I agree with you 100%, nikkiten1917! Dean Cain is not to be recognized as neither East Asian nor White, but as a mixed
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Frumious_Bandersnatch_46 — 14 years ago(October 21, 2011 04:20 AM)
We are all human and Dean is more european but that doesnt mean his not Japanese as well
Then why are going on and on so much about Cain being Asian? About his not being white?
WHY IS HIS ETHNIC BACKGROUND SO BLOODY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
To paraphrase Horatio Hornblower, why do you keep speaking when you have nothing to say? -
MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(June 24, 2008 08:22 PM)
I have noticed in the American media
they refer to Dean Cain as though he is just a white man
but he's not he is an Asian American. Dean's biological father is a Japanese man and his real last name isn't Cain it's Tanaka. Perhaps a Hollywood agent told him to just say he is a white man? Because by looking at Dean I can clearly tell he is part Asian.
Excuse me buthow do you refer to someone as though they are white? I don't understand. Does the media have to always mention what ethnicity someone is if they're not white?
I do recall a few rabid Superman fans not happy about Dean Cain's casting because he wasn't tall enough, he didn't have blue eyes, his hair wasn't right, but most of all, he has too "ethnic" looking
I've recently had the DVD's of Lois and Clark and if you listen to the commentary on the pilot episode, Dean explains that he is part Japanese and the interesting 'look' he has was one of the reasons he got the part. He's not trying to hide anything. Why should he acknowledge a culture that has had no part in his upbringing. I would say living in Malibu in a celebrity area is about as far away from Japanese culture as you can get. You just integrate into the life you know and are familiar with.
He doesn't. He has Tanaka in Japanese lettering on his ankle. His biological father committed adultery and left his Mom before he was born. His biological father is half Japanese. The rest of Dean is English Welsh and Irish I believe. He never met his biological father but in a recent interview stated that he recently, this February, met his biological great uncle, brother to his Grandfather, who he never met. He approached him and he thought it was very cool. He has bitterness toward the man who cheated on and deserted his Mom. But he always mentions his Asian roots. He has been involved in promoting Asian actors also, though I forget where I saw that. I am an avid fan of the man. He sees himself as part Asian and identifies with that part of himself. But he doesn't do it by ignoring the rest of his makeup either. Dean is a great guy, no matter what he is biologically. He also loves and respects his "real" Dad Chris Cain. Chris is the only Dad he has known. He is close with his family. Dean is an athlete an actor a writer a director and producer. He is one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen up close and I have seen him a few times and have met him. He is the nicest guy to fans! He is also a very charitable man and donates his time playing games for charities and promoting them. He is part of the faces of influenza, he supports animal rights, children's rights, health and educationb68. He supports the environment, stem cell research and many more charitable and worth while causes. I wouldn't care if he was Martian. He is a hell of a human being.
Thanks for sharing that with us.
juicy-flawless.org -
poupartca — 17 years ago(July 18, 2008 06:12 AM)
Dean Cain has made numerous appearances in the Asian-American press over the years. I even recall him participating, with other Asian-American celebs, in a Get Out the Vote TV ad aimed at the Asian-American population. He's never made any secret of his Asian roots, or his Welsh or other roots for that matter. The very first articles I read when "Lois & Clark" premiered clearly mentioned his unique ethnic background, of which he was plainly very proud.
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MissMellieY — 15 years ago(October 13, 2010 04:40 PM)
Why in heaven's name should the Clooneys be "forthcoming" about their Hispanic roots? They don't HAVE Hispanic roots for the most part. The only Clooneys with Hispanic roots are the actual children of Rosemary Clooney, who was married to Jose Ferrer. HER children have Hispanic roots and they don't deny that. As for the Sheens, Martin changed his name when he started acting (at a time when that was not an unusual thing to do.) Charlie followed in his footsteps and uses Sheen but Emilio uses Estevez. No hiding there. Sheesh.
"A man's kiss is his signature" Mae West -
MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(October 14, 2008 10:24 PM)
^Evidence? Right, I didn't think so. I can't believe you read all that information and you say he's white washed
(well, assuming that you DID read it
).
Dean is in the 'Rock the APIA Vote' PSA ad (The Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote).
juicy-flawless.org -
Batwoman_the_Crimson_Avenger — 17 years ago(October 16, 2008 09:28 PM)
Dean was adopted by his step dad before he was in kindergarten. His parents changed his name, not him.
If you read interviews he's done, you'd know why he doesn't change it back to Tanaka. He biological dad left his mom before he was born. He step dad was and IS his dad. He's not keeping the Cain name out of shame for his Asian heritage, it's out of respect for the man that raised him. -
MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(October 18, 2008 03:40 PM)
Exactly.
Barack Obama's father never raised him, but he still kept his name. Barack isn't afraid of his roots, too bad Dean Cain is denying is.
