Actors switching between main and villian roles

[fallenangel12345]

So I have been watching lakorns for years now and one thing I have noticed that Thai lakorns do not seem to favor role diversity at all. Some actors and actresses were casted in the main roles and continued to act in those roles like forever while supporting actors/actresses hardly got the chance to be promoted. In some cases, if the lakorns weren't popular enough, the main leads got "demoted" into supporting roles. Why is this allowed? An actor/actress should not be limited to any kind of role, instead they should fulfill any role they are suitable/given. I know CHANGE2561 are working to change that with the Club Friday Series (no pun intended), but the representation doesn't seem to be enough. I believe Thai entertainment industry should allow more opportunities for supporting actors/actresses to play lead and main leads to play supporting/villian roles. What do you guys think about this?

 

[nat12]

All of the following is purely my opinion, based on observation from having watched Thai dramas for years too.

Because lakorn is a template - so it must have p’ek, n’ek, and rai roles. So whatever script or characters, they must be slotted in these roles. To me, this is the biggest contributor to the lack of diversity in Thai dramas. Because all scripts must fit in this lakorn format, it is very limiting. No matter how some producers try to change, in the end they stick to this basic format. Which is why we have also gotten so many which seem to start out promising, but halfway descend to the typical annoying lakorn plot nonsense.

Thai actors/audience themselves differentiate dramas this way. e.g. Sunny has specifically stated he would act in drama series, not lakorn. Series - dramas with no such clear cut roles like those in lakorn. Basically most Thai dramas I see on Netflix from GMM or True.

The industry also has a hierarchical view of actors based on their status as p’ek/n’ek and supporting roles. For example, supporting or rai roles is viewed as a downgrade, while p’ek/n’ek status is viewed as the holy grail which all actors seek to attain. The truth is for most good actors, they would just want good roles. Because there can be supporting characters that are more memorable compared to lead characters, but lakorn format would not enable that.

Regarding actor choice for lead roles, channel/production company politics also play a part. Connections help a lot. Just see how Ae Supachai managed to launch so many of the current stars in the industry. And channels like Ch3 also enable this when they simply pick artists with huge fan bases for lead roles, rather than using a casting/audition process to find the most suitable actors for roles.

If we use the American context as examples, lakorn = soap operas, unlike series which are like regular dramas. And today’s viewers want to watch dramas, but the Thai channels are stuck in lakorn but don’t seem to want or know how to evolve.

Entertainment industry in every country has their issues. This is just my opinion on what’s happening in the Thai one.

 

[spanky]

So I have been watching lakorns for years now and one thing I have noticed that Thai lakorns do not seem to favor role diversity at all. Some actors and actresses were casted in the main roles and continued to act in those roles like forever while supporting actors/actresses hardly got the chance to be promoted. In some cases, if the lakorns weren't popular enough, the main leads got "demoted" into supporting roles. Why is this allowed? An actor/actress should not be limited to any kind of role, instead they should fulfill any role they are suitable/given. I know CHANGE2561 are working to change that with the Club Friday Series (no pun intended), but the representation doesn't seem to be enough. I believe Thai entertainment industry should allow more opportunities for supporting actors/actresses to play lead and main leads to play supporting/villian roles. What do you guys think about this?

I also been watching lakorns for years. Since I was little.

The main ch...3 and 7... does not do versatile roles for the "main" leads. There is some Interchangeable but it is still a downgrade. Favoritism.

GmmTv and one31 does better with versatile roles....although they do have their "hierarchy " of valued actors.

1 of my favorite is Namtarn Tipnaree. She has played many versatile role. Villian, which she killed at. She played a grey character. She did a few good character (simple/sweet). She only had a few NK roles....some are ensemble Cast.

I see many range from her....I need more....I want to see her in actions....I know she kills those spicy roles....soo...I need her to do more of the other roles

OneHd does ok with that..
.but they need to balance it better like C or K series

 

[byebye]

Thai industry is stuck with their original format because that's what they know and are comfortable with...it's like their baby and they have no clue how to part with it and move on. Even if the baby grew up, they still see their original work as that.

I think the one person that managed to overcome the shadow of such label is Ploy Cherman. She has switched up from being rai and n'ek without being held back. Honestly, if an actress/actor has enough clout in the industry, I don't see a reason why they can't be playing a meaningful supporting. Your status wouldn't drop by accepting something good and challenging. I feel Thai industry as a whole is more of a face value one. Where they love to separate the supporting from the main leads. And with that, those good supporting artists find it harder to move out of that circle. It was never about talent and dedication, it's based on looks and connections. Even if the roles are not suitable for some, it doesn't matter. Once you get the n'ek/pra'ek status tag to you...you have a better chance of continuing in the position.

