Casting BESEA roles: Pan-Asian or not?

Actor, writer and filmmaker Lucy Sheen writes about the recent release of Hong Khaou’s second feature, Monsoon, which hit cinemas on 25th September and stars Crazy Rich Asians actor, Henry Golding.

Henry Golding in Monsoon

Monsoon, Hong Khaou’s second feature, is a milestone for British East and South East Asian (BESEA) artistic representation and talent. For far too long BESEAs have almost been invisible, chronically under-represented on screen, and when we do appear, we are seen as stereotypes, racial tropes or just straight-up offensive and racist portrayals. The success of Khaou’s first feature, Lilting, followed more recently by Hollywood films such as Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell, have ushered in a new sense of BESEA/ESEAs. We’re beginning to be portrayed in a ‘normative’ light. BESEA/ESEA characters argue over normal things, fall in love and, yes, kiss romantically - something we’ve never really seen on screen in the UK.

Monsoon is set in Vietnam. Kit (Henry Golding) returns to the country of his birth: a place he no longer has a relationship with, having left when he was six years old. Golding is of Malaysian heritage, which has prompted some robust conversations. Should our man Henry have been cast as Kit? Should a British-Malaysian play a British-Vietnamese? There are so few opportunities for British-Vietnamese actors. Sound familiar? 

Lucy Sheen

In my view as a British actor of ESEA heritage, where we find ourselves now, how we are portrayed and represented on stage and screen, it’s more important to see BESEA faces in BESEA roles. I’d take the casting of a British-Malaysian to play a British-Vietnamese over the role being cast using non-British talent, because often we’re not seen as authentic, or, worse still, the role gets white-washed. I’d like to think that would never have happened in this case, since the film comes from a BESEA writer/director. Because of this, there is an inbuilt (yet seldom found) ‘authenticity’ - producers and commissioners, take note.

‘However, one can, and should, legitimately raise questions about the casting of Golding as Kit. Not because of Golding’s heritage - but simply, why Golding? There are (and have always been) plenty of other BESEA actors who, just like Golding was, will remain unknown until they get their big break. The only difference is Golding now has prominence courtesy of Crazy Rich Asians, Last Christmas and The Gentlemen. This makes him bankable; it’s a safer choice.’

No one in this industry likes risk. Which is rather odd if you consider that producing theatre, TV and film is all about taking risks! UK TV, film and theatre still think in binary tones. In single representations of colour, ethnicity and heritage - particularly BESEA actors and creatives. UK TV, film and theatre don’t like it when too many actors of colour climb to the top. We’re still dealing in artistic tokenisms, which is why this industry still hasn’t diversified or significantly grown in its inclusion and equality. In the minds of many, we have already achieved diversity and inclusion, therefore there are no longer any racist practices or views within the industry. If only that were true; we all know that this is not the case.

‘It takes more than a Henry Golding or a Gemma Chan to eradicate the systemic, institutionalised and structural racism that is embedded in the entertainment industries.’

Hong Khaou, director of Monsoon

Why do we allow ourselves to settle for a small handful of actors? White actors are not confined or restricted on numbers. Why should we settle for anything less? Only when wider society sees more BESEA faces on stage and screen, in non-specified roles as well as specified ones, will change really come about.  When more BESEA talent is driving the alternative British narrative, then we will be changing how we are seen and represented on stage and screen. Seeing nuanced versions of ourselves, our histories and our stories, authored by BESEA and not by white, middle class, privileged, Oxbridge-educated males, will, for me, irrevocably change the narrative, helping to reshape our cultural landscape.

Lucy Sheen is an actor, writer, filmmaker, BESEA advocate and Transracial Adoptee rights advocate. Connect with Lucy on her website, Twitter or Instagram!