La Collectionneuse: Actresses as Asian characters

During the golden age of the movies, it was usual for white actors to don 'Asian-esque' makeup and costuming to play East-Asian roles. In fact, the film world followed a tradition inherited from theatre and opera. At the time, that practice barely raised an eyebrow. Luise Rainer even got an Oscar for her performance in The Good Earth. Today, it is called "Yellowface". It is heavily critised and is deemed as offensive, as most of modern audiences see it as a dehumanization of Asian people and a perpetuation of racist stereotypes. Here are several examples of actresses having played East-Asians in the cinema.


Vintage postcard. Mary Pickford, as Japanese character Cho-Cho-San, in Madame Butterfly (Sidney Olcott, 1915).


Spanish postcard. Alla Nazimova plays Mahlee, born from a Chinese mother and an English father, in The Red Lantern (Albert Capellani, 1919).


Mexican postcard, no. 1704. Bessie Love, as Chinese character Hyacinth, and Sessue Hayakawa in The Vermilion Pencil (Norman Dawn, 1922).


Mexican postcard, no. 1384. Leatrice Joy, as Chinese character Taou Yuen, in Java Head (George Melford, 1923).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 65. Photo: MGM. Renée Adorée, as Chinese character Nang Ping, in Mr. Wu (William Nigh, 1927).


French postcard by Europe, no. 919. Lupe Velez, as Chinese character Ming Toy, in East Is West (Monta Bell, 1930).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7577/1, 1932-1933. Photo: MGM. Helen Hayes, as Chinese character Lien Wha, and Ramon Novarro in The Son-Daughter (Clarence Brown, 1932).


Dutch postcard by M. Bonnist & Zonen, Amsterdam, no. B226. Photo: Paramount. Sylvia Sidney, as Japanese character Cho-Cho-San, in Madame Butterfly (Marion Gering, 1932).


French postcard by Cinémagazine-Sélection, Paris, no. 2003. Photo: MGM. Myrna Loy, as Chinese character Fah Lo See, in The Mask of Fu Manchu (Charles Brabin, 1932).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 8804/1, 1933-1934. Photo: Frhr. v. Gudenberg / Ufa. Inge List, as Chinese maidservant Mian Li, in Prinzessin Turandot/Princess Turandot (Gerhard Lamprecht, 1934).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 8935/1, 1933-1934. Photo: Ufa. Käthe von Nagy, as Chinese princess Turandot, in Prinzessin Turandot/Princess Turandot (Gerhard Lamprecht, 1934).


French postcard by Editions Chantal, Paris, no. 96. Photo: Studio Lorelle. Annabella, as Japanese character Mitsouko Yorisaka, in La bataille/The Battle (Nicolas Farkas, Viktor Tourjansky, 1933).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7960/1, 1932-1933. Photo: First National. Loretta Young, as the Chinese character Sun Toya San, in The Hatchet Man (William A. Wellman, 1932).


French-German postcard by Edition Ross, no. F1. Photo: Slavia Film. Danielle Darrieux, as Japanese character Youki, in the French-language version of Port Arthur (Nicolas Farkas, 1936).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 9845/1, 1935-1936. Photo: Slavia / Tobis-Europa. Karin Hardt, as Japanese character Youki, in the German-language version of Port Arthur (Nicolas Farkas, 1936).


Dutch postcard by M. Bonnist & Zonen, Amsterdam, no. B473. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Luise Rainer, as Chinese character O-Lan, and Paul Muni in The Good Earth (Sidney Franklin, 1937).


Belgian postcard by Editions L.A.B., Bruxelles, no. 1035. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Katharine Hepburn, as Chinese character Jade Tan, in Dragon Seed (Harold S. Bucquet, Jack Conway, 1944).


British postcard by Valentine’s, no. 193. Photo: Twentieth Century Fox. Linda Darnell, as Burmese character Tuptim, in Anna and the King of Siam (John Cromwell, 1946).


Austrian postcard by Kellner-Fotokarten, Wien, no. 629. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Jennifer Jones as Han Suyin, born from a Chinese father and a Belgian mother, in Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (Henry King, 1955).


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 3334. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Rita Moreno, as Burmese character Tuptim, in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1366. Photo: Dear Film. Giorgia Moll, as Vietnamese character Phuong, in The Quiet American (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1958).

Text and postcards: Marlene Pilaete.