I.Y. Yunioshi
Encyclopedia
I.Y. Yunioshi was a character in Truman Capote
's 1958 novella Breakfast at Tiffany's
. Mickey Rooney
's portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi in the 1961 film version of Breakfast at Tiffany's has been subject of extensive critical commentary and review since 1990.
More recent characterizations include "cringe-inducing stereotype," "painful, misguided," "overtly racist," "one of the most egregiously horrible 'comic' impersonations of an Asian (Mr. Yunioshi) in the history of movies," and a portrayal "border[ing] on offensive" that is a "double blow to the Asian community – not only is he fatuous and uncomplimentary, but he is played by a Caucasian actor in heavy makeup."
The portrayal was referenced in the 1993 film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
as an example of the Hollywood's racist attitudes about Asians that Bruce Lee
's success as a movie star would challenge. Specifically, when Bruce Lee
and his girlfriend Linda Emery (portrayed in the film by Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly
) watch Breakfast at Tiffany's in the theater, but Linda suggests they leave midway through the picture after she notices that Bruce is upset at Rooney's stereotypical depiction of an Asian
man.
A free outdoor screening in Sacramento, California
, scheduled for August 23, 2008, was replaced with the animated film
Ratatouille
after protests about the character Mr. Yunioshi. The protest was led by Christina Fa of the Asian American Media Watch. In light of the protest, Sacramento vice mayor Steven Cohn stated that "the intent was never to create controversy, to make political statements or to be on the avant garde of the movie world, let alone to offend significant members of our community."
A screening was shown August 11, 2011 at Brooklyn Bridge Park's "Movies With A View" series in New York. Due to protests from a multi-ethnic group organized by an online petition at Change.org, the screening also included a short statement by the organizers which acknowledged and validated community concerns about Mr. Yunioshi and brief documentary about Mickey Rooney's character and the portrayal of Asian Americans in other films that was edited from a DVD extra for the anniversary DVD. An editorial in the New York Daily News
by columnist Jeff Yang
offered an alternate view regarding the protests: "Far from boycotting the movie or even begrudgingly accepting it, I think it should be mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to fully understand who we are as a culture, how far we've come and how far we still need to go."
The 2009 DVD re-release of the film included "a brief and necessary featurette on the character of Mr. Yunioshi, offering an Asian perspective on “yellow face”."
Truman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
's 1958 novella Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany's (novella)
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a novella by Truman Capote published in 1958. The main character, Holly Golightly, is one of Capote's best-known creations and an American cultural icon.-Plot:...
. Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
's portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi in the 1961 film version of Breakfast at Tiffany's has been subject of extensive critical commentary and review since 1990.
Critical response
The 1961 New York Times review of the film said that "Mickey Rooney's bucktoothed, myopic Japanese is broadly exotic." In 1990, the Boston Globe described the Rooney's portrayal as "an irascible bucktoothed nerd and an offensive ethnic caricature". In 1993, the Daily News of Los Angeles wrote that the role "would have been an offensive stereotype even played by an Asian; the casting of Mickey Rooney added insult to injury".More recent characterizations include "cringe-inducing stereotype," "painful, misguided," "overtly racist," "one of the most egregiously horrible 'comic' impersonations of an Asian (Mr. Yunioshi) in the history of movies," and a portrayal "border[ing] on offensive" that is a "double blow to the Asian community – not only is he fatuous and uncomplimentary, but he is played by a Caucasian actor in heavy makeup."
The portrayal was referenced in the 1993 film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 American semi fictionalized biographical martial arts action film telling the story of actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee, starring Jason Scott Lee as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly and Robert Wagner...
as an example of the Hollywood's racist attitudes about Asians that Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
's success as a movie star would challenge. Specifically, when Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
and his girlfriend Linda Emery (portrayed in the film by Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly
Lauren Holly
Lauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
) watch Breakfast at Tiffany's in the theater, but Linda suggests they leave midway through the picture after she notices that Bruce is upset at Rooney's stereotypical depiction of an Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
man.
A free outdoor screening in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, scheduled for August 23, 2008, was replaced with the animated film
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
after protests about the character Mr. Yunioshi. The protest was led by Christina Fa of the Asian American Media Watch. In light of the protest, Sacramento vice mayor Steven Cohn stated that "the intent was never to create controversy, to make political statements or to be on the avant garde of the movie world, let alone to offend significant members of our community."
A screening was shown August 11, 2011 at Brooklyn Bridge Park's "Movies With A View" series in New York. Due to protests from a multi-ethnic group organized by an online petition at Change.org, the screening also included a short statement by the organizers which acknowledged and validated community concerns about Mr. Yunioshi and brief documentary about Mickey Rooney's character and the portrayal of Asian Americans in other films that was edited from a DVD extra for the anniversary DVD. An editorial in the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
by columnist Jeff Yang
Jeff Yang
Jeff Yang is an American writer and business/media consultant who writes the "Tao Jones" column for the Wall Street Journal. Previously, he was the "Asian Pop" columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle. Yang lives in New York City...
offered an alternate view regarding the protests: "Far from boycotting the movie or even begrudgingly accepting it, I think it should be mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to fully understand who we are as a culture, how far we've come and how far we still need to go."
Response to Criticism
In a 2008 interview about the film, 87-year-old Rooney said he was heartbroken about the criticism: "Blake Edwards...wanted me to do it because he was a comedy director. They hired me to do this overboard, and we had fun doing it....Never in all the more than 40 years after we made it – not one complaint. Every place I've gone in the world people say, 'God, you were so funny.' Asians and Chinese come up to me and say, 'Mickey you were out of this world.'" Rooney also said that if he'd known people would have been so offended, "I wouldn't have done it."The 2009 DVD re-release of the film included "a brief and necessary featurette on the character of Mr. Yunioshi, offering an Asian perspective on “yellow face”."