--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As soon as you start looking into roles…" description: "\"As soon as you start looking into roles which are specifically Asian, Black, or Latina, you start looking at stereotypes. That's the issue minority act..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/jessica-henwick-14972_asian_as-soon-as-you-start-looking-into-roles_2443754.jpg" --- # As soon as you start looking into roles which are… ![“As soon as you start looking into roles which are specifically Asian, Black, or Latina, you start looking at stereotypes. That's the issue minority actors face - it's not that we don't want to play our ethnicities; it's that, often, the role that's written for our ethnicity is a stereotype.” quote by Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/jessica-henwick-14972_asian_as-soon-as-you-start-looking-into-roles_2443754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/jessica-henwick-14972_asian_as-soon-as-you-start-looking-into-roles_2443754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/jessica-henwick-14972_asian_as-soon-as-you-start-looking-into-roles_2443754.jpg) > “As soon as you start looking into roles which are specifically Asian, Black, or Latina, you start looking at stereotypes. That's the issue minority actors face - it's not that we don't want to play our ethnicities; it's that, often, the role that's written for our ethnicity is a stereotype.” [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Minority actors often receive stereotyped roles, limiting authentic representation of diverse cultures. **In simple terms:** Stereotypes restrict minority actors. Key Takeaway Advocate for nuanced, varied characters. Themes representation stereotypes media diversity Mood critical inspirational Type social activist When to use this quote - casting decisions - scriptwriting workshops - media literacy programs - industry policy reforms Key Concepts cultural authenticity industry bias character development Questions to Reflect On - How can creators avoid defaulting to stereotypes? - What mechanisms ensure diverse storytelling? A Different Perspective Progress depends on systemic change, not just individual advocacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) [Ethnicity Stereotype](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity-stereotype-510725/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Latina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latina/) [Looking Stereotypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-stereotypes-510726/) [Minority Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-actors-510723/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Stereotypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotypes/) [Stereotypes Issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotypes-issue-510724/) ## Related quotes > [For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. 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But I wasn't a 'valley girl,' since I grew up in Norwalk, which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-darwish/i-grew-up-on-the-west-coast-during-the-80s-but-i-wasn-t-a-valley-girl/) [Tiffany Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-darwish/) > [I have to represent. I feel proud to have a culture that's different... and proud to be a Latina. We're not all categorized as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-martinez/i-have-to-represent-i-feel-proud-to-have-a-culture-that-s-different/) [Natalie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-martinez/) > [As a youngster and being a Latina, you see so much injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/as-a-youngster-and-being-a-latina-you-see-so-much-injustice/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Back home I had always been comfortable around people. I was the troublemaker, always being funny - that's just who I am. I'm Latina;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smalls/back-home-i-had-always-been-comfortable-around-people-i-was-the/) [Joan Smalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-smalls/) ## More by Jessica Henwick > [The state of the industry is much like the state of politics. It's too middle-aged, white, and male.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/the-state-of-the-industry-is-much-like-the-state-of-politics-it-s-too/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [It's always fun playing a villain, I do have to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/it-s-always-fun-playing-a-villain-i-do-have-to-say/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [I was always going back and forth between Singapore and the U.K.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/i-was-always-going-back-and-forth-between-singapore-and-the-u-k/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [I'm not a good katana user, bo staff user.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/i-m-not-a-good-katana-user-bo-staff-user/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [I was a real overachiever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/i-was-a-real-overachiever/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [It's tough, because I come to Singapore, and people say I'm not Singaporean, and I go to England, and people say I'm not English.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/it-s-tough-because-i-come-to-singapore-and-people-say-i-m-not/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [What I'm known for - 'Game of Thrones,' 'Star Wars' - they film in England, but they're American productions. 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I didn't want to ever feel defined by my ethnicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/i-turned-down-a-lot-of-work-i-didn-t-want-to-ever-feel-defined-by-my/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [The U.K. and the U.S. are in different places. Don't get me wrong - I am there for the U.K. industry, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/the-u-k-and-the-u-s-are-in-different-places-don-t-get-me-wrong-i-am/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [It's very hard as an Asian actress to get seen for anything which isn't specifically Asian in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/it-s-very-hard-as-an-asian-actress-to-get-seen-for-anything-which-isn/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [I grew up in the English countryside, raising ducks and chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/i-grew-up-in-the-english-countryside-raising-ducks-and-chickens/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [One stereotype I get a lot as an Asian actress is that you're playing the model minority - that Asians are the best, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/one-stereotype-i-get-a-lot-as-an-asian-actress-is-that-you-re-playing/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [There's something about fantasy and sci-fi that seems more welcoming of different ethnicities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/there-s-something-about-fantasy-and-sci-fi-that-seems-more-welcoming/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) [Explore all 44 Jessica Henwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) ## More Asian quotes > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [When you are in America, at least for me, as an immigrant, I try to be as Americanized as I could. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-you-are-in-america-at-least-for-me-as-an-immigrant-i-try-to-be/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [The narrative needs to change. Asian-American actresses don't want to be the damsels in distress anymore. We don't want to be saved, especially by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-chung/the-narrative-needs-to-change-asian-american-actresses-don-t-want-to/) [Jamie Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-chung/) > [It's always fun to see faces that are either familiar or resemble yours. I was fascinated by movies like 'Big Trouble in Little China'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-chin-han/it-s-always-fun-to-see-faces-that-are-either-familiar-or-resemble/) [Ng Chin Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-chin-han/) > [In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia's permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/in-view-of-china-s-growing-military-strength-and-intentions-the-best/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [I think Li Na and some other Chinese ladies have done so many amazing things for Asian tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/i-think-li-na-and-some-other-chinese-ladies-have-done-so-many-amazing/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [I don't want to have people brought in simply because they are black or Asian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-phillips/i-don-t-want-to-have-people-brought-in-simply-because-they-are-black/) [Trevor Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-phillips/) > [We grew up in rural Arkansas without any Koreans close by, and when I go to Korea feel out of place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/we-grew-up-in-rural-arkansas-without-any-koreans-close-by-and-when-i/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [I've been lucky to come up when there's such a huge explosion of women, and especially Asian women, in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/i-ve-been-lucky-to-come-up-when-there-s-such-a-huge-explosion-of/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [I knew I was half Chinese, but Iceland is so homogenous that I wasn't able to identify with the Asian part of myself. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/i-knew-i-was-half-chinese-but-iceland-is-so-homogenous-that-i-wasn-t/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) [Browse all 1,157 Asian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As soon as you start looking into roles which are specifically Asian, Black, or Latina, you start looking at stereotypes. 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