In 'Flavor of the Month,' Nathan Xia addresses issues of stereotypical casting.

      Recently, Nathan Xia had an opportunity to audition for a major franchise that was looking for an Asian American actor skilled in martial arts, and he fully engaged in the process.

      Although he did not land the role, he ended up creating a captivating, impactful short film based on the experience. "Flavor of the Month" is a clever and darkly humorous film centered around a young actor named Harrison Huang (portrayed by Xia) who becomes embroiled in a fiercely competitive challenge to become the next prominent Asian American lead.

      This competition is particularly serious, given Hollywood's scarcity of Asian American leads, and Huang faces an identity crisis similar to one Xia has encountered in his own life.

      As a musician and filmmaker, Xia is a charismatic artist and adept creator, known for blending intricate ideas with easily accessible narratives. The film has recently been featured by Short of the Week, and you can view it above or here.

      We first encountered "Flavor of the Month" at the Ouray International Film Festival, which is among our 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, where I had the honor of being on the jury that named him a Filmmaker to Watch. We spoke with him about tropes, becoming an actor out of necessity, and how music has shaped his storytelling skills.

      **“Flavor of the Month” writer, director, and star Nathan Xia**

      **MovieMaker:** How did the concept for this film come about? To what extent does it mirror your own experiences as an actor auditioning?

      **Nathan Xia:** A couple of years ago, I awoke to an audition request for the leading role in a major blockbuster. Being a fan of the franchise while growing up, landing this role felt like a dream come true. I gave it my all, submitted my tape, and hoped for a positive response, alongside countless other Asian actors.

      Initially, I didn’t expect much, but a few weeks later, the producers actually called me back for a chemistry read, and then eventually, I received those two coveted words that many actors would go to great lengths to hear: screen test. For an entire week, I attended rehearsals, martial arts training, and director sessions at the studio lot. It was thrilling.

      As the day of the test drew closer, I felt invincible. No one could take this away from me; I had to secure this role. Deep down, I feared there wouldn't be another opportunity like this for quite some time. Though Asian markets might be trending now, how long would it last before "the powers that be" decided to focus on the next minority? As a filmmaker, I have consistently advocated for Asian American representation, but in that moment, I was focused more on my own individual representation. Forget everyone else—I was “the best Asian guy.” The role belonged to me.

      In the end, I did not get the part. When I received the news, I was crushed… for a day. Then, I promptly recognized my own hypocrisy and was compelled to introspect. For years, I have participated in panels, engaged in Q&As at festivals, and discussed the significance of Asian American representation in film. Yet, when faced with a transformative opportunity, I shifted to the mindset of “Forget these guys; I’m the best Asian.” This sparked a profound question: what should you do when your values conflict with your ambitions?

      This ultimately inspired me to create "Flavor of the Month," a dark comedy that delves into the absurdities of representation politics in contemporary Hollywood. Through the experiences of a Chinese American actor named Harrison Huang, the film tackles themes of performative activism, virtue signaling, and internalized racial inferiority.

      **MovieMaker:** After watching the casting process portrayed in your film, I wondered: Does Hollywood inherently expect that Asian men have a martial arts background?

      **Nathan Xia:** Absolutely—each minority group in Hollywood is often associated with certain tropes they are expected to embody. This is why, as a filmmaker, I feel both the opportunity and the responsibility to create characters that subvert outdated archetypes and expose the deeper humanity within these communities. I draw inspiration from filmmakers like Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, Alexandra Qin, and Pranav Phasin, who effectively advocate for underrepresented groups in their works, adding complexity and empathy to their communities.

      **MovieMaker:** As an actor, writer, and director, which role did you pursue first, and how did that lead to your other endeavors?

      **Nathan Xia:** I began as a filmmaker, writing and directing short films for several years, but often faced challenges casting my projects. Because film is a deeply autobiographical medium, I naturally infused my stories with a very specific Chinese-American perspective. However, the limited availability of East Asian male actors compelled me to act in my own films out of necessity, thereby inadvertently launching my acting career. The first time I performed was in my semi-viral short film, "Goodnight America," featuring Xolo Maridue