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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Kristin Kreuk: Next Asian American Beauty?
t isn't a question of droolworthiness. Her looks are dazzling enough to have locked up a lead role in each of her first three auditions, including the title role in an upcoming TV movie. It's more a question of whether most of us would identify hazel-eyed Smallville heartthrob Lana Lang as a fellow Asian.
Kristin Laura Kreuk was born to a Chinese mother and a Dutch father on December 30, 1982. She grew up in Vancouver, Canada. Kreuk, 5-4, had decided to go to college to study forensic pathology until, in her senior year, her drama teacher suggested she go to an audition for a new Fox Family series called Edgement. She was promptly plucked out of the open audition to play a Chinese Canadian high scool student named Laurel Yeung. Even as she won fans in the role, she landed the Lana Lang role for WB's dramatization of Superboy's life as Clark Kent, then the role of Snow White in the ABC TV movie set for release in 2002. Kreuk's star-quality was obvious to all who tuned in for Smallville's premiere last October. Some even proclaimed her the show's main attraction.
But many Asian American viewers didn't even suspect Kreuk's Asian ancestry. Even those who learned of her mother's nationality questioned whether she can be claimed by Asian Americans. Without an Asian surname or obvious Asian facial features, they argue, Kreuk's success would do nothing for the image of Asians in the American media. Others might argue that most African American stars are, in fact, only fractionally of African descent.
Should we claim Kristin Kreuk and other hapas like her as Asian American celebrities? Or should that designation be reserved for those with a more obviously Asian identity?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:00:17 PM)
Why calling her 'Asian' Ameican / Canadian? I'm also half Chinese and half English (British) myself, but when people asks me for my nationality, I say I'm 'half Chinese and half English'. I don't say I'm British Chinese, even though I look more Chinese than English because that's for 100% Chinese people who were born here, hence BBC = British Born Chinese.
When I fill in those applicaion forms that asks for my nationality, I write 'British', because I'm a British citizen with British blood and was born and broght up here. I don't say 'Asian' because they might think I'm from Bangladesh, India or Paskistan, since we have more of those nationalities than Chinese.
Fiona
fawcitt@talk21.com
Sunday, March 10, 2002 at 01:59:20 (PST)
My fellow brothers and sisters. Let's not worry about who has the most Asian features of all. Just accept the fact that if you're good looking enough[in Kristin's case] the world will treat you better. It doesn't matter what color you are. Who cares if she doesn't look more Asian. The main point is she doesn't hide the fact that she is half Asian. I am Corean American, and I love Hapas.
Mike
swears@msn.com
Saturday, March 09, 2002 at 19:10:26 (PST)
When I first saw Kristen Kreuk on t.v.,I could tell that she was half Asian. Have you ever thought that the average white person wouldn't think of Kreuk as "White Looking?" It's something about Kreuk's eyes and exotic look that is not exactly white looking. And there are even some white people who insists that groups like Italians,Spanish,etc. are not white. They believe that the white look is someone with blond/brown hair and blue eyes. And many white people go by the rule that if someone is half white/Asian, he or she is still Asian.
am,tx
Saturday, March 09, 2002 at 09:32:35 (PST)
Australia is pretty "racist" when it comes to the media and advertising. It is extremely rare to see an Asian face on TV. However, if you DO see one it is almost always likely to be a "hapa". As a full blooded Chinese female I find this really annoying because it's like the producers are purposely choosing someone to play an "Asian" part, yet if they get a "hapa" to play the part, they are somehow less threatening and less "ethnic" looking. Therefore all the Asianhapas are taking away the acting/modelling jobs from the full-blooded Asian people. That is what I think anyway.
I went to high school with several hapas, most of whom were female with caucasian fathers and japanese mothers. These girls were almost always popular and seemed to be arrogant and conceited. The same thing happened with a girl I met at university. They seem to be obsessed with their looks and you can be assured that they only date white Caucasian guys or hapa guys, and not Asian guys.
I find hapas "annoying" because they seem to want the best of both worlds and use whichever part of them (white, Asian, whatever) to get what they want in life.
And then there are the people who think that all hapas are just so beautiful and wonderful.
