[post_page_title]Mickey Rooney – Mr. Yunioshi (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)[/post_page_title]
Any film buff knew this was coming, but you can’t really discuss casting white actors in non-white roles without mentioning Mickey Rooney’s role as Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The 1961 romcom starring Audrey Hepburn is still widely regarded as a stone cold classic, and perhaps rightfully so, but Rooney’s part can’t be ignored.
Playing Hepburn’s pushy Japanese landlord, complete with yellowface, taped eyelids, and fake buckteeth, the Irish-American Rooney employs an awful stereotypical accent as well. While Rooney has defend his portrayal for four decades (before finally sort-of apologizing), the movie’s studio bundled a documentary about racist characters in Hollywood with the film’s DVD re-release.
