# Any Detectives of Asian ancestry PLAYED by actors of Asian ancestry? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2015, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348 "2015-06-24T12:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/41 "2015-06-24T16:34:31Z")
I don’t think we get to count Ming-Na as Melinda May – even though she _does_ work in law enforcement, going undercover and investigating crimes and thus and such. But back when VANISHED was on the air, she was FBI Agent Lin Mei, working a kidnapping case as best as she could for every episode of Season One-And-Only. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/42 "2015-06-24T17:04:34Z")
In related news today, B.D. Wong (mentioned above) has this to say about his role in **Jurassic Park** : > [@](#): > > **Actor BD Wong blames ‘racial exclusion in Hollywood’ for his small role in ‘Jurassic Park’** > > … > But the actor who plays Dr. Wu, BD Wong, says there’s one thing “World” has done much better than “Park” — ethnic diversity. > > “Twenty-two years ago it was Sam Jackson and me,” said Wong. “I think that was pretty much it.” > > … > > He believes “racial exclusion in Hollywood” is one of the reasons his Dr. Wu character was scaled down to a single scene in “Jurassic Park.” In Michael Crichton’s book on which the film is based, Dr. Wu has a major presence. > > “When you’re an ethnic actor you always have to question why this character got scaled down so much,” Wong told BI. “You go, ‘Oh, darn, this is an opportunity that got wasted.’ Because the movie needs to be Caucasian-centric in order for the filmmakers to feel that they need to succeed and reach people.” > … > Wong believes “Jurassic World” is a great step forward in Hollywood dealing with its lack of diversity issue, but there’s still a long way to go. > > “We’re still far, far away from where parts that Bryce [Dallas Howard] and Chris [Pratt] play would go to ethnic people.” > **[Actor BD Wong blames 'racial exclusion in Hollywood' for his small role in...](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/actor-bd-wong-blames-racial-134900648.html)** > > A big reason for the historic box-office success of “Jurassic World” is due to its nostalgia... ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/43 "2015-06-24T17:19:42Z")
Maybe they think an asian lead wouldn’t bring in the movie goers, kinda like a female character who is supposed to be unattractive has to be played by someone like Charlize Theron in Monster. I don’t know what kind of ism works here 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/44 "2015-06-24T17:32:46Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Maybe they think an asian lead wouldn’t bring in the movie goers, kinda like a female character who is supposed to be unattractive has to be played by someone like Charlize Theron in Monster. I don’t know what kind of ism works here 🙂 I think you’re right – I said the same thing in the OP: > [@](#): > > It’s racism, I’m sure – probably the insidious kind that keeps them from being cast because studio execs think American audiences won’t accept an Asian actor as a lead character (although they COULD play second bananas). But you’d think that things would’ve changed by now. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/45 "2015-06-24T18:13:35Z")
Michael Paul Chan is Lt. Mike Tao in _The_ _Closer_ and _Major Crimes_ ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/46 "2015-06-24T19:13:06Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Hmmm … if the name “Charlie Chan” has that much baggage, perhaps a modern adaptation could be based on the inspiration for Biggers’ novels – Chang Apana himself. Just “Chan” in the early titles, and establish an authentic name - did Biggers ever give one? - with “Charlie” as a not-entirely-liked nickname. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/47 "2015-06-24T19:24:03Z")
Yanno, a straight-up, respectful remake of Charlie Chan might even work today. Doesn’t have to be B.D. Wong, either. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/48 "2015-06-24T19:47:50Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Yanno, a straight-up, respectful remake of Charlie Chan might even work today. Period(ish), or modernized? I’d vote for the former. Prewar. Mad Men quality on the authenticity of the era. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/49 "2015-06-24T22:03:23Z")
I see Kristin Kreuk just signed for a fourth season as NYPD Detective Cat Chandler. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/50 "2015-06-24T22:21:10Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > And, of course, in title card that always cracked me up (and I suppose there’s a trace of racism or at least stereotyping underlying that, but hey, I was 10) -\* Hawaii Five-Oh\* had “Kam Fong as Chin Ho.” They also had Khigh Dhiegh as the villain Wo Fat. It turns out that Khigh Dheigh was a white guy from Jersey named Kenneth Dickerson. (Well Anglo/middle eastern anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/51 "2015-06-24T22:25:35Z")
Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah played the part of Inspector Ghote in the film adaptation of HRF Keating’s \* ThePerfect Murder \* ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/52 "2015-06-25T02:07:57Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I thought that there was a breakthrough with the Nicholas Meyer TV movie _Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders_, based on Robert Hans van Gulik’s novel. All the actors were of Asian descent – a rarity on TV then. Or even now. But it turns out that the lead role, Judge Dee, was played by “Khigh Aix Dhiegh”, who had famously played Chinese agent Wo Fat on _Hawaii Five Oh_, as well as numerous Asian cvharacters on TV and in the movies. It turns out that he’s the only non-Asian actor in the piece. His real name was Kenneth Dickerson (“K.D.” = “Khigh Dhiegh”, get it?). He was born in Spring Lake NJ, of Sudanese-Anglo-Egyptian ancestry. > [@Loach](#): > > They also had Khigh Dhiegh as the villain Wo Fat. It turns out that Khigh Dheigh was a white guy from Jersey named Kenneth Dickerson. (Well Anglo/middle eastern anyway) You don’t say. Any info on Judge Dee? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/53 "2015-06-25T03:03:49Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Green Hornet’s assistant [Kato](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kato_%28The_Green_Hornet%29)has been played by Asian actors, including Keye Luke. That’s your go-to Kato? And, while I’m alluding to Bruce Lee, lemme just leave this here: “What did the autopsy reveal as the cause of death?” “She did not drown.” “She OD’d?” “Uh, yes. Cause of death was, ah, heroin overdose.” “I gather you still don’t have enough to bust up his operation.” "We know everything. We can prove nothing… “We want you to go in there as our agent, get us our evidence.” “And come out in one piece to give it to you.” - _Enter The Dragon_ ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/54 "2015-06-25T04:51:24Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Lucy Liu plays a private investigator (or, I guess, consulting detective) on **Elementary**. Liu was also one of the ‘angels’ who are, ostensibly, private detectives in the _Charlie’s Angels_ movies. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/55 "2015-06-25T05:01:24Z")
Dean Cain is of Asian ancestry and spent years playing the world’s greatest investigative journalist, but that’s probably not where we’re going with this. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/56 "2015-06-25T05:17:58Z")
If you’ll accept a future animated movie, the asian guy from Walking Dead is voice acting the lead in a movie based on the comic Chew, which is about an asian FDA inspector who solves crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/57 "2015-06-25T06:03:12Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Hmm. Should I use my powers of invisibility for good, or evil? Good. If you were qualified for villainy I would have hired you already. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/58 "2015-06-25T11:43:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You don’t say. Any info on Judge Dee? I don’t know of anyone working on an English-language Judge Dee TV show or movie right now. There have been two Chinese films featuring Dee in 2010 and 2013, and I think one has been released with subtitles, but the films take a completely different direction from the one of the 18th century Dee Goong an and the van Gulik novels, so I haven’t seen them. Wikipedia claims there’s been a Chinese TV series based on him. There have been several Judge Dee novels in French by Frederick Lenormand , but they haven’t been translated. Another French book was written by Sven Roussel, also untranslated. Zhu Xiao Di (no relation, I assume), wrote _Tales of Judge Dee_, which seems to be available in English, in 2006. I haven’t read it yet. I’m told he tries to be faithful to van Gulik’s set-up. Dee shows up in Eleanor Cooney and Daniuel Alterni’s novel _Deception_, which I HAVE read. They keep Dee as a detective, but without the companions that the Dee Goong An surrounds him with, and that van Gulik maintained. Besides these, Dee shows up in a historical novel that van Gulik himself mentions, but which seems to have slipped by the editors at Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/59 "2015-06-25T15:09:48Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Good. If you were qualified for villainy I would have hired you already. Huh. I _wondered_ why my application was rejected. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348/60 "2015-06-25T15:49:51Z")
Tim Kang is a Californian but definitely of Asian ancestry. He was a detective on Third Watch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-detectives-of-asian-ancestry-played-by-actors-of-asian-ancestry/723348.md?page=4)