25 Movies That Race-Swapped Asian Characters With White Actors

For years, Hollywood has often cast white actors to play characters who were originally Asian, or based on Asian stories. This has happened throughout film history, from using makeup and prosthetics to change actors’ appearances, to more recently, changing the ethnicity of characters in adaptations. Here are some examples of films where Asian characters were played by white actors, across a variety of genres like historical dramas and action movies.

‘The Conqueror’ (1956)

This historical movie features John Wayne playing Genghis Khan, the famous Mongol emperor. To portray the Asian leader, filmmakers used extensive makeup and costumes to transform the American actor. This casting choice is often remembered as one of the most unusual in film. The story centers on a love affair between the powerful warlord and a princess from the Tartar people as he builds his empire.

‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)

Mickey Rooney plays Mr. Yunioshi, Holly Golightly’s Japanese landlord, in a role that uses heavy makeup and prosthetics to exaggerate Japanese features. This portrayal has led to a lot of discussion about racial stereotypes in older Hollywood films. The character is mainly used for comedic effect throughout the movie.

‘The Good Earth’ (1937)

This movie, based on Pearl S. Buck’s novel, stars Paul Muni and Luise Rainer as Chinese farmers Wang Lung and O-Lan. Despite being set entirely in China, the studio cast white actors in the leading roles. Luise Rainer won an Oscar for her portrayal of O-Lan, a hardworking wife who endures famine and difficult times. The film is often remembered as a case of the studio choosing famous actors over finding performers who authentically reflected the characters’ backgrounds.

‘Dragon Seed’ (1944)

Katharine Hepburn plays Jade, a young woman from China who leads her village’s fight against Japanese forces. The movie shows the hardships faced by a peaceful community as they’re forced to defend their home during the Second Sino-Japanese War. To make Hepburn believable in the role, makeup artists used tape and special effects to change her appearance. The story highlights the strength and dedication of the villagers as they live under occupation.

‘The Teahouse of the August Moon’ (1957)

I have to say, Marlon Brando is completely transformative in this film. He plays Sakini, an Okinawan interpreter working with the American military, and really commits to the role – we’re talking hours in the makeup chair every day to change his appearance. The story centers on an American captain trying to bring democratic ideals to a small village in post-war Okinawa, and Brando’s Sakini acts as his guide. It’s fascinating to watch Brando adopt a unique accent and set of mannerisms to truly embody this local character; he doesn’t just play the part, he becomes Sakini.

‘The Inn of the Sixth Happiness’ (1958)

The film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness stars Ingrid Bergman as Gladys Aylward, a British missionary who lived and worked in China. While the real Gladys Aylward was British, the movie features Curd Jürgens as Colonel Lin Nan, a Chinese officer. A love story between the missionary and the colonel is a key part of the film. The decision to cast a German actor in the role of a Chinese military leader was typical for movies made during that time period.

‘Anna and the King of Siam’ (1946)

Rex Harrison plays King Mongkut of Siam in this compelling story based on Anna Leonowens’ life. Harrison transformed himself with unique speech patterns and makeup to portray the Thai king. The film focuses on the differences in culture and the growing understanding between the King and Anna, a British teacher. Yul Brynner later became well-known for playing this same role in the musical version of the story.

‘Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing’ (1955)

Jennifer Jones stars as Dr. Han Suyin, a woman of Eurasian descent who falls in love with an American journalist. As a mixed-race woman, her character experiences discrimination from both Hong Kong society and her family. To prepare for the role, makeup was used to alter Jones’s appearance to reflect her character’s Asian heritage. The film is a love story unfolding during the Chinese Civil War.

‘Flash Gordon’ (1980)

Max von Sydow plays Ming the Merciless, the cruel ruler of the planet Mongo. The character first appeared in comic strips as a villain based on outdated and harmful stereotypes about Asians. The movie keeps the character’s original look—including elaborate costumes and facial hair—but surprisingly casts a Swedish actor in the role. Ming is the main villain, and his plan involves destroying Earth using massive natural disasters.

‘Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins’ (1985)

Joel Grey portrays Chiun, an elderly Korean martial arts master who trains the main character. To create the look of the aged mentor, the makeup artists used a lot of prosthetics. Chiun imparts the ancient skills of Sinanju to help his student battle against corruption. Despite some debate about the casting, Grey’s performance was recognized with a Golden Globe nomination.

‘Short Circuit’ (1986)

Fisher Stevens played Ben Jabituya, the Indian engineer who built Robot Number 5. To portray the character, Stevens used darker makeup and a strong accent. Ben offers both technical skills and humor as the team searches for the intelligent robot. Stevens has later said he regrets taking on this role.

‘Starship Troopers’ (1997)

Casper Van Dien stars as Johnny Rico, the main character in this sci-fi war story. In the original book, Rico was specifically written as Filipino and spoke Tagalog. However, the movie changes his background, portraying him as a white American from Buenos Aires. The film uses its exciting plot to critique fascism and the way militaries use propaganda.

