![]() It’s via telephone that Yukio first meets Elsa Burgmann, “an adventuress and spy who has managed to infiltrate the upper circles of society”. Taking telephone messages – just the job for one who doesn’t speak English well! Hayakawa had his work cut out for him besides the stereotyped characters in his own body of work, one doesn’t have to look too hard to find film examples of East Asian people as sinister opium smokers, gang members, poor English speakers, etc – essentially, the dangerous foreign Other who lived at the boundaries of American society and thereby undermined it. An honourable character who would tragically sacrifice himself to save a (white) woman was perhaps the best-case scenario, even if told in patronizing fashion with a lead character in Yellowface ( cough). One of his stated aims was to combat the negative ideas about Asian people that were prevalent at the time he sought ways to engage with his Japanese-American identity that challenged – or at least sidestepped – the popular stereotypes of the time. Now in control of his stardom, Hayakawa had the difficult task of balancing his existing star image, created to appeal to Americans, with his desire to portray more realistic representations of the Japanese. ![]() It has the benefit of connoting value, but the choice of an Anglo name over simply ‘Hayakawa Pictures’ indicates that Hayakawa was keenly aware of his public image. The name of his company most likely derives from Hayakawa and Worthington, William Worthington being Hayakawa’s director and right-hand man at Haworth. His career boomed, but after several years of stereotypical roles, in 1918 Hayakawa formed his own production company, Haworth Pictures, giving him creative control over his output. ![]() Hayakawa’s star-making role in The Cheat (US 1915) traded in negative stereotypes about East Asian people even as it was elevated by the power and elegance of his performance. Of course, it didn’t hurt that was one of the best-looking leading men of his era – and certainly, he could smoulder with the best of them – but Hayakawa was a very skilful actor who brought an underplayed intensity to his roles. He had the kind of onscreen charisma that can’t be taught. But most importantly, as an actor, Hayakawa was the real deal. America has never since had an Asian-American star of Hayakawa’s magnitude – he was extremely popular with audiences, critically respected, and lived the star lifestyle, complete with gold-plated luxury car. In a time of intense anti-Asian sentiment (and, indeed, legally enshrined discrimination against Japanese people in America), he became one of Hollywood’s biggest names and richest stars. Japanese-born actor Sessue Hayakawa was one of the biggest talents of his era.
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