The New York Times reported on February 1 that the film “Memoirs of a Geisha” will be officially banned in China. The film sparked controversy and outrage when Chinese actresses Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh were cast as Japanese prostitutes during World War II when the Japanese committed numerous war crimes against the Chinese. The film is about a woman growing up in poor conditions and rising to become one of Japan’s most distinguished geishas. Movie studio bosses were displeased with the decision reached in China as it denied their attempt to make a few more dollars abroad.

Memoirs of a Geisha,” labeled as “a movie about Japanese played by Chinese, written by whites,” was first delayed, then forced to be censored for a sex scene, delayed once again, and now banned. For whatever reasons the Chinese government banned this film, it doesn’t surpass the obvious reason for the studio’s decision in casting: money. Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh broke into Hollywood with 1999’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” That film became the first foreign film to gross over $100 million domestically and first foreign film to receive the most Oscar nominations, totaling ten and winning four. Li received her spotlight in 1991’s “Raise the Red Lantern.” From this star power, Zhang, Li and Yeoh, along with their talent, are able to attract audiences here and abroad. The entire intent of any film, regardless of its artistic content, is to make money. You can voice your opinion in pursuit of a just cause, so simply realize this is the reality we live in, and the nature of the business.

I’m not suggesting there aren’t Japanese actresses that would or can equal Zhang’s, Yeoh’s and Li’s stature and talent, I’m merely suggesting if there were, and the studio would’ve cast them long ago. I doubt the studio purposely cast Chinese and Malaysian actresses in Japanese roles simply to upset audiences. What financial benefits would they stand to gain if that were the case?

My confusion and questions rise when people are so concerned about political and ethnical correctness about a period piece: what about the fact that a Caucasian (Rob Marshall) is sitting in the director’s chair? What about the author (Arthur Golden) of the novel, who is Caucasian? And most of all, do people find the entire dialog in English in a Japanese period piece upsetting?

This isn’t a rarity in Hollywood. We’ve seen many Caucasian actors and actresses play respective roles in which the nationality was different from their own. For example, Colin Farrell, of Irish descent, played an Englishman Captain John Smith in “The New World” or even a Macedonian/ Greek in “Alexander.” Respect the studio and filmmakers’ courage to fund and promote a mainstream Hollywood film with an all Asian cast. Now that’s a rarity in Hollywood.