Message from mhogan

[Anonymous]

I have not yet seen Memoirs of a Geisha, but after reading the response to the controversy, I feel the need to include another side. Of course, actors and artists seek to convey ideas and personas that are not their own. However, there is also something to be said about the importance of relating to the material. An actor who is not associated with the culture should do some intense research to attempt to understand the character whom they portray. In addition, there is a history of discrimination in Hollywood. Certainly, racial minorities would hope that movies depicting divergent cultures would be an opportunity for racial minorities to have a chance at more prominent roles. I certainly would not promote hiring an unqualified actor for a job, but I think efforts should be made to find an actor of the matching ethnicity to portray the character.