 

[*DramaCuties*]

I think everyone already said it. Thai industry are stuck with certain format that in the end will only give a lot cons rather than pros (for the industry & the celeb). Im sure there are pek/nek who are ok with supporting role but the higher up didn't allow them to do it (especially if they are popular), mostly because like some here already said it was seen as being a downgrade. I don't think these channel are brave enough to do trial and error to see what will happen if they let their actor accept any role they want to do. While on the other hand there are a lot actor/actress who only stuck as supporting role and never got a chance to become lead actor/actress.

However, if talking about competition, whether we like it or not, it is unavoidable. Entertainment industry no matter from where are all the same -- very competitive & ruthless. Even if we are mad with favoritism and advantages that been given to some celeb, it just cant be help. It means their management/manager know how to market their celeb, etc. It is a business after all. Im sure if given a chance everyone also want to have better manager, better position in the industry, better role in a drama, etc.

 

[nat12]

Thai industry is stuck with their original format because that's what they know and are comfortable with...it's like their baby and they have no clue how to part with it and move on. Even if the baby grew up, they still see their original work as that.

I think the one person that managed to overcome the shadow of such label is Ploy Cherman. She has switched up from being rai and n'ek without being held back. Honestly, if an actress/actor has enough clout in the industry, I don't see a reason why they can't be playing a meaningful supporting. Your status wouldn't drop by accepting something good and challenging.

Totally agree with you! They don’t know how to move on from the format, and that’s sad.

It’s a bit of chicken & egg situation too. I’m sure there current lead actors/actresses who have would not mind being in supporting roles, but only if the roles are good. But in lakorn, supporting roles are rarely substantial. They are often just fillers for the lakorn, and one-dimensional. Lead roles in lakorn are the best written, so even for serious talented actors, they would want p’ek/n’ek roles because that’s where the challenge is.

Ploy Chermarn is a good example of a versatile actress. But she has also recently reiterated that she has stopped acting in lakorn. For the reason we have discussed at length before - lakorn has not progressed, and she is tired of that.

 

[spanky]

Totally agree with you! They don’t know how to move on from the format, and that’s sad.

It’s a bit of chicken & egg situation too. I’m sure there current lead actors/actresses who have would not mind being in supporting roles, but only if the roles are good. But in lakorn, supporting roles are rarely substantial. They are often just fillers for the lakorn, and one-dimensional. Lead roles in lakorn are the best written, so even for serious talented actors, they would want p’ek/n’ek roles because that’s where the challenge is.

Ploy Chermarn is a good example of a versatile actress. But she has also recently reiterated that she has stopped acting in lakorn. For the reason we have discussed at length before - lakorn has not progressed, and she is tired of that.

Gmmtv let their actors portray different versatile role....majority of the actors are main and supporting ......ensemble cast

 

[nat12]

Gmmtv let their actors portray different versatile role....majority of the actors are main and supporting ......ensemble cast

That’s why GMMTV might claim they don’t produce lakorn, they do series.

 

[spanky]

That’s why GMMTV might claim they don’t produce lakorn, they do series.

I feel it is a thin line...Interchangeable.

Prang has played support and lead...Toey....(had an rai role)...kao S.

There is a few Interchangeable actors...very few

OneHd - bee namthip ...

Again few....ch7 and ch3 is the least progressive

 

[fallenangel12345]

Couldn't agree with you guys more! It is interesting that you guys mentioned the script and I have come to the realization that it is true that the scriptwriters themselves do not give the attention to the supporting characters at all. When has been the last time we ever saw a prominent supporting character that could outshine the lead?

Also, one thing that I have found to be intriguing is that even though supporting roles are often one-dimensional, their actors/actresses who portray them were rarely typecasted (except the nang'rai role). So supporting actors tend to be more versatile because each role they act usually have distinct personality. Take Nok Usanee as an example. She played the pity, naive and miserable sister in Reun Sorn Ruk so well, yet she managed to pull off a two-timing b@tch so convincingly in Puean Paeng.

 

[nat12]

Couldn't agree with you guys more! It is interesting that you guys mentioned the script and I have come to the realization that it is true that the scriptwriters themselves do not give the attention to the supporting characters at all. When has been the last time we ever saw a prominent supporting character that could outshine the lead?

Honestly, almost each time when I saw Pope in supporting, I thought he could at least match if not outshine the lead, hahaha. Except for Game Rai Game Rak where his character was meh.

But seriously due to the lakorn structure, if supporting roles get more time compared to lead roles, fans would complain too. The script and direction needs to be done in such a way that supporting roles have strong function within the scripts, and they can sustain audience’s attention, but the leads will still have most of the scenes. Characters need to be more complex. And of course, scripts need to be more complex. How many different ways can you write about revenge over past wrongs, cheating and adultery? If you watch lakorn, this seems to be characters’ main motivations 80% of the time.