An Open Letter to Rinko Kikuchi
February 23, 2007
An open letter to Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi offering unsolicited career advice…
Dear Ms. Kikuchi:
Congratulations on your Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Babel. It is quite an accomplishment to receive the industry’s highest accolade for your very first Hollywood project. And with all the other awards and critical nods you have been receiving, you are officially the “it” girl of the moment.
So what can you do to keep this momentum going? I know I haven’t been asked, but let me tell you what I think.
Let me start with the cold, hard reality. You’re Asian; your English isn’t too good; and you don’t do the martial arts thing like Ziyi Zhang. That means no matter how hot you are right now, don’t expect any handouts.
Don’t get me wrong, you are in elite company. Only five actors of Asian descent have ever been nominated for acting Oscars. Only one of them was a woman. That would be your fellow Japanese thespian Miyoshi Umeki, who was nominated and won way back in 1957 for her supporting role in Sayonara.
My first piece of advice would be to learn from the example of Ms. Umeki. What did the award lead to? Aside from a good role in the 1961 film version of Flower Drum Song, she’s best remembered for playing the maid in a TV series that starred the future Incredible Hulk. In other words, winning the award made close to zero difference for her career.
Yes, it’s the 21st century, but I don’t know how much the situation has really changed. Hollywood didn’t know what to do with a talent like Ms. Umeki back then and you have to assume Hollywood will not know what to do with you now.
So you’re going to have to find your own projects. In effect, you are going to have to become a producer. Tom Cruise does this, Jodie Foster does this, Robert DeNiro does this, heck, even your Babel BFF Brad Pitt does this. They all have production companies and produce their own projects. Is it any wonder they are our top stars and have managed longevity in their careers?
Once you take this step, you need to find projects that are a good match for you and have “commercial” appeal since it’s all about the mighty dollar in this business. Finding and developing the right project can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, but such is the price of being a star.
But to make it easier for you, let me offer a suggestion for a possible property that might be right for you: Ruth L. Ozeki’s novel My Year of Meats. This one was a best-seller and the film rights have already been optioned.
The book tells the stories of two women: Jane Takagi-Little, a hapa Japanese American filmmaker producing a TV series exploring the American meat industry for Japanese television, and Akiko Ueno, the meek Japanese housewife whose life is transformed by Jane’s programs.
The role of Akiko is a dream for any actress. She gets to run the gamut of emotions as she contemplates what to do with her life while suffering at the hands of her abusive husband.
Next, seek out filmmakers who are down with your cause. There is a number of Japanese and other Asian directors making films in Hollywood, and don’t forget American filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino who have a genuine love for Asian cinema.
Finally, don’t discount the importance of TV. Some of the finest Asian actors are working in American TV and shows like Lost and Heroes have proven that a lack of English skills and “foreignness” may not be an obstacle.
You gave a phenomenal performance in Babel and it’s clear you have talent and a world of potential. Here’s hoping that you’re able to realize that to its fullest. Philip W. Chung is a writer and co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble.
Comments
Got something to say?