Big Sister
Saturday, March 09, 2002 at 04:15:35 (PST)
i don't know what it is about her face, but all i can say is that theres something that just makes you stare and stare. she is so hypnotizing and beautifull. she's innocent, sweet, beautifull and sexy all in one. she's just so mysterious looking. i am an asian girl myself, and usually hate asian hoochy girls, but she is just gorgeous. she has the essence of Audrey Hepburn. I think she's just mezmorizing
debbie hsu
sueperdavid779@aol.com
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 17:38:34 (PST)
Curious,
Hapas w/ one Anglo Caucasian or part Anglo Caucasian parent will tend to look more "White" than those of a Caucasian parent of Slavic, Jewish, and esp. Southern European background.
You don't see too many Southern European or Jewish hapas w/ light colored eyes. These tend to be darker/tanner or receive more Asian traits aswell.
I wonder if Apolo Anton Ohno's mother is of Italian/partial Italian or Greek/partial Greek descent.
Where'd he get the middle name Anton from?
I can certainly see Kristin's Asian features, but Apolos are much more obvious/more prevalent.
[So what mixes do you think makes a person look more white or more Asian hapa?]
Oh, I forgot to mention that sometimes it depends even more on what the Asian parent looks like than the White parent, i.e. if the Asian parent is really pure-looking or a little mixed (like my mom). Hong Kong Chinese hapas tend to have smaller eyes compared to Malaysian-Chinese hapas since the Chinese tend to have larger eyes in Southeast Asia and may have some Malay, Dayak, Filipino, Indonesian, Dutch, British, Portuguese, or Spanish ancestry.
Jay… the ¼ Slavic and ¼ Anglo hapa
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 12:13:35 (PST)
[This young woman probably has no clue or connection to her mom's Asian American roots, so why attempt to force her to embrace them.]
Another AAM, aren't you being rather presumptuous here!?
Comparing Kristin to Hawaii, Malaysia, and Texas hapas, I doubt she's as white-washed as you think.
White-washed hapas tend to speak more harshly, look/appear less innocent/shy, and tend to be a bit louder than more Asian cultured hapas. Sheez... at least she doesn't have a Southern draw!!! Talk about white-washed!!!
Jay... disgruntled w/ hapas in the southwest U.S. of A.
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 12:03:27 (PST)
[Everyone..... Canada is technically considered a part of the North America. So Kristin can be considered Asian American.]
Uhhh... I don't think so, hapagirl.
You might want to make a distinction b/w Asian Canadians/Asian Canucks and Asian Americans (i.e. the USA/America).
[I remember a situation a few years ago--Johnny Bosch was playing Adam, the Black Power Ranger. Johnny Bosch is Hapa with a Korean American mom and a Caucasian dad. He was credited as Johnny Bosch, but then a ton of AA people piled on him because of his "looking Asian" and as a result, he started crediting himself as "Johnny Yong Bosch" because he was accused of "hating his Asian side" and being "Whitewashed."]
I used to watch Power Rangers way back when it first aired. First time I saw Johnny Bosch I was quite puzzled... was thinkin... "was that Asian dude adopted?" As I watched more episode I'd think... "hmmm... can't figure out what kind of Asian he is... look kinda Korean, kinda Chinese... BUT... kinda Caucasian." So that's when I figured he had to be hapa. :-)
When they later credited him as Johnny Yong Bosch, it furthered my suspicion that he was hapa too!
Jay… the hapa
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 11:56:11 (PST)
Eric J. Richmond,
You seriously need to take a trip to Asia, hapa bro, cause you sound pretty white-washed calling yourself a "half breed". Many mixed people find that word a bit repulsive.
Asian Americans don't need to hear your "I'm an American" bullshit nonsense
and neither does a fellow hapa like myself.
[One more thing, I understand many have duel citizenships. I as an American demand you choose- America or where ever you or your parents, grandparents came from. Such a disgrace should not be placed upon America as this, it compromises national security and loyalties to this nation, unless you seek to destroy what this nation stands for, then you'll end up with what your ancestors ran away from and worse.]
Dood, did you grow-up in Richmond, Virginia or what???...???
WHAT THE F***!!!!!!??????
Jay... the hapa
Friday, March 08, 2002 at 11:48:36 (PST)
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