|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
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?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:00:03 PM)
Kristin is the most georgeous person I have EVER seen.. the hell with britney spears.. Kristin has talent.. I mean im not saying that other actress's arent pretty, but Kristin is far the mose talented and prettiest actress. I LOVE HER SOOO MUCH!
BabyGee
Monday, August 26, 2002 at 14:07:16 (PDT)
1 more thing, she is truly not American or canadian, she was just brought up there!
The Truth
heats_temptation@hotmail.com
Monday, August 26, 2002 at 01:27:46 (PDT)
I don't think it matters that Kristin Kreuk is Asian, it's not something to be ashamed of is something bad.
even if she doesnt look dutch or chinese, you shouldn't argue that she isnt what she really is!!!!!
i mean, get over it!, she is a good actress and is pretty, whats it to anyone if she is asian!!
1 more thing, huu76,
you must not have many friends, talking like its bad for Kristin to be Asian, like u can talk (huu76), i bet u are but ugly!
The Truth
heats_temptation@hotmail.com
Monday, August 26, 2002 at 01:26:06 (PDT)
yeah, i think kristin is ..well beautiful.
i recently went down to the states(cali)
(i live in vancouver)
well i over-heard these girls talking about her, and how shes the best asians-"american" actress, the only thing i can stress over is that, well shes canadian born and raised here, she still lives here, and 2 of the t.v hit shows shes in are both shooted in vancouver. yeah, its great that ppl think her as a role-model, but i dunno why>_< but everytime i hear it, it kinda..i dunno...irritates me
neways..she is beautiful, good actress
misha
Sunday, August 25, 2002 at 00:59:48 (PDT)
Well, from my observations it seems that many AMs here are weary of her, as she could could very well just turn out to be yet another "AF" (pseudo/(half) AF or not) that probably lives, acts, eats, socializes like whites do but merely writes 'Asian' in her census form. If that's the case, then I think she is TOTALLY undeserving of having the title of "Next AA beauty". NO way.
She is beautiful, but not deserving.
But on the other hand, a lot of AFs who want to look up to someone who looks like them support KK, no matter what the stipulations are. To some, even if she is effectively culturally "white", they would still support her as the "next AA beauty", simply b/c she looks Asian. That could give some young AFs a role model, and even possibly get them a few more dates (theoretically) thanks to media images. So in a sense, her media exposure is beneficial to AFs in every way.
However, as an Asian guy, I feel that we don't need another AF who doesn't champion or represent AAs to her fullest ability. For now, KK isn't widely seen as Asian, but just someone every exotic looking, which does wonders for the show Smallville, I'm sure. But, if she were to declare herself Asian and then show up at the Awards Shows with another blonde blue eyed boy, I would groan. This isn't a statement born out of sexual jealousy. I'm just sick of overplayed negative images of AAs and AM/AF being regurgitated in the media. More images of AFs with WMs are negative, as far as the AA community is concerned. Beleive it or not, some AAs want to marry each other and still be friends with non-AAs. Do we have to have sex with each other and miscegenate to be a happy, racially integrated society? Hardly. AAs as a collective group do not need any more of that BS.
So therefore, I say that if Kristen doesn't actively try to represent "her people" (should she publicly proclaim her Asian-ness), she should just not say anything. We don't need her to be our next AA beauty in my opinion.
KK isnt deserving, in my opinion.
Saturday, August 24, 2002 at 01:59:31 (PDT)
she is so nice!!!
razzmannthegreat
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 14:45:30 (PDT)
If I may add my 2 cents;
I wonder how 'Asian' Kristin would look if she didn't have any make up on?
Some Hapa females can and enjoy playing up their Asianness to the Whites
as long as it serves their purpose. In these cases the exotic look makes them stand out. It remains to be seen what her dating preferences are but I'll give odds to anyone that she exclusively dates White. It's been my experience with Hapa babes that the overwhelming majority of them date White no matter which side the parent is on.
Sorry guys but she can't represent.
Toy Sunner
Wednesday, August 21, 2002 at 11:22:46 (PDT)
Who the hell gives a damn?! She is mmm mmmm good and that's all that matters!
LL cool J
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 15:04:11 (PDT)
This girl is freakin' fine! I saw her on Smallville and my jaws dropped... DAYUM!!!
It wasn't until later that I found out she was mixed. Damn, she is so hot!!!
21/M
Monday, August 19, 2002 at 21:16:30 (PDT)
From an AM, looking Asian is defined as looking like me.
huu76
Monday, August 19, 2002 at 17:13:06 (PDT)
First, Kristin Krueke is not American. She's canadian.
She looks like a half-filipina mixed than of a half-chinese mixed.
smallville
Friday, August 16, 2002 at 12:41:24 (PDT)
huu76,
strangely, I've also seen some Mediterranean Semites (always females, never males) who do have all the typically Mongolid Asian features, like yellow skin, Asian nose, cheekbones, slanted slit-eyes, except the mongol fold.
After all there are even some Semitic women (but few of them) who seem to look more "Asian" than Kristin Kreuk. In a way it's not entirely wrong to expect an Asian-looking person to behave Asian. But in cases like the mentioned ones some basic values are simply un-Asian.
rare stuff
Thursday, August 15, 2002 at 23:53:33 (PDT)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|