Good lord. That's because Barack's Indonesia stepfather didn't adopted him for him to have been given
his
last name! My goodness, use some common sense.
juicy-flawless.org -
MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(October 31, 2008 10:59 PM)
He looks Asian to me. Darker skin, his eyes, just everything about his face. Not as obvious as fellow Superman character Kristin Kruek who plays Lana Lang on Smallville for example, but I think its obvious he isn't completely white either. More so when he was younger (look at his toddler pictures!) though his older brother looks much more Asian than he does.
juicy-flawless.org -
MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(November 28, 2008 09:22 PM)
For the still detractors/nay sayers, here in this interview he refers to himself as an Asian American
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/5552/texts/angrydragon.txt
The films he and his partner, Mike Carr a former Princeton football player like
himself want to make, look set to take him straight into the heart of this region.
"Well, I am Asian," explains the quarter-Japanese, "so I am inclined to those kind of
things in terms of locale and content."
He has never been to Japan or Asia but hopes that the work will eventually get him
there. Funding a couple of Hongkong action flicks is on the cards as well.
juicy-flawless.org -
popsicle820 — 17 years ago(November 29, 2008 09:11 PM)
The reason Dean is not that explicit about his Asian roots is because he has never been in contact with that part of his family. I don't think he ignores it or is ashamed of it. He does acknowleges that it is a big factor in the way he looks. So please don't say he's a238shamed because that is such a terrible thing to say!
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MariMcCabe — 17 years ago(December 26, 2008 12:58 AM)
^He only recently met his grandfather. I think his grandmother passed away. Even though his father was a terrible person (committed adultery, fathered several other children with two other women afterward) his heritage from that side of his family is impossible to ignore (look at him and his brother, who looks more Asian than he does, despite not being as dark as he is). Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten his birth name 'Tanaka' as a tattoo on his ankle.
This has probably already been said, but he plays a Japanese father in 'Crossroads' (in fact the main picture you see when you search for Dean Cain on IMDb) which was based on a true story.
He auditioned for the role of Chris Harrison in 'Out of Time' with Denzel Washington and Sanaa Lathan. This was the casting call
www.aarising.com/ - 17k - 25 May 2002
AArisings: Da Asian Pacific American Entertainment Resource
CASTING SEARCH!!! For the MGM feature "Out of Time" from director Carl Franklin and starring Denzel Washington.
Seeking: Funny, Asian or Latin character actor, 35 or older.
Film shoots 13 days from mid-June through August in Miami. Seeking recommendations from Theatre companies. Please OVERNIGHT a picture/resume or, if possible, request scenes and actors can put themselves on tape. Contact us at 323/782-8744 or by email at malifinncasting@hotmail.com. Mark the envelope "OUT OF TIME" casting and forward ASAP to: Mali Finn Casting, 303 N. Sweetzer Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90048.
So obviously he felt he was Asian enough to try out LOL.
juicy-flawless.org -
BubbaFish — 17 years ago(January 31, 2009 05:59 PM)
All I have to say to the people out there who can't possibly live their lives without analyzing others and trying desperately to find flaws, all I have to say to you is that whenever you get the feeling of starting a new pathetic whiny thread like this one take a look at Dean Cain's happy face pictures. The guy is rich and famous, and he's got more to live for then any of you sorry-a$$e$. If you don't like your life, don't take it on others. It will only backfire even more.
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sagatorel — 17 years ago(March 04, 2009 04:59 PM)
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72187673.html?dids=72187673:72187673&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=SEP+23%2C+1993&author=Tom+Shales&pub=The+Washingt5b4on+Post&desc=It's+a+Bird!+It's+a+Plane!+It's+a+Hunk!%3B+`Lois+%26+Clark's'+Dean+Cain%2C+Flying+the+Friendly+Skies&pqatl=google
Interview from above 1993
"I'm mostly Welsh, and then one-quarter Japanese, Irish and French Canadian," Cain says
He said his mother, Sharon Thomas is Welsh. -
resilient_little_sprout — 16 years ago(August 15, 2009 01:26 PM)
I have noticed in the American media they refer to Dean Cain as though he is just a white man
When has the American media ever refered to him as "just a white man?"
Your phrase "just a white man" sounds racist.
but he's not he is an Asian American.
Says who? Who decides who is Asian, who is white, who is black, etc? He's multiracial and multiethnic. H2000e's French-Canadian American, Irish American, Welsh-American and Japanese American. You're trying to box him into one neat little category despite his diverse background. Why, I don't know.
Perhaps a Hollywood agent told him to just say he is a white man?
When has he ever refered to himself as "just a white man?" Provide a quote.
Even if he did "ignore his Asian roots" I wouldn't blame him for doing so. His 1/2 Japanese father abandoned his mother while he was in the womb, so it isn't as though we should expect him to have a strong connection to Asian culture. There's also the sad fact that in Hollywood, Asian men aren't considered leading man material. It is stupid, but true. I'm not saying he denies his Asian roots, but he obviously doesn't go around proclaiming his Asianness from the rooftops. When people have to constantly announce their affiliation with a particular race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, etc it makes them seem totally insecure about who they are.