The lady in the tutti frutti hat
August 28, 2006 7:01 PM Subscribe
Who are some iconic actors portraying races/ethnicities different from their actual heritage?
I'm trying to think of a list of actors and actresses who are famous for portraying racial/ethnic stereotypes when they in fact they are questionably or are not even that race or ethnicity at all. The only two prominent examples I can think of right now are Carmen Miranda and Iron Eyes Cody. Carmen Miranda, or "the lady with fruit hat" always played characters from various latin countries, often Spanish speaking ones, even though she was actually raised in Brazil, and on top of that was born in Portugal. Iron Eyes Cody played hundreds of native american roles, most famously, "they crying indian" in the 70's environmental commercial. He was actually of Italian heritage. He did live his adult life as a native american, and was very much accepted as one, however. Can anyone think of any similar actors? I know there are many examples like this, for instance latinos playing roles as middle easterns and vice versa, but I'm mostly interested in the prominent, iconic figures.
I'm trying to think of a list of actors and actresses who are famous for portraying racial/ethnic stereotypes when they in fact they are questionably or are not even that race or ethnicity at all. The only two prominent examples I can think of right now are Carmen Miranda and Iron Eyes Cody. Carmen Miranda, or "the lady with fruit hat" always played characters from various latin countries, often Spanish speaking ones, even though she was actually raised in Brazil, and on top of that was born in Portugal. Iron Eyes Cody played hundreds of native american roles, most famously, "they crying indian" in the 70's environmental commercial. He was actually of Italian heritage. He did live his adult life as a native american, and was very much accepted as one, however. Can anyone think of any similar actors? I know there are many examples like this, for instance latinos playing roles as middle easterns and vice versa, but I'm mostly interested in the prominent, iconic figures.
Sidney Toler played Charlie Chan in the '30s and '40s. IMDB says he was "primarily of Scottish ancestry."
posted by Joleta at 7:07 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by Joleta at 7:07 PM on August 28, 2006
How refined do you want to be on this? There are plenty of Canadian, British, Irish, and Australian actors who portray Americans.
posted by MeetMegan at 7:08 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by MeetMegan at 7:08 PM on August 28, 2006
Sidney Toler, Warner Oland and Roland Winters playing Charlie Chan.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:10 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:10 PM on August 28, 2006
Michael Jackson pretends at various times to be black and/or white.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:11 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 7:11 PM on August 28, 2006
Lou Diamond Phillips can play anyone anywhere. Ok I exaggerate but lets be honest, his ethnicity can be quite ambiguous at times.
posted by Meemer at 7:12 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by Meemer at 7:12 PM on August 28, 2006
Anthony Hopkins in "The Human Stain". Ben Kingsley in "Gandhi". Both performances grabbed attention-- yet these actors didn't make a career out of race-drag or anything.
posted by hermitosis at 7:13 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by hermitosis at 7:13 PM on August 28, 2006
Cheech and Chong. Cheech Marin is of Iranian descent, Tommy Chong is of Chinese and Scots-Irish descent.
posted by desuetude at 7:14 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by desuetude at 7:14 PM on August 28, 2006
John Wayne played Gengis Kahn in The Conquerer
Sean Connery AKA James Bond played a Japanese fisherman in You only Live Twice
David Carradine played Chinese in Kung Fu, a role created by /for Bruce Lee
posted by Gungho at 7:14 PM on August 28, 2006
Sean Connery AKA James Bond played a Japanese fisherman in You only Live Twice
David Carradine played Chinese in Kung Fu, a role created by /for Bruce Lee
posted by Gungho at 7:14 PM on August 28, 2006
Yul Brynner (a Russian) plays the King of Siam (Thailand) in "The King and I."
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 7:16 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 7:16 PM on August 28, 2006
Fake Scots I have known:
- Christopher Lambert—NY-born, Geneva raised, famous for the Highlander films.
- Texas boy Dennis Quaid was Scottish for approximately half of Dragonheart, non-consecutively. (Co-starring with Connery—insult to injury.)
- And, of course, that Australian crackpot Mel in Braveheart
And, bonus round: John Rhys-Davies is Welsh, raised in England and Africa, and often plays swarthy Arab types and such when he's not busy playing as a Tolkeinian ur-Scottish Dwarf.
posted by cortex at 7:23 PM on August 28, 2006
- Christopher Lambert—NY-born, Geneva raised, famous for the Highlander films.
- Texas boy Dennis Quaid was Scottish for approximately half of Dragonheart, non-consecutively. (Co-starring with Connery—insult to injury.)
