Since I started talking about the lack of Asian Americans in mainstream media last week, I thought I'd continue that thread today, because it struck me this week that LOST has a fair number of regular and non-stereotypical Asian characters who have significant roles on network t.v. And if we broaden this category out to include British actors, then there are four prominent Asian characters and Asian (American) actors on the show: Jin & Sun, Sayid (Iraqi but played by Asian-British-Indian actor Naveen Andrews), and today's subject: Ken Leung who playes Miles "he-can-talk-to-dead-people" Straume.
I find Miles to be a fascinating character, perhaps one of my favorite's of the show (I also really liked Charlie--bummer that he had to die). Anyway, it's not surprising that Miles is a character with a lot of charisma, because he is played by Ken Leung, who is an AMAZING actor. In fact, the role of Miles was created around Leung--the producers had seen him in the last season of The Sopranos (a show I never watched--not a single episode) and apparently loved him when he played the mental patient inmate of one of the regulars. So he never had to audition for the role--he was always slated to play Miles, to be Miles. And they created the name "Miles Straume" because they thought it sounded like "malestrom" and they liked the play on words. I have to say, I like that this guy, who is clearly Asian, has this very non-Asian surname. And, of course, once we learn about who his parents are, it adds to the mystery of why he's chosen the last name "Straume."
I think one of the things I appreciate about the character, either how he is written or what Leung brings to the role, is that Miles is in so many ways NOT stereotypical. Certainly not an Asian American or Asian stereotype, which is SO REFRESHING. He doesn't speak with an Asian accent--in fact, neither of his parents do either (they are Lara and Pierre Chang--part of the Dharma initiative--I promise to write about them more later too). And certainly Miles profession--as a spiritualist and con man--is not one I've ever seen on t.v. or film before.
The con man part that I wrote above...I hesitated beause...well, is he? I mean, when we are first introduced to Miles he seems to be ripping off that poor lady about her son. But then, he actually DOES talk to him--he finds his stash of money--he does give her, in some sense, what she was looking for: closure. And in the case of another episode, where he lies to the father and says that he talks to the son and lies about the son knowing his father loved him, well, Miles returns the money to the father--although it's unclear whether he does it because he has as change of heart since he wants to be a good guy OR whether he changes his mind because he wants to reinforce to the Dad that he should've made it clearer to his son while he was alive that he loved him. Anyway, is he a con man? He CAN actually speak to dead people and isn't a total a***hole to his clients (he does give the mother some of the money he take from her son...ok, he's sort've an a***hole). But is he conning them if he CAN actually speak to their deceased loved ones?
Either way, the scenes with Miles on LOST show Leung's real craft and why I love the character of Miles and find Ken Leung such a mesmerizing actor. Really, I give the show's producers props for creating a character who is so three-dimensional, non-stereotypical, and interesting/prominent. He has this kind've sarcastic sensibility--no nonsense. He's funny, but not in a Hurley kind-of-way. He's a strong character, but not because he knows martial arts. And really, don't you just love anyone who can talk to dead people?
Finally, what I'll leave you with this excellent interview with Asian Pacific Arts--Ken Leung and Oliver Wang really seem like they had a fun time talking, and we learn a lot about the show and about Leung--always good to know.
