This is one of those few times I wish I had a Chinese accent. More specifically, a Mandarin Chinese accent. There is a movie currently being cast called “Dark Matter” which features 6 native-born, mandarin speaking, physics grad students. According to the breakdowns, these roles will require strong theatrical training with very naturalistic performances. These lucky actors will be acting along-side Meryl Streep who has the lead role.
This is the kind of movie I would love to be involved with. Now if they could only write in the character of the brash American-Born Chinese/Filipino who is also a brilliant grad student but loves hip-hop and dancing - and is confident, funny, and sexy - and teaches the “Asian import” grad students his American ways while they teach him about his roots and culture and values of honor and respect…
I need to start learning Chinese/Filipino accents….
I stumbled upon your site.. and I’m an actor too.. and you have *no* idea what it’s like to not have the accent AND be TOO brown to be “asian”.
Buck up.. there are a lot of us out there. I’, sure we’ll bump into each other when I’m down south doing the audition circuit… again.
Love the website. Thanks for sharing. I can relate. When I lived in NYC, one of my agents sat me down and told me that b/c Im black, they expect me to talk ghetto for some auditions. I dont know how to talk ghetto. Ive tried but it just comes out sounding fake. I think I should take an “ebonics on phonics” class.
Thanks for the pick me up on a rather “ho-hum” morning @ my desk gig. Got to go now and act like I love this job. God has assigned me to this place for some reason. I think He’s trying to teach me how to love people the way that Jesus does. Thats what I keep telling myself. “Make it count for Him.”
i know what you mean man. i gotta learn chinese too. and of course, i need to learn how to do: 1) pidgin english - for a hawaiian role, and 2) sound like i speak chinese when i speak english. it’s so freakin difficult learning to do accents in general, but to learn one where you can’t pick up a tape for it, sucks! i stopped by sam french several months ago to see if they sold tapes on doing a good “mandarin-chinese speaker english tape, or a japanese one….” and though they carried 5 different english accents (cockney, scottish, high british, etc) they didn’t carry one asain tape. it totally blows.