- And, of course, that Australian crackpot Mel in Braveheart
And, bonus round: John Rhys-Davies is Welsh, raised in England and Africa, and often plays swarthy Arab types and such when he's not busy playing as a Tolkeinian ur-Scottish Dwarf.
posted by cortex at 7:23 PM on August 28, 2006
Jason Scott Lee is of Hawaiian/Chinese descent and best remembered for his role as Bruce Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, but he's played everything from an arab to Inuit to Easter Island Chilean.
posted by furtive at 7:24 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by furtive at 7:24 PM on August 28, 2006
Ben Kingsley in "Gandhi".
It's only on one side, but Ben Kingsley is Indian, born Krishna Bhanji. One could argue that playing Iranian in House of Sand and Fog qualifies, but that's hardly iconic.
posted by kittyprecious at 7:29 PM on August 28, 2006
It's only on one side, but Ben Kingsley is Indian, born Krishna Bhanji. One could argue that playing Iranian in House of Sand and Fog qualifies, but that's hardly iconic.
posted by kittyprecious at 7:29 PM on August 28, 2006
Al Pacino in anything where he's not Italian. That rules out the Godfather, Donnie Brasco. Also Glengarry Glen Ross, where his name was "Richard Roma"...
(The flipside of this list, and what you're looking for, includes Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Merchant of Venice, Angels in America, The Insider, People I know, and any movie where he was playing someone WASPy. Heat could be included if you wanted to really nitpick.)
Robert DeNiro also does a pretty good job of playing non-Italian guys when given the chance. In "Casino" he was supposed to be Jewish. (Although to some people that's not a huge ethnic leap)
If you're looking for "white man who plays black person" you'll NEVER find it. It would cause an uproar. If you're looking for the flipside... well, I've never seen it. I've seen a lot of Hispanics play Caucasians and vice versa. Asians and whites, not so much swappage there. Plenty of big-name Asian actors to take on Asian roles. Although maybe you can consider Liam Neeson from "Batman Begins" playing Ras ah Ghul...
posted by brianvan at 7:30 PM on August 28, 2006
(The flipside of this list, and what you're looking for, includes Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Merchant of Venice, Angels in America, The Insider, People I know, and any movie where he was playing someone WASPy. Heat could be included if you wanted to really nitpick.)
Robert DeNiro also does a pretty good job of playing non-Italian guys when given the chance. In "Casino" he was supposed to be Jewish. (Although to some people that's not a huge ethnic leap)
If you're looking for "white man who plays black person" you'll NEVER find it. It would cause an uproar. If you're looking for the flipside... well, I've never seen it. I've seen a lot of Hispanics play Caucasians and vice versa. Asians and whites, not so much swappage there. Plenty of big-name Asian actors to take on Asian roles. Although maybe you can consider Liam Neeson from "Batman Begins" playing Ras ah Ghul...
posted by brianvan at 7:30 PM on August 28, 2006
hermitosis writes "Ben Kingsley in 'Gandhi'."
Interestingly, Kingsley's name at birth was Krishna Bhanji: his father was Gujarati. So this one probably doesn't count, unless you want to rule out actors of mixed heritage entirely.
posted by mr_roboto at 7:31 PM on August 28, 2006
Interestingly, Kingsley's name at birth was Krishna Bhanji: his father was Gujarati. So this one probably doesn't count, unless you want to rule out actors of mixed heritage entirely.
posted by mr_roboto at 7:31 PM on August 28, 2006
Don't forget Charlton Heston as Moses.
posted by SisterHavana at 7:33 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by SisterHavana at 7:33 PM on August 28, 2006
Besides Zorba, Anthony Quinn (born in Mexico) played Attila the Hun, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Gaugin, an Arab in Lawrence of Arabia, Barabbas, a Pole in Shoes of the Fisherman, Antonio Stradivari and various roles as American Indians.
Jonathan Pryce (Welsh) played a Vietnamese pimp in Miss Saigon.
Peter Sellers played Sidney Wang in Murder by Death and Fu Manchu in his last movie.
Paul Muni and Luise Rainer played Chinese farmers in The Good Earth.
Sam Jaffe played Gunga Din.
posted by forrest at 7:41 PM on August 28, 2006
Jonathan Pryce (Welsh) played a Vietnamese pimp in Miss Saigon.
Peter Sellers played Sidney Wang in Murder by Death and Fu Manchu in his last movie.
Paul Muni and Luise Rainer played Chinese farmers in The Good Earth.
Sam Jaffe played Gunga Din.
posted by forrest at 7:41 PM on August 28, 2006
Charlton Heston is well known for playing two Jewish men: Judah Ben-Hur and Moses.
