Especially back then, Asian-American actors were pigeonholed. They could play Asians in supporting roles, but not the leads.
The most obvious example: Charlie Chan was played by Caucasians (Warner Oland, Sidney Toler), but Asians were relegated to playing No. 1 son.
I asked Mako what he would've said if he had won the Tony for Leading Actor in a Musical in ''Pacific Overtues,'' and he replied: ''I wasn't going to accept it. I was going to refuse the Tony. Why? Asian-American actors have never been treated like full-time actors. We're always hired as part-timers [for only race-specific roles]. It a part was seen as too ''demanding,'' that part often went to a non-Asian. ...I would've thanked the people I worked with, but I didn't feel I could accept the award as long as Asian-Americans were not treated [as equals] in our profession.''
Mako was the first Asian-American Tony nominee for Leading Actor in 1976. Nearly 50 years later, no Asian man has won that: in musicals or plays.
In 1991, Jonathan Pryce won for playing the Engineer in ''Miss Saigon.'' In the 2017 revival, Jon Jon Briones, a Filipino, couldn't even get nominated. |
