The representation of Asians in American cinema has been a long and arduous journey In the dawn of American cinema Asian actors have faced miscegenation, racial stereotyping,
and the infamous “yellow peril” propaganda fueled by the fears of Westerners. Early Asian
stars on the big screen such as Sessue Hayakawa, Anna May Wong, and Sabu Dastagir were
considered pioneers mostly due to their high prominence and popularity as actors in the 20th
century.
Sessue Hayakawa was the first Japanese actor to star in a leading role in Hollywood
cinema and gained notoriety as an early sex symbol. Hayakawa was born June 10th, 1889 in
Chiba, Japan and originally aspired to follow his father’s footsteps and become a Naval Officer.
However, …show more content…
It was during this production, that movie
producer Thomas Ince offered to turn the stage adaptation into a film with the original cast, thus
procuring Hayakawa his first role.
It was in Hayakawa’s breakout role, The Cheat (1915) directed by Cecil B DeMille that the actor
gained notoriety on the silver screen. In the film, Hayakawa portrays a villainous Japanese art
dealer who seduces his co-star, Fannie Ward, in order for the latter to pay off a debt. Hayakawa
went on to reprise the role of the exotic and often dangerous foreign lover by playing a series
of romantic leads in melodramas produced by Lasky studios in the early 20th century. Despite
the odds, Hayakawa became one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood at that time, earning on
average $5,000 a week in 1915. Despite his onscreen success and social status as a sex symbol,
Hayakawa was often typecast into roles that depicted Asian men as the villain as opposed to protagonist roles that were frequently depicted by white actors in yellowface.
In the aftermath of World War 1 and the heavy rise of anti Asian sentiment in the States,
Hayakawa frustrated with being typecast, founded his own production company,
and the infamous “yellow peril” propaganda fueled by the fears of Westerners. Early Asian
stars on the big screen such as Sessue Hayakawa, Anna May Wong, and Sabu Dastagir were
considered pioneers mostly due to their high prominence and popularity as actors in the 20th
century.
Sessue Hayakawa was the first Japanese actor to star in a leading role in Hollywood
cinema and gained notoriety as an early sex symbol. Hayakawa was born June 10th, 1889 in
Chiba, Japan and originally aspired to follow his father’s footsteps and become a Naval Officer.
However, …show more content…
It was during this production, that movie
producer Thomas Ince offered to turn the stage adaptation into a film with the original cast, thus
procuring Hayakawa his first role.
It was in Hayakawa’s breakout role, The Cheat (1915) directed by Cecil B DeMille that the actor
gained notoriety on the silver screen. In the film, Hayakawa portrays a villainous Japanese art
dealer who seduces his co-star, Fannie Ward, in order for the latter to pay off a debt. Hayakawa
went on to reprise the role of the exotic and often dangerous foreign lover by playing a series
of romantic leads in melodramas produced by Lasky studios in the early 20th century. Despite
the odds, Hayakawa became one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood at that time, earning on
average $5,000 a week in 1915. Despite his onscreen success and social status as a sex symbol,
Hayakawa was often typecast into roles that depicted Asian men as the villain as opposed to protagonist roles that were frequently depicted by white actors in yellowface.
In the aftermath of World War 1 and the heavy rise of anti Asian sentiment in the States,
Hayakawa frustrated with being typecast, founded his own production company,