Lots of Brits keep getting typecast as Germans, Nazi's, members of the ("Star Wars") Empire, and/or aliens in WWII and/or Sci-Fi films and television shows. Sometimes they're both aliens and Nazi's at the same time; see also "Star Trek".
A number of East Asian actors keep getting cast as inhabitants of other East Asian countries, usually when they're in films produced or directed by non-Asians who bizarrely don't notice the phenotypic differences, or who don't think their audience will, e.g. "Memoirs of a Geisha". Quentin Tarantino tried to make a joke of this practice when he cast Chinese-American Lucy Liu as a Japanese Yakuza boss in "Kill Bill", and then had to invent a convoluted backstory for her.
But actress Juanita Hall is probably the best known consistently-crossing-race player. She's a light-skinned African-American woman who played Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" (who is supposed to be Polynesian Tonkinese, which despite its southern location later became North Vietnamese) and Madame Liang in "Flower Drum Song" (who is supposed to be a Chinese immigrant to the US), in both the Broadway and movie versions.
Also in a Broadway vein, Filipina actress/singer Lea Salonga is best known for playing a French waif, a South Vietnamese waif, a Chinese immigrant to the US, and an unidentified-Muslim-country-but-probably-Iraqi princess, in (respectively) "Les Miserables", "Miss Saigon", "Flower Drum Song", and the Disney film of "Aladdin".
posted by Asparagirl at 7:42 PM on August 28, 2006 [1 favorite]
Lots of Brits keep getting typecast as Germans, Nazi's, members of the ("Star Wars") Empire, and/or aliens in WWII and/or Sci-Fi films and television shows. Sometimes they're both aliens and Nazi's at the same time; see also "Star Trek".
A number of East Asian actors keep getting cast as inhabitants of other East Asian countries, usually when they're in films produced or directed by non-Asians who bizarrely don't notice the phenotypic differences, or who don't think their audience will, e.g. "Memoirs of a Geisha". Quentin Tarantino tried to make a joke of this practice when he cast Chinese-American Lucy Liu as a Japanese Yakuza boss in "Kill Bill", and then had to invent a convoluted backstory for her.
But actress Juanita Hall is probably the best known consistently-crossing-race player. She's a light-skinned African-American woman who played Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" (who is supposed to be Polynesian Tonkinese, which despite its southern location later became North Vietnamese) and Madame Liang in "Flower Drum Song" (who is supposed to be a Chinese immigrant to the US), in both the Broadway and movie versions.
Also in a Broadway vein, Filipina actress/singer Lea Salonga is best known for playing a French waif, a South Vietnamese waif, a Chinese immigrant to the US, and an unidentified-Muslim-country-but-probably-Iraqi princess, in (respectively) "Les Miserables", "Miss Saigon", "Flower Drum Song", and the Disney film of "Aladdin".
posted by Asparagirl at 7:42 PM on August 28, 2006 [1 favorite]
Mickey Rooney's stereotyporiffic turn as Audrey Hepburn's Japanese in Breakfast at Tiffany's is probably more notorious than iconic. Similarly, there's always Marlon Brando pretending to be Japanese as well in Teahouse of the August Moon.
(I believe there's a whole list of such performances in the first edition of The Golden Turkey Awards, which I thought I had a copy of but can't seem to locate at the moment.)
posted by scody at 7:47 PM on August 28, 2006
(I believe there's a whole list of such performances in the first edition of The Golden Turkey Awards, which I thought I had a copy of but can't seem to locate at the moment.)
posted by scody at 7:47 PM on August 28, 2006
Don't forget Charlton Heston as Ramon Miguel 'Mike' Vargas.
posted by Scoo at 7:49 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by Scoo at 7:49 PM on August 28, 2006
Mickey Rooney played Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's
posted by clarahamster at 7:49 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by clarahamster at 7:49 PM on August 28, 2006
arg! beaten to it!
posted by clarahamster at 7:50 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by clarahamster at 7:50 PM on August 28, 2006
Response by poster: MeetMegan, I will turn away no answers. These are all really interesting so far.
Asparagirl, good point, Brits do get cast a lot as villains in american movies.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 7:50 PM on August 28, 2006
Asparagirl, good point, Brits do get cast a lot as villains in american movies.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 7:50 PM on August 28, 2006
Temuera Morrison, best known to you as Boba Fett, is a Maori who like most Polynesian actors (eg Cliff Curtis) gets "generic ethnic" roles in Hollywood movies.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:52 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:52 PM on August 28, 2006
James Caan is german/jewish and played an Italian in the Godfather.
posted by null terminated at 7:56 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by null terminated at 7:56 PM on August 28, 2006
If you're looking for "white man who plays black person" you'll NEVER find it.
