Hollywood in need of Japanese

2007/07/24

SUMARRY

Hollywood's growing interest in Japan, as seen by recent movies such as "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Babel." However, Japanese characters are often played by Chinese and South Korean actors who resemble Japanese because of a shortage of Japanese actors and those of Japanese descent in Hollywood. But they cannot convey the true essence of Japan as they are not familiar with the culture, and sometimes, such substitutes can cause cultural misunderstandings. So, demands for Japanese actors to play Japanese roles in Hollywood movies are growing. In this trend, a company called Hollywood Comets was established in Los Angels, opened an office in Japan in 2005 to help give Japanese a better shot at passing auditions and to help aspiring them find success on the big screen in Hollywood.

By Seima Oki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
2007/06/29
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp