Funny, I read this a few years ago and have no memories of any of the characters being Asian...or having that be an important aspect of the story. The only Asian related thing I remember is how they'd get their practice early on by playing the NYC Chinatown back alley games...

Interesting! I actually read that the author changed their names from Asian names (i.e. Jeff Ma) to names like "Kevin Lewis" to 'protect their identities.' Definitely worth exploring!

Yeah, he did .. but why not some generic Asian name like "John Lee" (there must a thousand of those)? I just honestly didn't think the original players' ethnicities played a huge role in the story (or at least from what I remember). I do still think there aren't a lot of opportunities for Asians in Hollywood; at the same time, I'd like to see us get to a point where we don't need a storyline that's based on Asians in order to cast Asians. I love seeing things like Lucy Liu in Cashmere Mafia or Sandra Oh in Grey's Anatomy where the role didn't call for any specific ethnicity, yet an Asian got cast in it. That's where we need to be.

I know! I totally agree about there needing to be roles where any ethnicity can jump in and it doesn't have to do with specifically being Asian or Indian or whatever... I just think this movie is a special case since it's presented as a true story. If this movie were about something that I had done, and they cast a white chick to play me, I'd be pissed.

Yeah, at the same time, the fact that the movie was based on a book that changed the main character's name from "Jeff Ma" to "Kevin Fisher" to begin with says that this problem started with the book in the first place. Why not go after the book's author?

I think he's the guy most of the Asian media groups are pissed with. I noticed in the new version of the book, there's an appendix where Ben Mezrich (the author) actually answers the question. He says race isn't central to the story and that at least there are a couple Asians in the movie. But what I don't get is, why not just stick to the actual race of the characters if it's a true story? I feel like it's especially important with minorities. Also, I've read that some of the blackjack players did feel like their race was relevant because it allowed them to go under the radar of the casinos as 'harmless.'

I don't disagree with the thought of "why not just stick with the race of Jeff Ma" in the book (hence, my John Lee comment above). And what's up with Jeff Ma's comment in USA Today -- "Ma said in USA Today that he would have been ‘more insulted if they had chosen someone who was Japanese or Korean, just to have an Asian playing me.'" Double standard?

Yeah, I read that! Apparently he's getting a lot of flack too... The whole thing is so convoluted.