Meghan Markle criticizes Hollywood for using 'Dragon Lady' stereotype in first podcast since the queen's death
Markle's podcast 'Archetypes' returns following the death of Queen Elizabeth II
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meghan Markle called out Hollywood for stereotyping Asian women in her latest podcast episode.
Markle spoke to actress Margaret Cho and broadcast journalist Lisa Ling about how the media portrayal of the "Dragon Lady" has affected Asian women in real life in the fourth episode of "Archetypes."
The Spotify podcast returned after a brief hiatus due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles III and other senior royals have also returned to work following a royal mourning period.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meghan Markle paused her podcast "Archetypes" during the royal mourning period following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images)
"Movies like Austin Powers and Kill Bill – they presented these caricatures of women of Asian descent as oversexualized or aggressive," the Duchess of Sussex said.
Markle also noted she has seen "many" other examples in Hollywood.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This toxic stereotyping of women of Asian descent… this doesn't just end once the credits roll," she continued.
Both Ling and Cho spoke to Markle about the lack of Asian representation on screen.
MEGHAN MARKLE'S ‘ARCHETYPES’ PODCAST SLATED FOR BIG RETURN, MOURNING PERIOD FOR THE QUEEN IS OVER
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meghan Markle spoke to comedian Margaret Cho and broadcast journalist Lisa Ling for episode four of "Archetypes." (Getty Images)
"To be honest with you, the reason why I pursued broadcast journalism at all was because growing up, it's the only path that I thought was available to me. I was someone who grew up in a broken home," Ling explained.
"My parents were divorced when I was 7, and the television was always on in my home. It was like my favorite babysitter. And I used to have these fantasies of, of being part of it somehow, because I thought, if I can get on TV, maybe I, I will have a better life one day. But no one looked remotely like me on TV except for Connie Chung."
Cho admitted she felt frustrated growing up without proper representation in movies.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I never saw Asian people in them, and so I never felt visible. I never felt seen anywhere. And then later, I guess, I started to go into silent films, and I started to realize, ‘Oh, this is actually like an archetype, this archetype of the Dragon Lady,’" the stand-up comedian told Markle.
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The "30 Rock" actress also spoke candidly about the "Dragon Lady" stereotype," which she said stems from the "fantasy of Orientalism."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's similar to the femme fatale… a woman who is beautiful and deadly. Because we can't just be beautiful. We have to have, like it has to come at a cost and it's kind of like, evil queen adjacent. But it's also so pinned to this idea that Asianness is an inherent threat. That our foreignness is somehow ‘gonna getcha,’" Cho said.
She added: "The mystery and the exoticism of it is part of it. And unfortunately, that trope has really stuck to film, but also to Asian-American women or Asian women."
Markle launched "Archetypes" on August 23. Her podcast series, which features conversations between the actress and cultural commentators, historians, and contemporary thinkers, kicked off with guest Serena Williams.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The first episode of "Archetypes," which was released on Aug. 23, featured a conversation with tennis great Serena Williams. (Spotify)
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Unlike previous episodes, Markle did not reveal the guest for next week's podcast episode.