據《華爾街日報》報道，中國是全球第二大電影市場，今年電影票房就已達到50億美元，而美國約為80億美元。盡管今年票房增長遲緩，但中國的票房規模預計將超越美國。同時，美國電影公司似乎和中國觀眾越走越遠，原因是今年上半年進口影片占中國票房的46.9%，低于去年的53.5%。

西方電影試圖通過使用中國演員來吸引中國觀眾，但批評人士指出，此舉乃刻意為之。他們用“花瓶”來描述中國演員，特別是女演員，因為后者在電影中的鏡頭幾乎與道具無異。

派拉蒙影業副董事長羅布?摩爾對《華爾街日報》表示：“這個問題有點難辦。沒有像樣的表演就跟植入廣告一樣，就像大家在電影中看到的啤酒罐。”演員范冰冰在電影《鋼鐵俠3》國語版中的角色就是一例，官方媒體《北京日報》對此的評價是“相當尷尬”。

然而，把中國演員放到他們的電影里是美國電影公司籠絡中國觀眾的重要手段。由于中國的法規對廣告牌和商業廣告等傳統營銷方式有限制，和擁有大批社交媒體擁躉的中國影星合作就成了一項優勢。演員在推特上發帖或者把電影預告片鏈接放在Facebook上可能有助于影片的宣傳。

此外，中國影星也想參與到美國電影中。正如United Talent Agency經紀人達倫?博格霍西安接受《華爾街日報》采訪時所說：“如果在美國很有名，你就是個國際名人。如果在中國很有名，你就只是個中國名人。”

電影公司要做的是確保中國演員不被視為“花瓶”，并且扮演更有分量的角色，甚至讓他們擔任主角。

長期以來，好萊塢一直因為“洗白”電影中的亞洲人而受到指責。最新的爭議點是有傳聞稱詹妮弗?勞倫斯將在迪斯尼動畫電影《花木蘭》的真人版中扮演花木蘭。同樣引起軒然大波的還有馬特?達蒙在影片《長城》中擔任主演的消息，盡管導演張藝謀稱“這部影片和人們說的恰恰相反”。

不過，總部設在北京的獅鼠影業首席執行官邱杰知道，第一項要求更容易得到推進。

邱杰對《華爾街日報》表示：“我們要強調的是中國演員應該在影片中得到有意義的、恰當的角色。我們清楚中國演員不會擔任主角。但如果至少可以做到前一點，就不會受到國內觀眾的批評。” （財富中文網）

譯者：Charlie

審校：詹妮

China makes up the second-largest movie market in the world, selling $5 billion in movie tickets this year alone compared to about $8 billion in the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal. Though ticket sales have remained stagnant this year, China is expected to surpass the U.S. Additionally, American movie studios seem to be losing touch with Chinese audiences as imported movies made up 46.9% of ticket sales in China in the first half of this year, down from 53.5% last year.

Western films have attempted to appeal to audiences in China by incorporating Chinese stars, but critics have suggested that the effort comes off as artificial. They use the phrase “flower vases”—Chinese actors, especially women, whose appearances in movies seem like nothing more than props.

“That’s where people have struggled a bit,” Rob Moore, vice chairman at Paramount Pictures, told the Journal. “Not acting like the person is product placement, like the way you would find a beer can in a movie.” An example of that would be Chinese actress Fan Bingbing’s role in the Chinese version of Iron Man 3, which state-run newspaper Beijing Daily described as “quite embarrassing.”

However, having Chinese actors in Western movies is important for U.S. studios to reach Chinese audiences. Because regulations in the country limit traditional marketing, such as billboards and commercials, and it’s an advantage to work with a Chinese star that has a large social media following. The actor Tweeting or linking to movie promo on Facebook FB -0.01% could help get the word out.

Additionally, Chinese stars want to be in American movies. As Darren Boghosian, an agent at United Talent Agency, told the Journal: “If you’re famous in America, you’re famous all over the world. If you’re famous in China, you’re only famous in China.”

What studios need to do is ensure that Chinese actors aren’t perceived as “flower vases,” but instead they’re put into more significant roles. This includes offering Chinese men and women lead film roles.

Hollywood has long been accused of “whitewashing” Asian roles, with the most recent backlash centering around a rumor actress Jennifer Lawrence was cast to play Mulan in the live-action version of the Disney DIS 0.35% film. Controversy also swirled when news broke Matt Damon was cast as the lead in The Great Wall, though director Zhang Yimou said “the movie is the opposite of what is being suggested.”

But Qiu Jie, chief executive of Beijing-based Leomus Pictures International, knows the former is easier to move forward.

“We emphasized that the added Chinese actor in [a] film should be meaningful and proper,” Jie told the Journal. “We understand that a Chinese character will not be a lead role in the film. But if you can at least do that, the local audiences will not criticize it.”