Star News Ayi Jihu

Several Months ago I was introduced to my first Tyler Perry Movie. Since watching the first one, I have become the worlds biggest Tyler Perry fan. I watch his plays, his movies and follow him closely. In fact I would love Tyler Perry to direct my movie Fear Chaser despite what some members of my team say. Because Fear Chaser is not your typical Tyler Perry type movie. When I first started watching his movies I was struck that the cast was all black! I even asked Stevie Eagle E if that is how things really were in America, are their places where it’s just all black people and no one else? Yes he said. I came from China to UK, and in the UK there is no place where it is all just black really. There are a few places where the black people out number the others but not many, my experience in the UK is mixing with everyone, blacks (and all they cultures), Indian, whites, Chinese etc. That is how it is in the UK and I found Canada very similar to that. However in America that is not the experience for everyone.

At first watching these movies I found it strange, because I am programmed to see movies where blacks play mostly token parts or a minority in a white cast. So it took me a movie or two to get used to it. But once I did it seemed perfect to me, natural. I began to understand the culture and vibe of black people even more from watching these movies and I learnt so much. Mostly that they have the same problems, issues and worries as everyone else, they just handle things differently sometimes and that God and church is a huge part of their lives. What I also learned is that black people have an amazing strength and ability to smile and laugh through struggle, prejudice and and unfairness. It got to the point where I did not even notice there were no white people in the cast or very few, I was just absorbed in the story.

No one would complain about a Chinese movie having all chinese people in it, or even a Latin or Indian movie having all Latinos or Indians in it, and yes the studios will argue that the international market needs to have some ‘white faces’ in everything so it can sell. But is this really true? Or is it that they just do not want to take the time or effort to help people get used to another way of seeing things? At the end of the day is it not about the story and acting, rather than the color of the actors?

I am Chinese and I have no problem with it, in fact I love it. If anyone was gonna have a problem with an all black cast I would have thought it would be us the Chinese. I tell all my friends about Tyler Perry movies and many of my Chinese friends are big fans also now. But it is not just my Chinese friends, I have told everyone and anyone who I have told, who has taken the time to watch the movies love them as I do and do not question what color the cast is.

I know what it is like to be put in a box and told you cannot do this or that, or should not do this or that. As a Chinese singer and dancer doing RnB the black way more so than the pop way I have many people asking me, ‘What are you doing, or trying to do?’ I have people who hate me just because of what I am trying to achieve, breaking the mould. In fact there are organisations out there who seem to have a whole Anti Ayi Jihu agenda and I ask myself why? What is it that I am doing that scares them so much, that is so bad? The answer is simple, I am not playing the game and doing what everyone expects me to do in the way everyone expects things to be done. I am not just being a good little Chinese girl doing Canto pop or just copying some western artist. I am working with black people, my company and producers are black and my style is black and I am independent I am not part of the system. So I feel there is a lot of fear about what would happen if little old me really caught on!? Maybe that is what the world is afraid of with Black movies and all black casts, and producers and directors like Tyler Perry who do these kinds of movies. Maybe they are afraid that they will become really popular in the mainstream and shift the balance of power in the movie world?

I was invited to attend the premier of Red Tails and when I was finding out about the movie I could not believe the fight they had just to get it distributed and shown to the world. What a fantastic story, how has it taken so long for this movie to be made and why are they still facing prejudice and stigma now? I for one can’t wait to see the movie and I know if I can’t wait Millions of others can’t wait too, because it is a fantastic story.

While it seems most other cultures and nations around the world have no problem in taking a movie at ‘Face Value’ studio execs feel that the white world will. They seem to feel that movies with all blacks, or other cultures that do not show white faces will not go down with mainstream white audiences around the world. How did Slum dog Millionaire become such a huge hit I wonder? As I am about to take on a role as a typical Chinese girl in Flyy Girl a new TV show I am playing in I am sure people will understand and see that my role fits the story and I am not there just for flavor or to grab a Chinese Audience (although I am sure that does not hurt). Most of the cast are going to be black from what I have seen. The great thing about Flyy Girl and the reason I am doing it is because of the story and my part in it. For me it is honest and it works and I am not thrown in for no real reason, I am in fact almost playing myself.

I am not black so I have no axe to grind when I say ‘Let some black movies stay all black movies!’ In fact we do not need less of them, we need MORE! In the end it may only be the Almighty buck that makes things change, so go out there in your droves and watch ‘Red Tails‘ Make it a huge hit, and send the message out that not only white people can make you laugh, cry and feel, not only the white experience is interesting, money making and international, but that it is in the end the story, the human story that we want to see and learn from and that story comes in many colors, cultures and styles.

For more information on Ayi Jihu visit www.Ayijihu.com

Go and watch the Movie Red Tails