Steve Martin played a black man, sorta.
posted by malp at 8:03 PM on August 28, 2006
Steve Martin played a black man, sorta.
posted by malp at 8:03 PM on August 28, 2006
Not sure if this fits, but Arnold Swarzenegger is Austrian yet always plays the true-blue American Hero. Thats not just a one-off role, but a majority of his career.
Sean Connery is Scottich and the only thing I can think of in which he actually plays a Scotsman is The Longest Day. I think he usually plays British (007) or Irish (Untouchables) characters.
posted by sandra_s at 8:05 PM on August 28, 2006
Sean Connery is Scottich and the only thing I can think of in which he actually plays a Scotsman is The Longest Day. I think he usually plays British (007) or Irish (Untouchables) characters.
posted by sandra_s at 8:05 PM on August 28, 2006
see also "Star Trek".
Star Trek: The Next Generation featured a Brit playing a Frenchmen who sounded and acted exactly like a Brit.
Of course, they also featured another Brit, of Greek ancenstry, who attempted to play a vaguely slavic empath. Keep in mind, she was originally going to play an entirely different character who was to be a Latina.
posted by aristan at 8:08 PM on August 28, 2006
Star Trek: The Next Generation featured a Brit playing a Frenchmen who sounded and acted exactly like a Brit.
Of course, they also featured another Brit, of Greek ancenstry, who attempted to play a vaguely slavic empath. Keep in mind, she was originally going to play an entirely different character who was to be a Latina.
posted by aristan at 8:08 PM on August 28, 2006
I'm not going into all the variations of Australian/New Zealand/British/American actors/roles, but I will mention that according to a Frenchman I know, Aussie actress Miranda Otto convincingly played a French woman in Human Nature.
Naveen Andrews is of Indian descent and plays Sahid the Iraqi in Lost.
posted by goshling at 8:13 PM on August 28, 2006
Naveen Andrews is of Indian descent and plays Sahid the Iraqi in Lost.
posted by goshling at 8:13 PM on August 28, 2006
Also... Mel Gibson is not a native Australian. He was born in the US and lived here until he was 12. His mother was a native Australian.
posted by aristan at 8:13 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by aristan at 8:13 PM on August 28, 2006
Tony Shalhoub (Lebanese) has played an Italian several times. Examples are Wings and Big Night.
posted by iconjack at 8:21 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by iconjack at 8:21 PM on August 28, 2006
Charlton Heston as a truly unconvincing Mexicano in Touch of Evil
Rita Hayworth's real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino.
posted by Sara Anne at 8:25 PM on August 28, 2006
Rita Hayworth's real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino.
posted by Sara Anne at 8:25 PM on August 28, 2006
Jay Silverheels played Tonto on the TV show the "Lone Ranger," but he was white, not American Indian.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 8:40 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by croutonsupafreak at 8:40 PM on August 28, 2006
A couple of nontraditional casting examples, subcategory "Mysterious East West," come to mind:
Was there ever a Connecticut Yankee nutmeggier and WASPier than Kate Hepburn? How are we to explain Dragon Seed then?
Then there was Linda Hunt in "The Year of Living Dangerously," whose portrayal crossed all sorts of boundaries.
posted by rob511 at 8:47 PM on August 28, 2006 [1 favorite]
Was there ever a Connecticut Yankee nutmeggier and WASPier than Kate Hepburn? How are we to explain Dragon Seed then?
Then there was Linda Hunt in "The Year of Living Dangerously," whose portrayal crossed all sorts of boundaries.
posted by rob511 at 8:47 PM on August 28, 2006 [1 favorite]
Danny Thomas (Lebanese Maronite Christian) played Jews in his two major film roles.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:48 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:48 PM on August 28, 2006
Warner Oland, a Swede, was typecast as an East Asian after playing a Japanese villain in the 1917 Hearst-financed propaganda serial, Patria!. In addition to his aforementioned run as Charlie Chan, he played Fu Manchu and a good many other, less iconic roles.
Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee has also played Fu Manchu.
posted by Phlogiston at 8:48 PM on August 28, 2006
Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee has also played Fu Manchu.
posted by Phlogiston at 8:48 PM on August 28, 2006
If you're looking for "white man who plays black person" you'll NEVER find it.
Laurence Olivier as Othello which he played with maximum blackface kitsch.
A white actor named Richard Barthelmess played a Chinese man opposite Lillian Gish in Broken Blossoms, which the imdb says is actually titled "Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl". Iconic line: "Chinky, why are you so good to me?"
