 'Superstar' variety show in China, where foreign 'talent' is popular. Courtesy of Ben Ross |
In China, fame comes easier with a foreign face
In China, Westerners are plucked from the streets for television and movie roles.
from the July 18, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
"Foreign hosts who speak Chinese have a special appeal for Chinese audiences," says Liu Yongli, a director for state-owned China Central Television. "When Chinese people see a foreigner who speaks good Chinese and has gotten to know Chinese culture well, we get a very warm feeling, seeing that someone respects China so much."
The film world is somewhat less welcoming. Westerners interested primarily in acting work face all sorts of special challenges, not least of which is the expectation of fluent Mandarin.
To make matters worse, Westerners in China simply don't have that many parts available to them. And the roles they do get often reflect hackneyed stereotypes.
"People in general have some strange ideas about America," says Jonathan Kos-Read, one of the few full-time Western actors in China. "For instance, Americans don't love their parents and vice versa. Or, if you walk out of your front door [in the US], 9 times out of 10 you'll see a huge gun battle. That kind of thing."
Mr. Kos-Read, who trained at the New York University film school, often plays "a rich American businessman who comes to China and falls in love with a Chinese girl. She's torn for 10 episodes or so, but in the end, she always makes the right choice and sticks with her Chinese boyfriend."
Film director Gu Rong agrees that foreign actors tend to get pigeonholed. "They're often the antagonist, the central point of conflict," he says.
American actress Kerry Berry Brogan, who had extensive acting experience before coming to China, sees it as her responsibility to give Chinese audiences a more balanced view of foreigners. "I'm trying to make the depiction of foreigners more real, more dynamic, more three-dimensional. ... If there's something wrong, I let the director know," she says. "I would say 70 percent of the time they listen."
Ms. Brogan, Kos-Read, and other Western actors in China often find themselves in the role of cultural ambassador, helping directors, screenwriters, and audiences come to a fuller understanding of Westerners in general. Kos-Read says their efforts are paying off. "It's getting better fast. The scripts are improving."
Unfortunately for Western newcomers, the acting scene is becoming more competitive. The growing population of foreigners in China has professionalized the film industry, creating higher entry barriers for anyone without formal training.
And for those aspiring television celebrities planning to sign up for Mandarin classes, you'd better hurry.
"Maybe in 50 years, we'll have 100,000 foreigners speaking such excellent Chinese ... they won't be that interesting anymore," says Mr. Liu. "But for now, they're very unusual."
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