Time and time again, any actor will tell you that rejection is one of the hardest parts of the business. Imagine going to a job interview multiple times a week, and then not getting said job because of how you look, how you act, or even some indescribable trait a casting director is looking for that you don't seem to possess. The scrutiny is real, and the fact that actors often get criticism repeated back to them makes it even harder. When Olivia Munn was first starting out, she heard two bits of feedback in particular that still stand out to her today.
In a new interview with Prestige Hong Kong, Munn reflected on her early days of trying to make it as an actress. "I’d go out for so many auditions, for everything. And, then I’d be told, 'You’re too Asian' or 'You’re too white.' I remember someone telling me, 'Don’t feel bad. One day they won’t be trying to match you to fit with anyone else. You’ll just be hired for you.'"
Munn said that things do improve once you get that first role, but still, "You can’t help but get frustrated." Well yeah, frustrated that you're not booking a job, but also that someone would tell a person that she's "too Asian" or "too white." Munn didn't provide more context about the criticism, but it's disappointing to hear that she was at first written off by her ethnicity before she started working steadily, and only then did casting directors recognize her by name instead of appearance.
Munn also told the magazine that she's launching a production company. "I’m very excited to get behind the camera and try to create shows — not for me to be in, just to create. It’s an amazing opportunity that doesn’t come along very often." Here's hoping she can help lead the way in gender- and color-blind casting, and that other actors can avoid hearing her early critiques. (Prestige Hong Kong)
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