Sessue Hayakawa Silent-Era Heartthrob

Sessue Hayakawa, a Japanese actor who rose to fame in the silent era, became one of the first Hollywood sex symbols and one of the earliest Asian stars to captivate American audiences. As Hollywood repeatedly cast Asians in crude stereotypes, he created his own production company to fight those portrayals and take control of his image on screen. His career eventually earned him an Academy Award nomination. During World War II, he joined the French Resistance and later became a Zen master.

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