Japanese Beautiful Model

Non-Japanese actors/models in Japan?

I'd like to start a career in Japan with acting (any kind of acting whether it's stage, movie or tv) and modeling. Yeah, I wouldn't mind being famous but I really just enjoy acting in Japanese plot lines and using the Japanese language. I'm not Japanese so I was wondering what are my chances of getting jobs. I'm Italian, German, Irish, French, English, Cornish, Cherokee (Native American), African (Sub-Saharan), Iroquoian (Southern) and Swiss. The reason I'm listing this long background is because all the features come out in me. Depending on tanning and the season, I could pass for Caucasian, Native American or black. Sometimes I'll be whiter than Nicole Kidman and at another time, I'll be as dark as Queen Latifah. (I don't have the "tanned white person" color). Mostly I have an Alecia Keys skin tone. My hair is Caucasian hair and it's strawberry blonde and my eyes are blue. I'm 5'8" ft (give or take an inch), 36-24-36D to DD (American size) and I'm muscular. Please post any info. Also I wouldn't be opposed to working in Korea or China if it meant I had better chances there. I don't have to look African. As I said, my skin tone can vary. I can just as easily pass for Caucasian or Native American. As for being, I can't do anything about that. But I'm thin so I'm not like giant looking or anything. Also I have a decent singing voice and I can sing in different accents (I have a Gullah accent so I can reggae songs like Rihanna's really good. Also since I can tone down my accent, I can sing in a regular American accent as well). Would I have better luck trying to be a singer? I've seen the singers in Japan and mostly it just requires girl to be cute and/or sexy more than vocal talent. Also Crystal Kay is popular in Japan and she's Zainichi/African-American and she's 5'9" ft.

Public Comments

1. Two talent agencies in Japan that specialize in foriegn performers. http://www.gaikokujin-talent.com/ http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~general/index.htm A Wikipedia list of some gaijin tarento. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin_tarento And a fansite in Japanese for foreign tarento. http://f45.aaa.livedoor.jp/~lodestar/
2. "in Japan"?. If you are already famous in your country, maybe there is a chance. However, honestly speaking, if you mean "in Japan" is Japan based (living in Japan), maybe it is very difficult. I think there is a tendency for lasting "famous" foreign people (TV personalities, singers, artists, etc) who are Japan based in Japan. If I picked some famous people (excepted the people born/grew up in Japan): Dave Spector, Marty Friedman, Patrick Harlan, Daniel Kahl, Panzetta Girolamo, Jeffrey Berglund, Florent Dabadie, MONKEY MAJIK, etc. Oh I would like to add following guys also: Thane Camus (TV personality. He is descendant of French author Albert Camus who got the Nobel prize in 1957), Christopher WA Szpilman (Son of the pianist (Szpilman) in the famous movie "The Pianist" 2002) Most of the people above have lived in Japan for 7-10 years or more. I think famous males are usually westerner. Contrastingly, famous/lasting female artists/singers who are/were Japan based are usually Asians. Agnes Chan (HKnese singer), Judy Ongg (Taiwanese singer/actress: naturalized to Japanese), Yun Son-ha (Korean TV personality). And Teresa Teng (Taiwanese singer, was famous nearly 20 years in Japan), Vivian Hsu (Taiwanese singer/actress) and BoA (Korean singer) are still famous (They lived in Japan for certain period before). Leah Dizon rocks Japan now. However, as the past has shown, (I think) this kind of talent will disappear within 3 years. Of course there are several agencies for foreign models/actresses in Japan. However, I don't wanna say those models/performers are "famous". In China, I remember Da Shan (Mark Rowswell, Canadian) is very famous. I don't recall other long-life foreign personalities. models or singers. Maybe Sounth Korea would be the last resort for you.
3. We lived in Japan for 7 years and during that time I can count the number of successful non-Japanese performers (and these are ones who performed only in Japan, not actors/singers from the US or Europe who were popular at home and then came to Japan) on both hands. Japanese media reflects Japanese tastes...and while they may use the occassional non-Japanese actor, I have never seen one as more than a supporting character in any movie or TV show. In music, it is much the same...they will adapt formats from other cultures, but the most popular performers are still Japanese. Even race queens and models in magazines geared towards men are rarely anything other than Japanese. Most of the ads or commercials with non-Japanese actors or models are usually meant to be shown in other parts of the world and are very limited. Aside from that, you would have to speak fluent Japanese to work. You would also need to be able to read Japanese fluently as any scripts you would get would be in Japanese. It is not as easy as it may seem. Many western female actors hoping to work in Japan find it even harder than starting a career in NY or LA.