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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Kristin Kreuk: Next Asian American Beauty?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:59:59 PM)
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 school 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.]
Well, she is part asian so we should claim her as an Asian American Celebrity.
I'm actually part Chinese, part Spanish, part Filipino because of my grandparents' heritage so I could say that I'm part Asian. =)
Anyway, I really think that Kristine Kreuk is very, very beautiful..
Ericho Paolo Victorino
erichopaolo@yahoo.com
Tuesday, December 03, 2002 at 05:11:53 (PST)
[202.81.160.21]
She is indeed Canadian... If Kristin Kreuk was a very physically unattractive, lousy actress with a bad attitude and reputation, would so many Asian Americans be quick to claim her as American? No, they would dismiss her as a Canadian! Anyway she calls herself 'Canadian' so I'm not going to argue with that!
(This slightly is off-topic but I just want to adress a couple of earlier posts so please bear with me Editor.)
Lilywater and Sandra,
When Mariah first started out, in at least 2 of her earlier interviews she was called 'White' to her face by her interviewers ("White girl doing 'Black' music blahblah..."). She NEVER corrected them by saying she was mixed. She answered the questions as if she was literally White! I remember this very well even though it was a long time ago. I was very suprised to learn YEARS LATER that she was mixed! Sandra is right on this one.
Dase
Tuesday, December 03, 2002 at 04:35:56 (PST)
[213.52.200.140]
She's not Asian. SHe's not white. She's a human Canadian.
CAn't we all agree people all over the world are capable of having intimacy with people of any ethnicity and their kids are capable of procreating with even a different ethnicity producing kids of different backgrouds.
If you don't know what ethnicity a person is then they must be mixed. Why Why do we like to give people only one ethnicity. WHy only ONE. WHy is it wrong to be mixed and not have to choose?
Why are mixed people pressured to choose? Why do I have to choose? Please tell me. Why am I not normal? WHy is being mixed not normal?
I'm sick sick sick sick of people categorizing. Can't you all accept we procreate with humans not races.
Frustrated.
Monday, December 02, 2002 at 13:50:37 (PST)
[208.14.6.170]
yeah vancouver is completely immersed in asian-ness but it's not like all people there are influenced by the culture. there is still the middle eastern and white cultures in there. btw mariah never denied being black. she was always proud of that fact.
Lilywater47
Sunday, December 01, 2002 at 12:16:31 (PST)
[66.147.147.179]
I knew Kristina was mixed just by looking at her pretty face. She's has those beautiful Chinese doe eyes and full lips her coloring is European and her nose definately is European.
I am glad she stated what both her parents were. It took Mariah 10 years to admit that she was quarter African.
Kristina marks a person who is proud of both her nationalities and let's see if Hollywood would try change her image-Heh you can't change blood, so live with her being her bi-racial self!! Anyway look at all the pretty actors and singer Halle Berry, Kristina Kreuk, Mariah Carey and Keanu Reeves. THey are mixed and they have survived except poor Brandon Lee
Sandra, Coquitlam
hexlushous@hotmail.com
Saturday, November 30, 2002 at 20:55:52 (PST)
[24.69.255.204]
Umm, she was raised in Vancouver, aka mini-HK. It's pretty hard for anyone with Asian roots to deny their Asian heritage over there.
hkphooey
Saturday, November 30, 2002 at 05:57:39 (PST)
[203.198.2.7]
It's called edgemont.. and, until she has officially claimed american citzenship, she is canadian, and no you shouldn't claim her as an asian american celebrity. she is not american!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
for one thing.. she's not asian.
her nationality is dutch and chinese, it's rather ignorant if you're just going to focus on the fact she has asian influence in her blood. it would be just as ignorant if there were people out there who will only recognize that she's dutch.
please, just get a clue.
she's canadian
eyeslikeyours19@hotmail.com
Friday, November 29, 2002 at 21:36:19 (PST)
[66.203.180.220]
not to be pegged: yup absolutely true. adoption or marriage can determine your last name.
lilywater47
Wednesday, November 27, 2002 at 16:38:33 (PST)
[66.147.146.137]
to cleo: kristin's mom is chinese from indonesian and doesnt know a word of chinese. so no, she wasnt raised chinese.
lilywater47
Wednesday, November 27, 2002 at 16:36:13 (PST)
[66.147.146.137]
I think Kristin has its own identity as a person, She look nice and cool when i first saw her on her show edgemont, I told myself this girl would be a great actress someday.... Aside from her talent and beauty as well, I saw the character of herself that would really exist in every action she makes... that is kristin.. she has her own beauty not only outside but also inside. I just wanna ask something: is it true that Dominic Zamprogna character of Mark in endgemont is linked to kristin? Coz i think they click together. I love them both....
Thanks and God Bless
Fan
kirstine_gwyneth@yahoo.com
Monday, November 25, 2002 at 23:50:47 (PST)
[203.148.66.210]
If Kristin Kreuk does not relate to her Asian roots then its her problem. I mean she was probably brought up that way. Yeah she may be pretty but her looks are so superficial. Her looks are like those where after awhile, one just gets bored of it. Besides in Singapore, where I'm from, most asian mixed caucasian kids look pretty much like her. So what's the biggie?
I don't think we should label her as an Asian American celeb if she does not even like being a little bit Asian or rather interested in the cultures of Asia. Look at Lucy Liu. She's someone I call a true Asian American celeb. Her mandarin's pretty alright and she sticks to her asian pride although she is white-washed. Get wot I mean?
Kristen probaby gets all the attention in the media now cause apparently she's of an 'exotic' look. Whateverrr !