But I guess you're looking for somebody who always posed as someone of a different cultural group?
posted by zadcat at 8:56 PM on August 28, 2006
Laurence Olivier as Othello which he played with maximum blackface kitsch.
A white actor named Richard Barthelmess played a Chinese man opposite Lillian Gish in Broken Blossoms, which the imdb says is actually titled "Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl". Iconic line: "Chinky, why are you so good to me?"
But I guess you're looking for somebody who always posed as someone of a different cultural group?
posted by zadcat at 8:56 PM on August 28, 2006
Alfred Molina, of Spanish/Italian descent, has played all kinds of ethnicities, such as Iranian in Not Without My Daughter.
posted by justonegirl at 9:07 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by justonegirl at 9:07 PM on August 28, 2006
Audrey Hepburn (British/Dutch ancestry) plays a Native American in The Unforgiven.
posted by invisible ink at 9:17 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by invisible ink at 9:17 PM on August 28, 2006
Casting my net a little further, I suggest Jaye Davidson has played a role "different from his actual heritage."
posted by SPrintF at 9:24 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by SPrintF at 9:24 PM on August 28, 2006
Grey Owl, who was faking his ethnicity in real life, too.
posted by acoutu at 9:53 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by acoutu at 9:53 PM on August 28, 2006
John Turturro has played characters of many ethnicities, from hispanic to jewish.
posted by mikeh at 9:59 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by mikeh at 9:59 PM on August 28, 2006
Natalie Wood, a Russian, playing Puerto Rican in West Side Story.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:06 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:06 PM on August 28, 2006
How about Alec Guiness, who played a whole range of nationalities/races/genders not his own: Russian (Doctor Zhivago), Scottish (Tunes of Glory), Indian (A Passage to India), and Jewish (Oliver Twist), amongst others (I'm not counting Jedi); even a drag performance in Kind Hearts and Coronets.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 10:14 PM on August 28, 2006
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 10:14 PM on August 28, 2006
Peter Lorre was Mr. Moto.
Susan Kohner played a mulatto in the remake of Imitation of Life, as did Jeanne Crain, who won the Oscar for Pinky
posted by brujita at 10:14 PM on August 28, 2006
Susan Kohner played a mulatto in the remake of Imitation of Life, as did Jeanne Crain, who won the Oscar for Pinky
posted by brujita at 10:14 PM on August 28, 2006
Depending on whether you're looking for the actor or their role to be the icon, Myrna Loy might count. At the beginning of her career, she was typecast for years as the slutty "exotic" (read:Chinese/Indian/Egyptian/whatever) chick.
According to her autobiography, she was really a spitfire Scottish/Welsh tomboy.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:20 PM on August 28, 2006
According to her autobiography, she was really a spitfire Scottish/Welsh tomboy.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:20 PM on August 28, 2006
Antonio Banderas was supposed to be an Arab in The 13th Warrior.
I'm embarrassed to remember that, but I was confused enough to remember it at least 6 years later.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 10:52 PM on August 28, 2006
I'm embarrassed to remember that, but I was confused enough to remember it at least 6 years later.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 10:52 PM on August 28, 2006
Andy Garcia is Cuban-American,, and played Italians in Untouchables, Godfather III, and Hoodlum.
James Bond is Scottish (father) and Swiss (mother).
posted by kirkaracha at 11:03 PM on August 28, 2006
Sean Connery...usually plays British (007)
James Bond is Scottish (father) and Swiss (mother).
posted by kirkaracha at 11:03 PM on August 28, 2006
Madonna (Italian-American) played Eva Peron in Evita.
The aforementioned Charlton Heston in Touch of Evil is a classic though.
Also, croutonsupafreak, according to IMDb Jay Silverheels of Tonto fame was a born on a Mohawk reservation. He was a First Nations Canadian playing a First Nations American, but I don't think that's really an amazing stretch.
posted by SoftRain at 12:54 AM on August 29, 2006
The aforementioned Charlton Heston in Touch of Evil is a classic though.
Also, croutonsupafreak, according to IMDb Jay Silverheels of Tonto fame was a born on a Mohawk reservation. He was a First Nations Canadian playing a First Nations American, but I don't think that's really an amazing stretch.
posted by SoftRain at 12:54 AM on August 29, 2006
I can't believe no one's mentioned John Wayne playing Genghis Khan.
posted by seancake at 1:07 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by seancake at 1:07 AM on August 29, 2006
Ugh, need to get with the [more inside], there, sorry. I don't think he was famous for that role, though there is some interesting backstory on it regarding Nevada missile tests and how most if not all the people working on it got cancer.
posted by seancake at 1:17 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by seancake at 1:17 AM on August 29, 2006
Quinbus Flestrin beat me to mentioning Alec Guinness. Sir Alec was also the prince in Lawrence of Arabia.
