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The findings showed "an epidemic of
invisibility" for Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) in movies
released from 2007 to 2019, said the study from researchers at
the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion
Initiative.
They also said the under-representation and stereotypical
portrayals may have contributed to recent incidents of violence
and harassment against Asians in the United States.
About 7.1% of the U.S. population identifies as Asian or Pacific
Islander. In the 1,300 top-grossing films during the study
period, 3.4% of leads or co-leads were played by API actors, the
researchers found.
Of 44 films with API actors in leading roles, 14 of them starred
Johnson, the former wrestler known for the "Fast & Furious" and
"Jumanji" films. Johnson's mother is from the Pacific island of
American Samoa.
Six movies featured a female API character in a lead role, the
study said.
The report adds to research that has found under-representation
of women, people of color and LGBTQ characters in movies and
television. In response, Hollywood studios have pledged to
increase the diversity of people in front of and behind the
camera. Notable recent films included 2018 romantic comedy
"Crazy Rich Asians" and 2020 action film "Mulan," both with
large Asian casts.
While the study found the number of API characters lacking, the
researchers also criticized the way many of them were portrayed.
Sixty-seven percent of API characters were shown as "the
perpetual foreigner" with a non-American accent, were
hyper-sexualized, subject to racial slurs or fell into another
stereotype, the researchers said.
"Mass media is one factor that can contribute to aggression
towards this community," said USC professor Stacy L. Smith,
founder and director of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.
"When portrayals erase, dehumanize, or otherwise demean the API
community, the consequences can be dire. Without intention and
intervention, the trends we observed will continue."
The study was conducted by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
with sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen. It was funded by Amazon
Studios and the UTA Foundation.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Richard Pullin)
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