11 replies to this topic

[WhatMeWorry?]

I have never been certain about Severine's ethnicity in the film. Is she supposed to be Chinese/Asain, or is she European?

 

Also, is the heavy eye make-up she wears throughout the film supposed to give her Asian eyes? If so, that really surprises me considering how old fashioned and dated that practice is. It reminds me of old 50's-60's in which nearly all Asians where portrayed by white actors with dark make-up on the outside edge of their eyes, and even western films in which white people painted their skin brown to play Native Americans. Even Zena Marshall as Miss Taro in Dr. No.

[Dustin]

At a guess I'd say she is perhaps supposed to be 'Eurasian' without a need to be more specific about it. Her background as a probable triad sex slave - remember the tattoo - makes that a possibility. Not that it matters in the end.

[stromberg]

I have never been certain about Severine's ethnicity in the film. Is she supposed to be Chinese/Asain, or is she European?
 
Also, is the heavy eye make-up she wears throughout the film supposed to give her Asian eyes? If so, that really surprises me considering how old fashioned and dated that practice is. It reminds me of old 50's-60's in which nearly all Asians where portrayed by white actors with dark make-up on the outside edge of their eyes, and even western films in which white people painted their skin brown to play Native Americans. Even Zena Marshall as Miss Taro in Dr. No.

Not certain if the use of eye make-up is necessary to give her "asian eyes": her father is half Chinese, half Cambodian, her mother is French. And I guess that the Sévérine character's ethnicity is supposed to be something like that.

Look at this picture for example: not much make-up on her eyes, but she still looks asian:

[Professor Pi]

Wow!  Thanks, Stromberg.  That's a beautiful picture.

[Professor Pi]

Here's another.

 

[MkB]

She has a strong French accent, so presumably she's not supposed to be Chinese in the film. 

 

And I did not feel the make up made her look more Asian. Actually, I don't really find her Asian-looking, at first look I would not have noted  signs of Asian origins. She looks very French to me. 

[WhatMeWorry?]

Not certain if the use of eye make-up is necessary to give her "asian eyes": her father is half Chinese, half Cambodian, her mother is French. And I guess that the Sévérine character's ethnicity is supposed to be something like that.

 

Ahhh, that makes sense.

[Mallory]

 

Not certain if the use of eye make-up is necessary to give her "asian eyes": her father is half Chinese, half Cambodian, her mother is French. And I guess that the Sévérine character's ethnicity is supposed to be something like that.

 

Ahhh, that makes sense.

 

You guys have to stop thinking it is the 60's!

Edited by Mallory, 21 January 2013 - 03:48 AM.

[seawolfnyy]

My thought was that Sévérine's background was similar to Berenice's in that she is of French and East Asian descent.

[thecasinoroyale]

I reckon from lots of research into Berenice Lim Marlohe herself and her character work, that Severine, as you all say, is half-Asian, half-European.

 

Playing on Berenice's native tongue to give her a backstory being half-European, but working with the plot and locale of Serverine to give her the half-Asian side too.

 

Works very well, but as you say it doesn't need explaining too much or affect the narrative. A wonderul performance though, may I add.

[Mallory]

Severine was a sex slave so that's some background there. 

[thecasinoroyale]

*sigh*

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, lost myself in thought there.

 

 

 

 

 

It was such a good backstory, could have made her character more interesting if Bond had more time with her to try and free her maybe, or something like that? She had a lot of mystery to her we sadly didn't see more of, or a resolve.