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National Diversity Forum
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Mission
| History | Current Initiatives | |
MONIQUE HOLT by Monique Holt
First of all, I am an
Asian and a Deaf actress. Deaf actors & Asian actors are in a similar
struggle to break through typecasting. I must admit it was fun being typecast
once in my lifetime. I played the Youngest Daughter with all Asian actors in
"Friends" produced by Pan Asian
Repertory Theatre. It was not about
me being Asian but about my ability to integrate into this play.
I like the fact that I don't have an Asian name as long as I don't put my
middle name on my resume. It throws casting directors and directors off balance
and it has
given me the opportunity to play different ways at the auditions. With an Asian name I feel the auditioners would have a preconceived notion of how I would
behave; as my name is not obviously Asian, I feel I have more opportunity to
play different roles.
As an actor, I feel I have a better chance of obtaining a role when I present
the role as I envision it. . But I have
learned to do some research on what directors, writers & casting directors
envision because it is all about give and take in this profession. What I bring to the audition has helped them
to see a little new interpretation twist with my envision into their envision.
It forces them to rethink that maybe their envision was not "it" but
something else. I just have to show my face more often.
As a theater audience member, I have witnessed more Asian actors on Broadway as
part of the ensemble, which is actually good news. However, the only time you
see an Asian starring in a lead role is if the role demands it - Miss Saigon. But still they don't do it
for The King and I.
As a member of the film audience, I have witnessed more Asian actors in the
media more than ever; however, they are not hired back or used again and again
like many other white or black actors. They disappear. Like Margaret Cho, Tia Carrere,
Lucy Liu, Bai Ling, Joan Chen...
Margaret Cho, is a stage comedienne. Finally, she got
an offer to have her own television show but it ended up that she had to fight
to stay in the "bigger media" of television. Eventually, she gave up and went back to the
stage of comedy.
Lucy Liu succeeded as “the bitch" in Ally McBeal; then she disappeared. She
finally reappeared with Woody Harrelson in the movie Play It To The Bone in Drew Barrymore's Charlie’s Angels and now, with Antonio Banderas
in Ballistic, her character has a
non- Asian name [Agent Sever] which is exciting ...
Some actors with foreign names have to speak the "mother tongue" but
some of them don't know how because they were raised here in America. Does that
make them unattractive? They had to hone other skills, like Tia
Carrere who actually could speak Chinese and sing
well. Yet, I haven't seen Tia making more than three
movies in one year, like
I believe that the industry including more people of various races with various
backgrounds into this game, helped me get in the game. When I first started
working professionally, I had no idea where to start. I only went for
"Deaf" or "Asian" roles. Now I know better and I just show
up if they are looking for an actress to play or have the ability to do this...
I learned to trust the casting directors to make the best decision for the
production. I am not afraid to speak my mind because when I do, I usually
perform better for them since they know where I stand. So to compare from my
early days to recent five years, it is amazing how many doors are now ajar,
just wide enough for me to put my feet in. The writers felt different languages
and different abilities include the people with disabilities who have the
abilities to cope in the real world and they want to show the audience how we
do it. It's refreshing.
Regarding the work of others, it has been difficult for my friends who are
black actresses. . They have found themselves stuck in hard places. Because of
MTV and VH1, stereotype casting is escalating
to an almost unbearable level. They have often been asked to do a nude scene
... or play the maid, babysitter, prostitute, mean
“bitch”, or the helpless victim of domestic abuse, with almost no
morals or value left. Very few roles have been offered that haven’t
demanded this degrading presentation.
My perception
of current opportunities is that they continue on a rollercoaster track. One year, opportunities are scarcely there
for Deaf actors. Then all of a sudden,
there are about ten auditions for specific Deaf roles in the following year...
However, the people of different races and disabilities still need to fight to
keep the doors of opportunities open.
Sometimes it is helpful when other people of different races win –
that’s when actors of the same race but with different disabilities also
win. Here’s a real example: Michelle Banks, a beautiful Black Deaf
actress with no union cards, moved to
Regarding the workplace, I have liked almost all of my experiences, all good
and bad, in the companies I was hired to work with.
Basically, everyone still has to prove they can do the role. "Able-bodies
and able-to-tell-the-story in all forms" actors have the same judgments
being cast over them, despite their celebrity or being unknown or
wet-behind-ears status.
I love when the director/stage manager reacts to me directly which gives the
cast a better understanding of our interaction. This can later influence how
the creative team adjusts and lets me in to pitch in my interpretations and/or
suggestions. They usually begin in an awkward way by asking for information in
how to deal with this "unusual" casting, but once they understand, it
becomes clear for them. The staff is the key to opening the door and exposing
people to see things in a new light.
Some actors are curious to work with me because of how my character eventually
will interact with their character, or because of my quirky personality or the
languages I use. Reactions vary: some actors are shy, some disinterested, and
others are enthusiastic about working with me. Meeting the cast for the first
time is like going to college for the first time: we are like new freshmen
trying to join in, or analyzing the rest of the group.
I believe the key remaining barriers to achieving inclusion are Producers and
money. My using the word "Producers", includes the influence which
extends itself downward: for example, the casting directors who are not
comfortable in casting actors outside the stereotype. There were several
commercial auditions for which I tried out. They often were not looking for
non-speaking or Asian actors. They would roll their eyes as if to say
"Duh? Don't you see you are not young enough, white, hearing, and we are
not looking for Deaf nor Asian..." But when I did my cold reading, they
ended up enthralled with my work, telling me I was wonderful. I did not get the
job for this particular spot, but I got the next job from those same casting
directors and directors. The writers and producers need to be enlightened to be
flexible in how to cast people of unusual talents or who differ from their
original visions. There is commercial potential in casting outside of the box:
if the producers want to increase their audience, they have to attract
everyone, meaning all kind of people! In short, for actors, who want to
be in, they have to bring in a sense of humor. Not grievance or sarcasm into
their work, which will hurt them in the end.
For the last few years now, I am exploring the translation of Shakespeare's
plays and how to present the true text in American SHAKESPEAREAN Sign Language.
The sensibility of the meaning in prose and verse. His plays present
"universal problems" of living human beings with all their strengths
and weaknesses. It is amazing it still applies to the past, present and future.
I am also trying to share my love for Shakespeare's ironies in life. Plays that
present "universal problems" can be cast in a
"non-traditional" way, which lets everyone in the audience relate to
the characters and situations.
Also, I write lyrics and am trying to figure out how to set up my own live
"blues & hard rock" band. ;-)