You mentioned "famous for portraying racial/ethnic stereotypes" -- well, here's famous (infamous?) in one way: Guinness' portrayal as Fagin in David Lean's Oliver Twist elicited accusations of anti-Semitism back when the movie was first released; the film was banned in Israel and apparently a riot broke out in Berlin when protesters tried to prevent the film from being shown. The controversy delayed the film's US release, and the movie -- minus 12 minutes of censored footage -- finally opened in the US in 1951, three years after its UK premiere.
Lon Chaney's nickname was "The Man of a Thousand Faces." He (Colorado-born with English/Irish parents) played a variety of people of different backgrounds...French, Scandinavian, Russian, Chinese, German, and many more, no doubt. He played Erik in The Phantom of the Opera and Fagin in an early version of Oliver Twist. His son eventually followed in his footsteps, but was more known for being in horror movies.
I'm not sure if you're just looking for answers from within the realm of movies and TV, but Ben Wright (born and raised in England, English/American parents) played scads of characters of different ethnicities and did different accents, but mainly German and French. He played a Chinese servant called "Hey Boy" on the radio series Have Gun, Will Travel in the late 1950s; the show was set in San Francisco during the Old West (for the television series, Hey Boy was played by a Chinese-American actor). He did a lot of work in radio, TV and film -- his most well-known roles by the public now are probably the baddie Herr Zeller in The Sound of Music and as Grimsby (voice over) in The Little Mermaid.
Speaking of accents, that reminds me of Meryl Streep (born and raised in New Jersey, and according to Wikipedia, of Irish/German/English/Dutch descent). Among others, she was Australian in A Cry in the Dark, Polish in Sophie's Choice, Danish in Out of Africa, and she was Chilean (accent aside) in The House of Spirits.
Also, David Suchet (born and raised in England, Russian/French roots) is Hercule Poirot (Belgian), but his other roles include Louis B. Mayer (Russian/Canadian-American) in RKO 281, Leopold Bloom (Hungarian/Irish) in James Joyce's "Ulysses" (for some reason it's not listed on IMDb) and Sigmund Freud (Austrian) in the Freud miniseries.
posted by macguffin at 3:24 AM on August 29, 2006
You mentioned "famous for portraying racial/ethnic stereotypes" -- well, here's famous (infamous?) in one way: Guinness' portrayal as Fagin in David Lean's Oliver Twist elicited accusations of anti-Semitism back when the movie was first released; the film was banned in Israel and apparently a riot broke out in Berlin when protesters tried to prevent the film from being shown. The controversy delayed the film's US release, and the movie -- minus 12 minutes of censored footage -- finally opened in the US in 1951, three years after its UK premiere.
Lon Chaney's nickname was "The Man of a Thousand Faces." He (Colorado-born with English/Irish parents) played a variety of people of different backgrounds...French, Scandinavian, Russian, Chinese, German, and many more, no doubt. He played Erik in The Phantom of the Opera and Fagin in an early version of Oliver Twist. His son eventually followed in his footsteps, but was more known for being in horror movies.
I'm not sure if you're just looking for answers from within the realm of movies and TV, but Ben Wright (born and raised in England, English/American parents) played scads of characters of different ethnicities and did different accents, but mainly German and French. He played a Chinese servant called "Hey Boy" on the radio series Have Gun, Will Travel in the late 1950s; the show was set in San Francisco during the Old West (for the television series, Hey Boy was played by a Chinese-American actor). He did a lot of work in radio, TV and film -- his most well-known roles by the public now are probably the baddie Herr Zeller in The Sound of Music and as Grimsby (voice over) in The Little Mermaid.
Speaking of accents, that reminds me of Meryl Streep (born and raised in New Jersey, and according to Wikipedia, of Irish/German/English/Dutch descent). Among others, she was Australian in A Cry in the Dark, Polish in Sophie's Choice, Danish in Out of Africa, and she was Chilean (accent aside) in The House of Spirits.
Also, David Suchet (born and raised in England, Russian/French roots) is Hercule Poirot (Belgian), but his other roles include Louis B. Mayer (Russian/Canadian-American) in RKO 281, Leopold Bloom (Hungarian/Irish) in James Joyce's "Ulysses" (for some reason it's not listed on IMDb) and Sigmund Freud (Austrian) in the Freud miniseries.
posted by macguffin at 3:24 AM on August 29, 2006
Most of the main cast in the Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton movie, Cleopatra.
