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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, 06:00:10 PM)
ok who cares if she is asian or not, she is who she is and she isnt out there to represent asian people in america, she is just out there to play roles and have fun doing it. who the hell cares. you guys are so damn racist. separating yourselves from other ethinicities. where is the diversity if you cannot reach out and connect with other nationalities.
connie
sleepy_connie@hotmail.com
Thursday, May 23, 2002 at 20:18:37 (PDT)
so what if kristen is half chinese and half dutch
it doesn't mean that chinese people are ugly
probably many differnt cultures hate black spanish or white
it doesn't matter if she is half cinese or not
sherolyn
babyflowerpod@_____.com
Thursday, May 23, 2002 at 17:36:49 (PDT)
i agree w/ pink-yellow doll. it's not her fault tha her mom isnt cultural. she IS making an effort to get in touch w/ her asian side a little. she's not ashamed,and she's proud. so i think it's a positive thing to have her represent asians (whether she likes it or not).
lilywater47
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 22:55:03 (PDT)
eurasian girl, you say that kristin may have more "white" genes. are you commenting purely on her looks? i do not believe that kristin is ashamed or embarassed about her biraciality.
just because she doesnt really discuss it during interviews does not mean she is not proud of her culture. she probably just doesnt spend much time thinking about her bicultural background. come on, shes been biracial all her life. its not a big deal to her and she did say that her mother doesnt speak chinese so why do asians expect her to? its not that shes ashamed shes just never been exposed to her asian background.
pink-yellow doll
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 00:42:03 (PDT)
Pioneer,
I came over when I was 3, I am Chinese. I speak intermediate Vietnamese and can read it too. I speak perfect english. What's your point?
I haven't written here for so long, I don't even know what your replying to.
huu76
Monday, May 20, 2002 at 00:57:35 (PDT)
You know what it is, I think it has to do with her genes. She looks more dutch than chinese. She has more "white" genes than asian. I'm half dutch half asian myself, that makes me an eurasian. If you look at my brother, you can see the european part in him, if you look at me, you can only see my eyes are a bit lighter than other asian kids. I'm not at all ashamed of my asian background, it's a part of me. Now I don't know if Kristin is embarrassed or something, maybe she doesn't know a lot of her asian side.
Or maybe she was teased when she was a child, really, I've been there, but all those kids who teased me, can go to hell, cause they never really knew what I was made off.
(sorry 4 my bad English)
xxx eurasian girl xxx
Sunday, May 19, 2002 at 12:21:04 (PDT)
Proud AA Woman:
There is some support for Asian Americans in the media. MANA (Media Action Network for Asian Americans) have been around for quite some time now. East West Players (a theatre company) has also had numurous casting showcases for ABC, NBC, CBS. The lack of Asian faces in TV is no entirely due to the lack of support. Asian Americans are not as visual in the media because "we" don't sell. There aren't enough of us to make a difference yet. Corporate giants only care about the bottom line. Right now API's don't fit into that money making equasion yet. Soon we will....
Huu76:
I speak chinese very fluently and can also write and read some. I was born and raised in America. Many people from Hong Kong don't believe that I am "ABC". Just because you speak english perfectly doesn't mean you're ethinically "white washed". Kristin Kruek in interviews has admitted to being half chinese proudly and profoundly. I wouldn't be surprised if ms. kruek is somewhat intouch with her ethnic side. Most of Vancouvers chinese population consists of people who immigrated.
pioneer
Friday, May 17, 2002 at 17:48:46 (PDT)
kristin's very very beautiful, and looks asian to me( at least partially). she's asian, so she can be designated an asian star!
RiaRea
Thursday, May 16, 2002 at 20:32:20 (PDT)
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