Cleo
Monday, November 25, 2002 at 22:29:17 (PST)
[202.166.126.229]
to A HAPA keeping real: ur basically correct. last name matters alot but if there's a totally asian looking hapa who speaks chinese, rasied in china etc but has an white last name they would prob still b considered asian. how about 1/4 white? i kno a girl who is 1/4 white looks asian but has anglo-saxon last name. However if youve never met the person, you judge by last name. that is logical. it's difff after you know them though in some cases.
Lilywater47
Monday, November 25, 2002 at 20:30:26 (PST)
[66.147.147.36]
To HAPA keeping real: I agree with you. I've been writing about Kreuk not being considered an Asian but I received a lot of good agruments from my fellow posters saying she's Asian- American. Have you read all of my past posts? (I'm Masmak, by the way). Have you read all of the agruments against my point of view? I found them interesting, clever and a challenge. What's your point of view?
Masmak
Monday, November 25, 2002 at 20:09:42 (PST)
[216.244.24.194]
What is this nonesense that your last name determines your ethnicity.
I am mixed and people think I'm any race except white(and black)and they still think the way the do even when they find out my surname is British.
I identify white but people think I'm crazy because I have an exotic look and I'm "supposed" to identify and be comfortable with what people perceive me to look like. It doesn't matter to anyone that my last name is obviously English.
Anyway you can marry into a last name or be adopted into one.
Not to be pegged
Monday, November 25, 2002 at 13:25:41 (PST)
[208.14.6.170]
Nope. Ain't happening. What is an Asian? An Asian is a person born to parents of Asian decent. In the MAJORITY of Asian societies (probably 100% of the Asian cultures that the history books are aware of), that means the father AND the mother is of Asian decent.
Asian last name (same as your father's)? You're usually considered Asian. Non-Asian last name (same as your father's)? You tend to become the butt of jokes, snickering, and a couple of "winks" behind your back if you claim to be Asian.
If Kristin Kreuk went to Asia and claimed to be Asian, I'm sure situations like this would arise. Are you Asian? "Yes, I'm Asian!" ;) Sure! ;)
Hey, before you freak out on me with your Politically Correct b.s., I have a girlfriend who's mixed. Her mom is Korean and her dad is Italian. When she tried to identify herself as Korean, her Italian dad flipped out!!!! He said to her, "No way in hell are you korean!!! you're italian!!! you have an italian last name!!". Go figure! In this day and age, in MANY societies and cultures, whether you're African, Asian or Caucasian, you're identified by your father's side of the family.
You don't think so? Just stop and ask yourself how you got your last name AND how others perceive you BEFORE they even lay eyes on you!!! Do you have a last name originating from the British Isles? Well, then you know what you are. French last name? Duh! Japanese last name? Hello! Get the picture? Your "ethnic identity" is based on your father's side of the family....in MANY cultures/races/societies.
A HAPA keeping real
Sunday, November 24, 2002 at 19:34:40 (PST)
[209.244.100.24]
Asian beauties are really the best!!!!
But we should not argue for what is the best for something and just basing its capabilities with her nationality, instead support the one who is really deserving for that success. i know that kristin herself really don't like this...
---Quio Dasco of the Philippines
Quio
mrkrynmdsco@yahoo.com
Friday, November 22, 2002 at 00:38:34 (PST)
[202.69.164.99]
Michelle's mother is dutch-indonesian-french while her father is irish.
iced_fire
Thursday, November 21, 2002 at 19:52:00 (PST)
[203.124.2.40]
I think kristin is da bomb. Her exotic features are really something. Its just out of this world.
sahel baqsheer
Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 21:20:57 (PST)
[203.127.188.154]
I think that Kristin Kreuk has alot ahead of her. Shes gonna go far and is a really good actress. But I have a good question, is Michelle Branch asian? I think that shes half Japaneses but I'm not sure.
Japanese_and_proud
Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 18:48:24 (PST)
[24.85.193.155]
it doesn't matter if we think she is...the truth is that it is part of her heritage. but one thing is for certain - it just proves to me that Eurasian and Asian girls are very pretty, and Kristin gives me something to strive for, something to look for in a girl.
KetteringKid
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 at 20:37:45 (PST)
[192.138.137.220]
whatever her roots are, we just have to accept her for who she is. she's a damn pretty lady!
Adz (Cagayan de Oro)
Monday, November 18, 2002 at 18:04:00 (PST)
[61.9.126.13]
In my opinion, Kristin Kreuk has very distinctly Asian features (particularly the shape of her eyes)and only her skin and eye color reveal that she is hapa. But then again, that is enough to throw some people off.
In any case, when the show first came out, I was still a senior in highschool, and all the guys in my school were drooling over her. (Btw, my school was 90% Asian, so it's safe to say practically all of them were Asian) Everyone knew immediately that she was part Asian, and saw that as something to be proud of. Sooo...if you ask me, I think she's definately an Asian American celebrity. I mean com'on, with stage names like "Lana Lang" and "Laurel Yeung", how can she not?? Obviously the screenwriters noticed her Asian roots, otherwise, why would they give her Asian stage names??
short asian girl
Sunday, November 17, 2002 at 02:10:25 (PST)
[65.184.91.9]
I admit I was thrown off by her somewhat Asian appearence until I did a little digging and discovered her partially Asian heritage.
On one hand, correct me if I am wrong but it seems as if though Kristin Kreuk sees herself as white rather then asian or hapa, so we have no right to impose an Asian-Americal label on her. I do believe, though, that hapas need more recognition, since they have been largely ignored by American media. And what better waay to get that recognition then through hapa celebrities
Arturo Riyokan
derek_strain@hotmail.com
Saturday, November 16, 2002 at 20:52:16 (PST)
[12.249.1.255]
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