據(jù)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》報(bào)道，中國(guó)是全球第二大電影市場(chǎng)，今年電影票房就已達(dá)到50億美元，而美國(guó)約為80億美元。盡管今年票房增長(zhǎng)遲緩，但中國(guó)的票房規(guī)模預(yù)計(jì)將超越美國(guó)。同時(shí)，美國(guó)電影公司似乎和中國(guó)觀眾越走越遠(yuǎn)，原因是今年上半年進(jìn)口影片占中國(guó)票房的46.9%，低于去年的53.5%。

西方電影試圖通過使用中國(guó)演員來吸引中國(guó)觀眾，但批評(píng)人士指出，此舉乃刻意為之。他們用“花瓶”來描述中國(guó)演員，特別是女演員，因?yàn)楹笳咴陔娪爸械溺R頭幾乎與道具無異。

派拉蒙影業(yè)副董事長(zhǎng)羅布?摩爾對(duì)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》表示：“這個(gè)問題有點(diǎn)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?！毖輪T范冰冰在電影《鋼鐵俠3》國(guó)語版中的角色就是一例，官方媒體《北京日?qǐng)?bào)》對(duì)此的評(píng)價(jià)是“相當(dāng)尷尬”。

然而，把中國(guó)演員放到他們的電影里是美國(guó)電影公司籠絡(luò)中國(guó)觀眾的重要手段。由于中國(guó)的法規(guī)對(duì)廣告牌和商業(yè)廣告等傳統(tǒng)營(yíng)銷方式有限制，和擁有大批社交媒體擁躉的中國(guó)影星合作就成了一項(xiàng)優(yōu)勢(shì)。演員在推特上發(fā)帖或者把電影預(yù)告片鏈接放在Facebook上可能有助于影片的宣傳。

此外，中國(guó)影星也想?yún)⑴c到美國(guó)電影中。正如United Talent Agency經(jīng)紀(jì)人達(dá)倫?博格霍西安接受《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》采訪時(shí)所說：“如果在美國(guó)很有名，你就是個(gè)國(guó)際名人。如果在中國(guó)很有名，你就只是個(gè)中國(guó)名人?！?

電影公司要做的是確保中國(guó)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(dān)任主角。

長(zhǎng)期以來，好萊塢一直因?yàn)椤跋窗住彪娪爸械膩喼奕硕艿街肛?zé)。最新的爭(zhēng)議點(diǎn)是有傳聞稱詹妮弗?勞倫斯將在迪斯尼動(dòng)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(dá)蒙在影片《長(zhǎng)城》中擔(dān)任主演的消息，盡管導(dǎo)演張藝謀稱“這部影片和人們說的恰恰相反”。

不過，總部設(shè)在北京的獅鼠影業(yè)首席執(zhí)行官邱杰知道，第一項(xiàng)要求更容易得到推進(jìn)。

邱杰對(duì)《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》表示：“我們要強(qiáng)調(diào)的是中國(guó)演員應(yīng)該在影片中得到有意義的、恰當(dāng)?shù)慕巧?。我們清楚中?guó)演員不會(huì)擔(dān)任主角。但如果至少可以做到前一點(diǎn)，就不會(huì)受到國(guó)內(nèi)觀眾的批評(píng)?！?（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

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.”