It would seem that in the case of what name we should call Kelsey Asbille Chow, it depends on what she wants to be called. It’s a confusing conundrum really when people start to change their names and leave it unclear as to what they want to go by and for many fans and journalists it has be kind of frustrating as putting down the wrong name in a column or descriptive piece could very well be taken the wrong way if the celebrity sees it and takes offense. Of course until they decide on a name it becomes a little difficult to really get anything accurate.
Everything she did before 2017 she used her full name.
There’s one very big reason why she felt that dropping her last name was necessary and that was because she felt that she was being typecast due to the last name of Chow. She’d already been cast in a few roles that made use of her surname to place her in very stereotypical roles. Changing her name from Chow to Asbille was a personal choice and one that she believed would get her a lot more roles. The ironic part is that while it managed to get rid of the stereotypical casting she’d had to deal with it opened her up for more criticism by being cast as a Native American in Wind River and the new Yellowstone series.
People are up in arms lately about Asbille being cast as a Native American in Yellowstone.
When it comes to casting certain people for certain roles fans and even those that have no personal stake in it have gone kind of nutty when they see certain folks being cast into roles that they feel are completely wrong. Asbille was cast as a Native American in the movie Wind River and in the series Yellowstone much to the consternation of many audience members who believe that Native Americans are being underrepresented in film. It seems kind of interesting that anyone would say that given the roles that Native Americans have filmed throughout history, long before now and even well after such roles were no longer being given to Caucasians that were dressed up in layers of makeup and poor representations of Native American garb.
As of now Kelsey wants to be known as Asbille and not Chow, but this also seems to say something about her confidence in her acting talents being able to keep her from being typecast. The name you’re given at birth is something that every individual should be proud of for the most part, no matter what others tend to think or do. There’s no doubt that legally her last name is still Chow, but for the purpose of avoiding typecasting she is using Asbille to secure a career that has been building for a number of years now. Try as she might though it almost seems as though she’s being typecast again but on the other side of the spectrum as being cast as a Native American in two separate productions seems about as close as person can come to being typecast without being able to definitively say that they are indeed.
Sadly this seems like a common thing for some people as they get typecast so easily either because they have the look that affords them such treatment or they simply don’t have the acting skills, as of yet, that can help them to break out of their current lot in show business. It’s hard to say that anyone in Hollywood doesn’t have the latter since those that are there and doing the job are those that caught the eye of the producers and the directors and have proven that they belong to be there. Changing your name just to be more popular is not an uncommon practice and has been done for years, but there are times when it seems kind of excessive. So far changing her name has earned Kelsey another type of typecasting and not necessarily one that people have really taken too with any measure of aplomb. It’s believed that not fully representing an ethnicity that calls for individuals that belong to that ethnicity is a big no-no, but quite honestly if a person looks as though they can take on the role and displays the acting ability it seems perfectly fine to let them go with it.
Just being part of an ethnicity does not make a person a good actor.
Some movies and TV shows might call for certain individuals from different races and ethnic groups but that doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily going to find anyone that can really act. The focus at this point becomes finding people who look enough like the individuals they need and hoping that they can act.
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Actors routinely pretend to be someone they’re not; isn’t that what acting is all about? So why get upset that Kelsey plays the part of a Native American woman?
Do we want to insist that only people from the demographic portrayed in film can be allowed to be cast in such roles? Can we only cast Catholics to portray Catholics in films? Can we only cast mafia members to portray mafia members? Only police officers to portray police officers? And so on?
It is popular to value signal by expressing outrage, claiming injury, or professing to defend some disadvantaged group. But this is often less about seeking to redress some inequity and more about being perceived as “defenders of the oppressed”. Some people seek to value signal solely for the sake of value signaling, and try to out-outrage others to prove how good they are.
I find nothing wrong with a Chinese American lady portraying an American Indian lady in film. She is acting, pretending to be someone she isn’t in real life. She does a great job at it.
You’re right there is nothing wrong with it and she is playing a part. She is a very promising actress, but the typecasting that is done in Hollywood doesn’t seem to allow for a lot of growth or development of an actor, and as a result some of them have to struggle to really be known. Changing her name was an interesting tactic, but it is done quite often for various reasons.
@topcat1957 Of course you don’t think it is a problem that she lied and still continues to lie about being an Indian. Why are Indians upset? Because Hollywood, her, and now you are dictating the identities of Indians. I bet you think she looks the part of an Indian as well. Non Indians have been doing this ever since they arrived here. Deciding Indian identity. That is the problem with white folks. They think they know everything there is to know about Indians but really don’t know jack shit. Trump in 1993 dictated to Congress he has that right to identify Indians when he said “Now they don’t look like Indians to me.” That is problematic for these stereotypes impact tribal communities negatively as well as hinders any passing of knowledge towards non Indians. Non Indians trying to depict what it is like to be Indian is pervasive in our culture and generally it is incorrect. She will never know what it is like to be an Indian because she is isn’t one. She is nothing more than a culture vulture taking work away from a real Indian actor who for sure could do the job.
Your white privilege is shown here by comparing a whole race of people to a religion and an occupation as well as dismissing any criticism as “value signaling.” You have just shown that Indians are a marginalised group. You don’t care what they have to say about important issues concerning them.
Let me stop laughing before I respond…..ha…ha…ha….oh yeah, ha. “Culture vulture” is a new one on me, is that the new trending phrase to use when someone is offended? Of course people don’t know what it’s like to belong to a certain race if they don’t come from that race. Anyone that says they do is talking out of their a$$, but thankfully a lot of people don’t say this. As far as my ‘white privilege’, ‘scuse me, have to laugh again, haha, where was I comparing a whole race of people with anything or anyone? It’s amusing when people see what they want and don’t see the whole thought that took shape. If there are Native American, oh sorry, Indigenous people out there that can act, and there are, then let them come forward and take these parts. But yes, some people do look the part, even if they’re not, and they can act, which is why they get the part. As far as ‘taking work away’ from anyone, grow up a little and realize that the more skilled individuals get the job, as it’s been for a long time. If there are indigenous actors that can stand out for their acting skills, then of course they should get the job, if not, then directors are bound to keep looking until they find someone that fits the bill. The right person for the job is still a very worthwhile prereq. If she’s lying about being an indigenous individual then yes, she’s in the wrong, but if she’s not, then it’s time to get over it and find another way to be offended. Thanks for the laugh and the feedback, it was appreciated.