Just about every actor who has portrayed Jesus in US productions. James Caviezel is an Italian-American, Willem Dafoe is an Italian/Irish/German/Puerto Rican American, Max Von Sydow is Swedish (and also played Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon).
posted by jaimystery at 3:52 AM on August 29, 2006
Just about every actor who has portrayed Jesus in US productions. James Caviezel is an Italian-American, Willem Dafoe is an Italian/Irish/German/Puerto Rican American, Max Von Sydow is Swedish (and also played Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon).
posted by jaimystery at 3:52 AM on August 29, 2006
Sam Jaffe, already mentioned for Gunga Din, also played the High Lama of Shangrila in the film Lost Horizon.
posted by kimdog at 4:20 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by kimdog at 4:20 AM on August 29, 2006
Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers) belongs on this list. Fisher Stevens played an Indian in the Short Circuit movies.
posted by teleskiving at 5:44 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by teleskiving at 5:44 AM on August 29, 2006
John Mahoney (Frasier) is actually English and grew up in the UK.
posted by teleskiving at 5:58 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by teleskiving at 5:58 AM on August 29, 2006
Pat Morita played many generic Asians when he is of obvious Japanese descent.
posted by JJ86 at 6:07 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by JJ86 at 6:07 AM on August 29, 2006
Bruno Gerussi, an Italian Canadian, played the Greek Canadian Nick Adonidas on a long-running Canadian show, The Beachcombers.
posted by orange swan at 6:49 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by orange swan at 6:49 AM on August 29, 2006
I can't believe no one's mentioned John Wayne playing Genghis Khan.
Uh, someone did, but The Conqueror also featured red-haired, creamy-skinned Susan Hayward as a Tartar woman (as in "this Tar-tar wumman is for me...my blood says take her!"), and Pedro Armendariz, William Conrad, Agnes Moorehead, and Lee Van Cleef as Mongols.
IMDB comment: "Agnes Moorehead nearly manages to steal the show as her imitation of a talking prune is absolutely extraordinary... "
Straight Dope: Did John Wayne die of cancer caused by a radioactive movie set?
posted by kirkaracha at 6:59 AM on August 29, 2006
James Earl Jones played Anakin Skywalker (sort of).
Bruce Lee played the Japanese Filipino Kato in The Green Hornet. (I think the "Plenty of big-name Asian actors to take on Asian roles" remark ignores ethnic distictions that are glaringly obvious to Asians. See Asparagirl's comment concerning East Asians.)
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:01 AM on August 29, 2006
Bruce Lee played the Japanese Filipino Kato in The Green Hornet. (I think the "Plenty of big-name Asian actors to take on Asian roles" remark ignores ethnic distictions that are glaringly obvious to Asians. See Asparagirl's comment concerning East Asians.)
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:01 AM on August 29, 2006
Sean Connery's been mentioned several times, but nobody's mentioned his role as a Lithuanian in The Hunt for Red October.
posted by cerebus19 at 7:05 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by cerebus19 at 7:05 AM on August 29, 2006
Denzel Washington played Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing. He and Keanu Reeves played half-brothers, even.
posted by cerebus19 at 7:07 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by cerebus19 at 7:07 AM on August 29, 2006
Stellan Skarsgård, who's Swedish, has played Americans (e.g., Good Will Hunting), a Russian (The Hunt for Red October), an Englishman (PotC 2), and a Spaniard (Goya's Ghosts), among other nationalities.
posted by cerebus19 at 7:14 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by cerebus19 at 7:14 AM on August 29, 2006
No one has mentioned Jennifer Lopez? She's probably the most famous Latina in America, and many of her roles have been women of Italian descent.
Meryl also kicked ass as the ghost of Ethel Rosenburg in Angels in America (as well as a Utah Mormon and an elderly male Rabbi...)
posted by lampoil at 7:25 AM on August 29, 2006
Meryl also kicked ass as the ghost of Ethel Rosenburg in Angels in America (as well as a Utah Mormon and an elderly male Rabbi...)
posted by lampoil at 7:25 AM on August 29, 2006
Shirley MacLaine played an Indian princess in Around the World in 80 Days, which was one of her very first movies.
