While Marvels’ 'Eternals' received mixed reception after its opening this month, critics and scholars agree that the film succeeds in one critical, yet under-discussed aspect of Asian representation in Hollywood.
The movie starred several actors of Asian descent, including Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani and Don Lee as Eternals, a race of ancient immortal aliens, untethered to any specific ethnicity. Experts note that the film in part bucks a glaring, historical trend in which Asians have been largely erased from or barely cast in fantasy roles.
From left, Dominic Monaghan, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd and Sean Astin in 'The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring'.Yet films like the “Lord Of The Rings trilogy,” didn’t feature a single speaking character of Asian descent. Asian representation was also a rare find in other fantasy television shows like “Game Of Thrones.” In its eight seasons, the series only included Jessica Henwick, who’s of Chinese descent and was featured in eight episodes, in a speaking role.
“They don’t think fantasy, they think historical European,” Yuen said. “They’re totally fine with dragons, and all sorts of different species of beings, but somehow they all have to be European.” From Rowling to Martin to epic fantasy author Terry Brooks, writers drew inspiration from Western mythology and perceptions of the world, so cultures of color get portrayed as terrifying beings, Thomas said.
“Asians in [the fantastic], they speak in exaggerated accents. The language and customs, even the very location of ‘the East,’ in most of fantasy is either unknowable, or it’s mysterious or scary,” she said. “It’s a recurring problem in the western fantastic.” Aside from Kingo’s dance scene, a nod to Bollywood, there are no links between the Eternals and specific traditions or countries in the film. But the film’s takeaway might be based more on general inclusion and unity, Yuen says. For example, the Eternals, a group played by predominantly actors of color, reunite with one another after years of living among humans for a common purpose: to protect the world from their enemies, another race of age-old beings called the Deviants.
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