PREFACE: i wrote this essay as a free response for an application for this super hard class that i wanna get into next year LOLL the question was " describe a topic, idea, or concept you find soengaging you lose all track of time. why is it so captivating? what do you doto learn more about it? " aaaaand dalvie wrote this ahahaha 

i wanted to share it with yall cuz idk lollll maybe it'll be kinda interesting for yall to read??? i mean ive said most of this stuff already on here but just in a less formal way lmao 

also note - i wrote most of this all off the topic of my head, so sorry if it's like kinda disorganized

HOPE YOU ENJOY!! ( it's a lil short )

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dedicated to my gal ororotchalla for always inspiring me for show biz dreams xoxo 

Hollywood has always had controversies around topic of casting diversity. After continuous cases of whitewashing, or replacing a minority actor with one of Caucasian descent, many minorities in the business have decided to talk about their experiences and fight against stigmas. The increase of discussion on digital platforms has given more opportunities for minorities to speak out about the racial injustice in the show business. As more people speak out, Asians and Asian Americans actors and actresses have begun to rise up with their own stories, almost unexpectedly. Many people usually view Asians as the "model minority," or a minority group that does not have many struggles in their lives compared to other minorities. However, contrary to popular belief, Asians do face large obstacles, especially when trying to pursue careers in entertainment. While more offensive stereotypes like "yellowface" and the use of the word "Oriental" have declined, there is still a struggle for aspiring Asians who wish to go into the industry. Asians and Asian Americans are gaining more representation in the show business, but they are still continually fighting against age-old stigmas. The topic is very captivating because it is such an underrated issue in our world; with the use of the Internet, one can often get lost in researching about the interesting fight for Asian representation.

In the entertainment business, Asians have been increasingly getting more attention due to social media awareness and newer roles. Many actors and actresses actively use their digital profiles as forms of reaching out for awareness on their hardships. Constance Wu, a popular actress who blew up on a show called Fresh Off the Boat (2015-present), constantly uses her Twitter and Instagram to discuss about Asian-Americans in entertainment. She is also included in many new roles being offered to Asians. One such movie was the successful Crazy Rich Asians (2018). Wu plays the main character, Rachel Chu, in the critically acclaimed film. It features an all Asian cast, from the evil mother (played by Michelle Yeoh, a very famous Cantonese actress) to the gorgeous cousin (played by the elegant Gemma Chan) to even the attractive protagonist's fiance (played by Henry Golding as his debut role in Hollywood). This is the first movie in almost 25 years with such a unique cast and an Asian-American lead, with the last one being Joy Luck Club in 1993. Many people have been influenced and inspired by the movie - it proves that more roles can be opened to Asians in Hollywood. Lots of the Crazy Rich Asians cast and crew used their social media to bring awareness towards the hardships of Asians in entertainment. Other celebrities of Asian descent, such as Eric Nam, also have been very empowered by the film and utilize their digital following to promote the underrated issue along with the movie. Another popular Asian-American actress who has begun her climb to stardom is Lana Condor. The Vietnamese girl started out as a dancer but now has been steadily rising up in Hollywood. With a small role in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) as one of the only Asian mutant-superheroes, she began to raise attention for her fellow Asians in the show business. However, after being casted as an Asian-American lead in an extremely well-known Netflix movie, To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018), Condor is now able to use her new popularity to inspire even more Asians to continue pushing for representation. She uses her Instagram to empower other women and minorities to be in the entertainment industry. With other roles, such as the deadly assassin Saya in Syfy's Deadly Class (2019), she is able to be a role model to aspiring actresses. The increasing roles for Asians and Asian-Americans show that there is a chance for future representation, and with the help of social media, the public is now much more aware of the minority's presence in Hollywood.

Even though Asians have been more successful with representation, they still have to push through stereotypes that have been around for decades. Asians are often stigmatized as "not attractive," so Hollywood used to use a technique called yellowface, where they would cast Caucasians and use prosthetics to make them appear more "Asian." Although this is not common in modern day, it is still seen from time to time, unfortunately, but now is labelled as "whitewashing." One such scenario was the controversy surrounding the 2017 film called Ghost in a Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusnagi. The movie was adapted from a Japanese anime, and it told the story of a cybernated woman who is part of an anti-terrorist program. The movie was announced in 2016 and immediately received casting criticism. Many Asians angrily protested the decision to cast the white woman as the Japanese protagonist, with just a black-haired wig to make her look more like the anime character. The upsetting incident seemed like a setback for Asians in entertainment because it was just another form of racism in Hollywood. In addition to whitewashing, there have also been multiple incidents of discrimination against Asians in entertainment. Often, Asian characters in films or TV shows are the outcasted nerds, such as Long Duk Dong in Pretty in Pink (1986), or old kung fu masters, such as Mr. Han in The Karate Kid (2010). These stereotypes make it extremely difficult for Asians to gain accurate and appropriate representation in the media. Many have to fight against the stigmas of being insanely intelligent or knowing how to karate kick. Even though there is an increasing number of Asian roles in Hollywood, there is still much to be done about whitewashing and stereotypes.

The topic of Asians and specially Asian-Americans in the entertainment industry is very intriguing, as they often get overlooked in society. They have pushed through decades of discrimination and racism. Thanks to modern technology and the spread of social media, their struggles can now be heard around the world. Now, these obstacles have given way to many Asian roles in popular films and shows. The need for representation can be finally voiced, and the push against stereotypes can be strengthened. 

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SO YEAHHHHH AHAHAH

i kinda am proud of it, especially since i wrote it frantically in like a night with barely any research oopsies

MKAY YEET

i miss you guys :((( sorry i havent been very active in my books ahhh im active on my message board tho, so drop a message! 

how have you guys been??? TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LIFEEEE 

i feel like wattpad has changed so much in the time that ive been gone rip but yeah i still miss all my online friends cuz yall are the bestttt <33

OTAYYYY BYEEEEE

love yall forever and always eheh

DALVIE OUT

PS: follow me on instagram; my account is @dalvssings !!!  i post singing vids so yep yep yall can finally hear me sing lmao