Ever notice how may foreigners are in movies in tv shows now? (watching, Sean Connery)

[ma5cmpb]

Originally Posted by mkpunk

Honestly it is money. We are seeing more Asians, especially Chinese to appeal to China. Power Rangers was diverse as a TV show but seemed even more diverse in the movie that came out this year. Kimberly, portrayed by a British-Indian actress named Naomi Scott. Jason, portrayed by a white Australian named Dacre Montgomery. Billy was race-swapped from white to black and portrayed by an African-American named RJ Cyler. Zack was race-swapped from black to Asia and portrayed by Ludi Lin from China. Trini was race-swapped from Asian to Hispanic (though this was the case in the pilot) with American Becky Gomez (Becky G) having the role. Why was this done, the money or perception of money coming in from being more inclusive and ready to enter other markets.

Another thing movies are doing are adding specific plots to enter China. Iron Man 3 had a specific cut for China with an expanded presence of a very minor Chinese character, Dr. Wu the surgeon who removes the shrapnel from Stark's chest. Then you have movies like The Great Wall that was a Chinese movie and was released in America due to two American actors, Matt Damon and William Dafoe being part of the movie.

I don't totally buy the whole British thing. Yes there are a number of great British actors but they really don't "steal" roles away from Americans. There are tons of movies released every year. Too many at times.

I've noticed this too. A lot of the big movies are being co-produced by Chinese film companies too. Fast and Furious 8 and the Great Wall are some examples.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

I've noticed this too. A lot of the big movies are being co-produced by Chinese film companies too. Fast and Furious 8 and the Great Wall are some examples.

I've noticed some mild product placement for Chinese banks and products in the Transformers movies. So yes, they're making movies to include the Chinese market.

[southwest88]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

It seems like that there are a lot of foreigners starring in American TV shows and movies now. I'm talking about major movies and tv shows. Foreigners from London, Australia, both black and white actors. Has anyone else noticed this trend?

Given that the UK was the home to colonial British culture in what became the US, Canada, Australia & lots of other points of the globe, no, it's perfectly natural that popular culture in the US reflects a lot of British influence, including personnel. For one, we use a version of English as the lingua franca.

After WWI & especially WWII, as Europe & the World convulsed, US industrial output swamped the developed economies, until they managed to rebuild, & for a couple of generations, until they rebuilt their populations, infrastructure, schools, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. Somewhere in there - in the 1920s CE? - US movies became a World entertainment staple.

But as a new industry, the administrative, production & talent had a lot of Jewish & British & vaudeville (often foreigners - whatever that means in the US) & other European & World participants - A. Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope, some crossover from opera & legitimate theater - also mostly foreigners.

As the US economy matured, entertainment became a big business, & a bright spot in balance of payments. Hollywood probably makes more money in World syndication than in the US market alone - there's a lot of money floating about out there. Which is why some stars are bankable, & others are not, or not as much. In order to make US packages more attractive, Hollywood is using more talent from wider sources - Sigourney Weaver, Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace, Benedict Cumberbach - as long as they're good actors, I have no complaint.

I don't know that Show Biz feels any nationalistic loyalties - they're in the entertainment business, & their first duty is make enough of a profit to keep going to the next project. As long as we get good product, I'm not worried about the domestic content of the offerings.

[Clarallel]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

It seems like that there are a lot of foreigners starring in American TV shows and movies now. I'm talking about major movies and tv shows. Foreigners from London, Australia, both black and white actors. Has anyone else noticed this trend?

It's nothing new. Have you heard of Charles Boyer, Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn (Belgian), Peter Lorre, Bela Lugosi?

[southwest88]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

You guys are missing the point. They're foreigners!

First it's our movies; then it's our wives.

Money blends in well everywhere, & is a universal solvent.

Whether that's a good thing or not - well, the time to worry about that was well before the Great Depression - probably in the 1890s, as the US was striding out onto the World political stage.

[mkpunk]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

I've noticed this too. A lot of the big movies are being co-produced by Chinese film companies too. Fast and Furious 8 and the Great Wall are some examples.

I forgot Fate of the Furious, mainly because it wasn't that good of a movie, and not for Chinese elements. The first one had the biker gang from L.A.'s Chinatown and still is one of my favorites in the franchise, right behind Fast 5. I think they lost a lot with Paul Walker's death honestly. But that is going off topic...

Iron Man 3, I didn't think was as bad as most say, even my brother. Why, well it showed a darker, much.more serious Tony Stark dealing with PTSD. It just so happens this film is another in the trend of making it far moreaccessible to China.

Transformers: Age of Extinction was the first to feature China. I think The Last Night does too but after the un-enjoyable mess Dark of the Moon (to date the only Transformers I have seen and will see in theaters) and how bad Age of Extinction was, I rather not see any more.

I don't know what it is but it seems like movies of existing franchises are not working out too well when they go to China, fan reaction wise.

[Crashj007]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

It seems like that there are a lot of foreigners starring in American TV shows and movies now. I'm talking about major movies and tv shows. Foreigners from London, Australia, both black and white actors. Has anyone else noticed this trend?

Yeah, it's a global thing. Notice how many of them speak a clearly enunciated English with no strange accents? Unlike my local retail environment where all I hear is Spanglish? Unless the role calls for an accent, of course.
"They're Canadian, you know?"
IMDb: Most notable Canadian Actors and Actresses - a list by hcole-proven

[easthome]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

I am talking about those actors that I listed are examples of American brilliance in acting. I am not saying those specifically should've been called or what not. I am just saying that I think there is groupthink in thinking that Brits and other Commonwealth natives are just better and cheaper than Americans, and thus there is a market for their talent. They're thinking of talent, bankability, and cheapness too.

I keep hearing this 'cheaper' thing being bandied around but it seems to be something pulled out of thin air, what makes people think hiring British actors is 'cheaper'? Is there any proof to this? Also what has Benny Hill got to do with anything?

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Have you noticed how many “American” movie actors are not actually from the USA? In the new movie “Bombshell”, you have a South African (Charlize Theron) playing Megan Kelly and two Australians (Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie) playing Gretchen Carlson and another woman working at Fox News.

[madison999]

I hate it.

Especially when they load them in movies that require an American accent, especially southern.

If you can't do a southern accent, you can't play a southerner.