Kent Leung never had the slightest dream of becoming an actor until his years in University. It was only until he dipped his feet into the world of amateur modelling that he dared to dream of becoming an actor. Ideas were placed into his head as family and friends suggested that he would do well if he were to attempt an acting career in HK and Asia. However these ideas and dreams never settled into a real tangible career heading until Kent landed himself as co-host of Azn Lifestyles TV. While hosting Azn Lifestyles TV Kent felt he had a serious chance in the entertainment industry so he decided that while he still had momentum in the industry to find himself an agent and start taking acting classes. It has been just more than a year since he found his agent and still is taking acting classes now however it has been met with only small successes. His timing could not have been worse since the recession hit and the movie-making industry in Vancouver slowed drastically. Kent at one point found himself unemployed and only auditioning once every 2-3 weeks, not nearly enough by any means. Kent eventually booked a role on a student film which greatly aided in his growth as an actor. He now works full time in a "real" job downtown which competes against his dream for his time and energy. In the mean time Kent has still been taking classes with aspirations to work on his craft to the level he feels he truly has something to offer to the entertainment industry where then he may choose to attempt head on the movie industry once again. This coming summer he has a chance to work on a feature film being filmed in China but he knows better than to bet on it, as things in this industry are never secure.
Here were the following questions answered in the video clip:
What have been the past trends of Asian representation in western media? "Independent Cultural Production"
--How have you seen Asians portrayed in your industry in the past? Stereotypes? Good or Bad?
--Have you seen Asians in your industry succeed now? Why do you think they have succeeded or not?
What are common roles Asians typically undertake, and which have had the greatest impact?
--Is there a strong Asian presence in your industry? Why or Why not? If so, what positions are they in?
Here were some questions that were not part of the clip:
--Do you find that being of Asian background that it prevents you from finding opportunities in your industry? Do you think being Asian makes it tougher for you to make it big in the industry?
When asked if it was difficult to acquire roles due to his Asian background, Kent said that there were some up and downsides to it. “Although there are less males who are Asian, which means less competition, if agencies were to cast an Asian whose role was first written for a Caucasian, they would have to entirely revamp the character.
How have Asians in media contributed to Western culture and helped define the North American identity?
--How do you think your audience receives Asian culture content? Is it accepted and well received or not?
How has culture & heritage affected the current path of Asians in media?
--Does your Asian background influence you while you are acting?
It is hard not to be influenced by your own culture and heritage while acting. “When you are entering a casting call, you’d have to focus extremely hard on not being too Chinese”. Basically, you do not want to exemplify typical stereotypes. Instead, you want to embrace the role for itself. If you are thinking and embodying the "Chinese" character, it may psyche you out. You just need to accept it and go for it. For example, like John Cho, it was hard not to take him as a serious actor when he was in “Harold and Kumar”, but look at him now. He is taken more seriously and is able to translate his talent over to roles that you would normally assume an Asian would not play.
What have the results been when Asians choose to engage in western media?
--What do you is the most ideal role for Asians in film? Why?
In order to have more Asians break the scene, they need to be in roles that any ethnicity person could be in. As a Canadian Born Canadian, we do not think about our heritage often. Asian roles should not be specifically focused on martial arts. There need to be more risks involved.
--How do you hope to portray yourself in film? And how do you get people to relate to your character?
“If I wanted to have my audience relate to me, I do not want to portray a “Chinese” human but ultimately, just a “human”. “I want people to relate to me through my personality whether it be through reactions and actions, not because of my own ethnicity”.
What is the current outlook for Asians for the future? What is the projected impact that they will have in society?
--What does the future look like for Asian actors/actresses? Will Asian stereotypes inhibit your ability to progress your careers?
“I definitely would like to be part of the Asian movement when more Asians breakout in the industry. Sooner or later there will be a huge demand to see Asians in the global market. As China grows, there will be a demand for Asian leads, and the North American industries will follow”.
Is there an Asian Audience looking for Asian content?
I am not sure if the younger generation of Asians look out for Asian content. At least there is not a strong passion or reception for it. People are predominantly complacent in watching Caucasian shows.