’21’ (2008)

The movie follows Ben Campbell, played by Jim Sturgess, and is based on the true story of a group of MIT students who became skilled blackjack players. The character is inspired by Jeffrey Ma, an Asian American student. While the film keeps the main story of card counting in Las Vegas, it changes the protagonist’s ethnicity and creates fictionalized versions of other team members, sometimes altering their backgrounds.

‘Dragonball Evolution’ (2009)

Justin Chatwin stars as Goku, the powerful martial artist from the popular Japanese manga and anime series. This movie offers a new take on the character, placing him as a high school student in an American setting. However, many fans have criticized the film for moving too far away from the original story’s Japanese culture and unique look. The plot centers on Goku’s journey to gather the Dragon Balls before a villain can get to them first.

‘The Last Airbender’ (2010)

Noah Ringer plays Aang in this live-action movie based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon. The original series borrowed heavily from the cultures of the Inuit and East Asia in its design and storytelling. However, the choice to cast white actors as the main characters – Aang, Katara, and Sokka – received a lot of criticism. The film follows Aang as he learns to control the four elements and bring peace back to the world.

‘Edge of Tomorrow’ (2014)

This sci-fi action movie stars Tom Cruise as Major William Cage. It’s based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, which originally featured a Japanese soldier named Keiji Kiriya. The film reimagines the story with an American PR officer and a European setting. Cage becomes trapped in a repeating time loop as he battles an alien invasion.

‘Aloha’ (2015)

Okay, let’s talk about this film. Emma Stone takes on the role of Allison Ng, a character who’s meant to be of mixed Chinese and Hawaiian heritage, and honestly, the casting immediately became a point of discussion – a lot of people were questioning representation in Hollywood, and rightfully so. The story itself centers around Allison, an Air Force pilot, and her connection with a contractor working on a big satellite launch. It’s worth noting that the director actually issued an apology for the casting choice later on, which really speaks to the sensitivity around the issue.

‘The Martian’ (2015)

Mackenzie Davis portrays Mindy Park, a NASA planner tracking the Mars mission. While the character was originally written as Korean American in Andy Weir’s novel, the movie cast a white actress in the role of the technician who first realizes the astronaut is still alive. Mindy is essential to establishing and maintaining communication between Earth and the astronaut stranded on Mars.

‘Doctor Strange’ (2016)

I was so excited to see Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One! She’s incredible as this powerful mentor to Doctor Strange, guiding him in the mystic arts. I know some people were surprised by the change from the comics – the Ancient One was originally an older Tibetan man – but the filmmakers explained they wanted to avoid falling into harmful stereotypes. I think it was a smart move, and Swinton really brought a unique strength to the role, helping Strange learn to protect our world from all sorts of dark threats.

‘Ghost in the Shell’ (2017)

Scarlett Johansson stars as the Major, a soldier with cybernetic enhancements who battles cybercrime. The movie is based on a popular Japanese comic book and animated series featuring a character originally named Motoko Kusanagi. The film reveals that the Major’s consciousness actually originated with a Japanese woman named Motoko, raising questions among critics about the decision to place her mind inside a white, android body.

‘Death Note’ (2017)

Nat Wolff stars as Light Turner in this new movie based on the famous Japanese manga. The story originally featured a gifted Japanese high school student named Light Yagami. This version moves the action to Seattle and reimagines the characters. Light discovers a mysterious notebook with the power to kill anyone simply by writing their name in it.

‘Annihilation’ (2018)

I’m really intrigued by the new movie starring Natalie Portman! She plays Lena, a biologist who goes into this strange, shimmering area called ‘The Shimmer.’ It’s based on a book series, and in the books, Lena is described as having Asian features. Apparently, the filmmakers cast Natalie before the second book came out, which is where that detail about her ethnicity is revealed. The whole movie seems to be about her trying to figure out what’s going on inside The Shimmer and also what happened to her husband, who’s been sick.

‘Bullet Train’ (2022)

Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an assassin who always seems to have bad luck, in a fast-paced action movie set on a train. The film is inspired by the novel Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka, which originally featured a Japanese main character. While the movie updates some characters for an American audience, it keeps the story’s original Japanese setting and overall plot. Ladybug has to complete his assignment while dealing with a train full of competing assassins.

‘Batman Begins’ (2005)

Liam Neeson portrays Ra’s al Ghul, the head of the League of Shadows. In the original DC Comics, this character is usually shown as having Arab and East Asian roots. The movie introduces him as Henri Ducard, a mentor figure, before revealing his real identity. Ra’s al Ghul aims to demolish Gotham City in an attempt to eliminate its corruption.

‘Speed Racer’ (2008)

Emile Hirsch plays the lead role in this movie based on the popular Japanese anime and manga series, Mach GoGoGo. The story follows Gō Mifune, a teenage racer. While the film keeps the colorful, dynamic look of the original anime, it features a mostly white cast playing the racing family. Speed races in the Grand Prix to uncover dishonesty within the world of competitive racing.

Let us know what you think about these actors and if you can think of any similar casting decisions – share your thoughts in the comments below!

2025-12-03 06:17