Asians and Asian-Americans are incredibly underrepresented in film in this country, making up roughly 6% of the population and yet only 1 in 20 speaking roles in films. While this would mean that 5% of speaking roles are Asian, close to proportional for our population, the issue is not with speaking roles but with content of said speaking roles, and it is truly devastating to think about if you are Asian or Asian-American.

For instance, I can name zero movies released to American cinema this year which featured an Asian lead. That is because not one major film, or even minor film for that matter, featured an Asian protagonist. Constance Wu of Fresh Off The Boat reflected earlier this year on the fact that her show is the first in over twenty years to feature an Asian cast, or even more than one Asian in the main cast.

Yet her show, despite being phenomenal, hilarious, and groundbreaking, still fails so many tests of racial inclusion. It is a sitcom, the only screen performance type where people of color actually do well and become more equal relative to white counterparts.

This is not a stand-alone event. Look into it. During the times when movies and TV shows do choose to feature Asians on the main cast, it will often be a movie about being wise and sage-like or some sort of cheesy Kung-Fu movie. Nothing but stereotypes, as if Asians cannot accomplish anything past a certain boundary or that exceeds the boundaries of a plot emanating exclusively from the fact of their own race. As if they cannot be any deeper than people whose only concern is being Asian.

I've talked about this before in a previous article, but today I want to touch upon a different angle of the subject: Rage. My rage. I'm honest to god seething with fury right now after having watched the trailer for the new Power Rangers film.

You will notice that Ludi Lin, who will play the black ranger and is the only Asian in the movie, has no lines in the trailer. In fact he seems to be the only Power Ranger with no lines in the trailer. If that is any indication of his importance, then it shows us that the movie will give us a bland, boring character with little importance to the story other than simply being there.

He will not be noteworthy. Not for being courageous, rebellious or fierce. Not for being funny. Nothing. He will just be the guy who happens to be there, has no character arc, and says the most bland lines for the sake of film exposition. And in the end, the villain will take him down and the white guy who plays the Red Ranger will be the one to save the day.

That's what the trailer is showing us. I normally don't judge books by their covers, but history in film has shown us that my depiction of what will happen is accurate because it is what always happens. Always. Asians in movies are always treated this way.

It's terrible because I was so excited about this character. Ludi Lin is an extremely muscular, athletic, good looking individual. Even I think he's extremely attractive, not to mention charismatic in other films he is in. I was looking forward to this, an Asian of such prominence that he could be the lead if he wanted to. An Asian who's strong, brave, and sexy. An Asian man who breaks the film stereotype that Asians can be none of these things.

But it turns out he won't be breaking any stereotypes. He'll just be a token character of no relevance if that trailer is any indication of what the movie will be. I cannot be more upset at how irrelevant he was in the trailer alone, let alone what will happen when the movie comes out.

Yet this is nothing new. If anything, this decades old problem is only getting worse. For instance, earlier this year we saw a release for a film titled, "Birth of the Dragon." It's a biopic about a legendary competitive fight between Bruce Lee and martial arts grand master Wong Jack Man. Yet somehow, despite the title clearly being an homage to Bruce Lee and the crux of the movie being this clash of martial arts philosophies, the main story is actually about a white guy who falls in love with the daughter of a Chinese mob boss and uses this story as a way to help set up the fight between Lee and Man.

For the record, this is not even remotely historically accurate. There was no such character in real life. There was no such subplot in real life. This is literally Madame Butterfly plus John Smith syndrome plus that ludicrous white savior complex that seems to permeate into everything Hollywood has spit out since its inception.

The idea of what's "marketable," which was the excuse for this, is a joke as well. This is Bruce Lee we're talking about. An iconic super legend in both East and West. Born in San Francisco and raised an American. A superstar who is literally the most prolific Asian character in film history and has fame vastly surpassing even the Avengers and who is on par with the likes of James Bond.

You're telling me that this character couldn't generate his own market revenue? That he had to be some stereotypical wise sensei caricature and a sidelined support character in his own movie?

For the record, Bruce Lee's daughter hates the movie too. Want to know what she said?

"This film is a travesty on many levels. I think this film is a step backward for Asians in film not to mention that the portrayal of Bruce Lee is inaccurate and insulting. I am disappointed that such a project would be funded and produced.”

I saw a quote in a review for this movie that really touched base with what I'm trying to say in this article.

"White people, would it kill you to stop inserting yourselves into EVERYTHING?"

Again, why on earth is Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin? Why is Tom Cruise the protagonist of Last Samurai? Why is the main character in Forbidden Kingdom, a movie about Chinese martial artists duking it out in ancient China, some white guy?

So, let me reiterate.

White people, why do you feel the need to insert yourselves into literally every single little thing?

God sake, I have never in my entire life had the chance to see a character on screen as a protagonist that was like me. White people get plenty of those. Captain America, James Bond, Jason Bourne, to name a view. Every male love interest in every rom com ever. Every action hero ever unless Denzel Washington or Will Smith is in the movie.

I don't have a Captain America, though. Asian-Americans do not have a Tony Stark or a Batman. We have a bunch of movies of white people, showing us how great, brave, and heroic white protagonists can be. Showing us that heroes do not look like us. Showing us that heroes look like John Smith rather than Steve Lee. That Asians are just subservient, stereotypes, or both. The few times we are important, we are villains.

Every time I watch a movie now I lose a little bit of enjoyment when the protagonist is a white guy because I know that this is what America thinks a hero should always look like. Because I know that after this movie, the next one I watch will probably also have a character who looks the same. Just another ripped white guy. John Smith whose parents were Bob and Sally. Not Steve Lee whose parents were Chiomi or Zhang.

Because there's only one image of what a hero should be, apparently. And it doesn't look like me... Will never look like me. I can't be a hero.

That's how it feels to me to not have a single iconic character as the protagonist to look up to and enjoy.

There's an emptiness in my heart, a hole in my chest, and I can't shrink it because it only grows. I'm desperate because I want to be free of this pain and yet I don't know what to do to make that happen.

It feels as if no one will listen to me here, to be honest. Like no one cares. This needs to change.

Just give me one. If you need help casting Asians, I can help you. For starters, try Ludi Lin. The guy is ripped, tall, and attractive. He is a charismatic, phenomenal actor and a good hearted man. He could be a protagonist in your action movie.

All I'm asking for right now is one. Just one Asian, male character as the protagonist. Male so we can defeat the stereotype that Asian men cannot be sexy or powerful or dominant. Perpetuate an idea that Asian men can be the leader too. Just one protagonist who looks like me and shares my experiences and upbringing type. Just one.

Make it someone whose life isn't just centered around martial arts too, because we need to show that Asian-Americans are Americans too and can live independently of just the fact of being Asian. They can be deep characters as well.

Just one. Please, so that you can help me stop hurting. So that you can help millions of adults who hurt this way too and millions of children who will grow up to feel this pain as well.

And if you won't do it? Then I will one day.