Letters | Critics of TVB brownface episode don’t know how entertainment works
- Readers discuss the reactions to a TVB series, why critics could have jumped to conclusions, and the need to make student data more accessible
Being a supporting actor in the 2014 TVB drama series Never Dance Alone and with one-off roles in other series, as well as being ethnically Filipino and a permanent resident of Hong Kong since childhood, I have found the arguments against the studio’s decision to be clueless as to how studios operate.
The cries of “racism” and “why didn’t they cast an actual Filipino in the role” come from a lack of awareness of the actor population in Hong Kong and the particular difficulties in casting suitable performers in specific roles.
Being a veteran in the Hong Kong performing arts, cultural and entertainment industries for more than 40 years, I’m sure the role would have required someone with reasonable comprehension and speaking skills in Cantonese. This is one of the reasons I was cast in the show I appeared in.
There are not too many locally based Filipino professional actors who have this skill set. Even within the local theatre community, there aren’t too many Filipino residents of Hong Kong who participate in productions presented in English.