Jodie Foster played a Frenchwoman - and performed her entire role in French - in A Very Long Engagement.
posted by hsoltz at 7:28 AM on August 29, 2006
Jodie Foster played a Frenchwoman - and performed her entire role in French - in A Very Long Engagement.
posted by hsoltz at 7:28 AM on August 29, 2006
Sean Connery again--someone surnamed Ramirez in Highlander.
posted by casarkos at 7:40 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by casarkos at 7:40 AM on August 29, 2006
Ooh, Connery in Highlander—Ramirez was actually an Egyptian, if I remember his story correctly. Those immortals were pretty international—moved around a bit, you know—which provided a convenient, if thin, explanation for the questionable accents on display throughout.
"You talk funny, Nash. Where you from?"
"Laowts of pleacez."
posted by cortex at 8:03 AM on August 29, 2006
"You talk funny, Nash. Where you from?"
"Laowts of pleacez."
posted by cortex at 8:03 AM on August 29, 2006
If you're looking for "white man who plays black person" you'll NEVER find it. It would cause an uproar.
James Whitmore is a white man that played a black man in Black Like Me.
posted by trishthedish at 8:42 AM on August 29, 2006
James Whitmore is a white man that played a black man in Black Like Me.
posted by trishthedish at 8:42 AM on August 29, 2006
In The Human Stain, again, Wentworth Miller actually played the young, light-skinned African-American Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins plays the older Coleman). He now plays a white guy in Prison Break. Miller is of African, Jamaican, English, and German ethnicity on his father's side, and of Russian, French, Dutch, Syrian, and Lebanese ethnicity on his mother's.
posted by Not in my backyard at 8:44 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by Not in my backyard at 8:44 AM on August 29, 2006
Jonathan Pryce (Welsh) played a Vietnamese pimp in Miss Saigon.
He also played Juan Perón in the movie version of Evita.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:55 AM on August 29, 2006
He also played Juan Perón in the movie version of Evita.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:55 AM on August 29, 2006
Jennifer Jones played an Eurasian in "Love is a Many Splendored Thing".
posted by of strange foe at 9:35 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by of strange foe at 9:35 AM on August 29, 2006
James Whitmore is a white man that played a black man in Black Like Me.
Not quite. James Whitmore plays a white man who pretends to be a black man.
posted by marsha56 at 10:38 AM on August 29, 2006
Not quite. James Whitmore plays a white man who pretends to be a black man.
posted by marsha56 at 10:38 AM on August 29, 2006
And Lenny Henry played a black man pretending to be a white man in True Identity.
posted by bent back tulips at 11:15 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by bent back tulips at 11:15 AM on August 29, 2006
(Bloody html.) Warner Oland, a Swede, was typecast as an East Asian after playing a Japanese villain in the William Randolph Hearst financed propaganda piece Patria!. In addition to his aforementioned run as Charlie Chan, he played Fu Manchu and several other, less iconic roles.
Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee has also played Fu Manchu.
posted by Phlogiston at 11:26 AM on August 29, 2006
Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee has also played Fu Manchu.
posted by Phlogiston at 11:26 AM on August 29, 2006
Eddie Murphy was white in a Saturday Night Live sketch. (Ads on page NSFW.)
posted by kirkaracha at 12:51 PM on August 29, 2006
posted by kirkaracha at 12:51 PM on August 29, 2006
Not quite. James Whitmore plays a white man who pretends to be a black man.
yeah, ok. then although it was not filmed, John Howard Griffin played the part of a black man.
posted by trishthedish at 1:40 PM on August 29, 2006
yeah, ok. then although it was not filmed, John Howard Griffin played the part of a black man.
posted by trishthedish at 1:40 PM on August 29, 2006
Not iconic, but several of the women cast as geishas in Memoirs of a Geisha (set in Japan) were Chinese actors.
The film was heavily criticized by Asian critics for having Chinese actresses portraying the geishas. In reality, according to producer Lucy Fisher, the producers held an open day for audition for Japanese actresses to audition for those roles. None turned up and they had to turn to other Asian actresses for casting.
posted by deborah at 2:01 PM on August 29, 2006
The film was heavily criticized by Asian critics for having Chinese actresses portraying the geishas. In reality, according to producer Lucy Fisher, the producers held an open day for audition for Japanese actresses to audition for those roles. None turned up and they had to turn to other Asian actresses for casting.
posted by deborah at 2:01 PM on August 29, 2006
Joel Grey was Korean in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:34 AM on August 30, 2006
posted by kirkaracha at 6:34 AM on August 30, 2006
C. Thomas Howell played a white person pretending to be black in Soul Man.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:04 AM on August 30, 2006
posted by kirkaracha at 10:04 AM on August 30, 2006
Mel Brooks was Native American in Blazing Saddles.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:49 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by kirkaracha at 6:49 AM on November 11, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by limeonaire at 7:02 PM on August 28, 2006