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RedSonGamble t1_it014kg wrote

In 1935, Wong was dealt the most severe disappointment of her career, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer refused to consider her for the leading role of the Chinese character O-Lan in the film version of Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. MGM instead cast Luise Rainer to play the leading role in yellowface. One biographer believes that the choice was due to the Hays Code anti-miscegenation rules requiring the wife of a white actor, Paul Muni (ironically playing a Chinese character in yellowface) to be played by a white actress.[6] But the 1930-1934 Hays Code of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America insisted only that "miscegenation (sex relationship between the white and black races) was forbidden" and said nothing about Asian/white intermarriages.[7] Other biographers have not corroborated this theory, including historian Shirley Jennifer Lim's Anna May Wong: Performing the Modern.[8] MGM screen-tested Wong for the supporting role of Lotus, the seductress, but it is ambiguous whether she refused the role on principle or was rejected.[9]

Different times

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qb1120 t1_it04h6d wrote

One of the first Asian American movie stars. I wish she could see how much better it is now (and how much better it could be in the future)

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Juub1990 t1_it1j1su wrote

Define "much better". Asian-American movie stars are still extremely rare.

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Kilobotto t1_it1sj5d wrote

I mean the representation isn't that far off 6.5% of roles while being 7.2% of the general population. Hispanics are the real ones getting shafted in film roles (only 5.7% of roles vs 19% of the general population)

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bow_m0nster t1_itb0il6 wrote

Before crazy rich Asians, Hollywood was still straight up white washing and yellow facing Asians and Asian stories.

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nekomoo t1_it7s9we wrote

Her Korean American high school classmate Philip Anh drove her to an audition and was offered a part, leading to his own film career

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estofaulty t1_it197ks wrote

Also bi. Had a relationship with Marlene Dietrich. But people always gloss over that.

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rivieredefeu t1_it07dsi wrote

You must have the Criterion channel, she was featured recently.

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AustinBennettWriter t1_it0f2c6 wrote

Moreso she's being featured on the new quarter, which is making racists heads explode.

One guy on Facebook said, "Anna May isn't even her real name!"

My rebuttal was, "Would you feel that way about Mariyln? Her real name was Norma".

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rivieredefeu t1_it0faj8 wrote

Ohhh I didn’t realize! I don’t live in the US.

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AustinBennettWriter t1_it0fpw2 wrote

My bad! Yes, this is US based because I forgot other countries can participate.

We just launched a new series of quarters highlighting historic females. Anna May Wong is the first. Maya Angelou and Dr Sally Ride are coming up next. The first Indigenous American female chief (I forget the tribe) and one more female will be featured.

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locks_are_paranoid t1_it0tqfe wrote

Unless you work for the US Mint, saying "we just launched a new theory of quarters" is incorrect.

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lewphone t1_it20m7g wrote

Almost every actor changed their name back then. Marion Morrison, Archibald Leach & Bernard Scwartz would have been good rebuttals too.

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bow_m0nster t1_itb0m1j wrote

John Wayne’s real name is Marion Robert Morrison

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DaveOJ12 t1_it0bdp2 wrote

Was this posted recently?

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NordlandLapp t1_it7ky0v wrote

Shanghai Express is a great movie with her in it if your looking for something to watch with Anna. It's a dark and hazy 1932 pre code film, good for a late night watch.

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