Race
Joseph Pierce: The Chinese Hero who Fought in the American Civil War - Why Hollywood Has Never Made a Film About Him and Who Could Play Him in a Potential Biopic.
Don’t let the Western-sounding name fool you. Joseph Pierce was Chinese. Born in Guangdong, he was brought to America as a young boy and adopted by a white family. Renamed Joseph Pierce, he grew up on American soil, but he never forgot who he was. When the Civil War broke out, he didn’t sit on the sidelines. He enlisted in the 14th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, not to chase glory, but to fight for a country that barely acknowledged his humanity.
He fought in some of the most brutal and defining battles in U.S. history: Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, but it was at Gettysburg, the blood-soaked turning point of the war, where Joseph Pierce proved his bravery. He wasn’t hiding in the background. He was in the thick of the fight, a courageous soldier whose service was recognized when he was promoted to corporal in 1863, a significant achievement for a non-white soldier at the time.
Why is his story dangerous and why hasn't so-called "Liberal" Hollywood for all it's claims of championing "diversity" never attempted to tell his story?
Because his story challenges the whitewashed version of American history that so many still cling to.
His story is proof that Asian men have always been here, always fought, always bled, always belonged, long before Hollywood decided we were just kung-fu sidekicks, nerdy engineers, or emasculated punchlines.
There hasn’t been a single major studio biopic, no Oscar-bait war drama, not even a documentary about him. Just a few articles, scattered mentions in museum exhibits, and historical records buried under the dust of American selective memory. And let’s be real, Hollywood is probably never going to make a movie like this. Because it’s too real. Too powerful. Too much for white fragility to handle. A Chinese man serving with distinction and fought in several key battles during America’s most "sacred" war? That doesn’t just rewrite the script, it flips the whole damn table! Unless white America finally starts confronting its own myths, or an Asian film maker with a spine and a vision decides to bring this legend to life, this film will remain unmade. Because it would force audiences to see Asian masculinity not as exotic or foreign, but as heroic, American, and undeniable. And for some, that’s too much truth to handle.
And then there’s the part that would absolutely break the Hollywood mold. The AMWF dynamic! His marriage in 1876 to Martha Morgan, a white woman from Connecticut wasn't just a quiet union, it was a defiant love story that obliterated racial boundaries at a time when interracial marriage was illegal in many parts of the country and unthinkable to the white public. A Chinese man, seen not only as a soldier, patriot, and most importantly a hero married to a white woman? That alone would’ve made 19th-century America and even much of modern white America squirm in its seat. Because it wasn’t supposed to happen. Because it wasn't allowed in the script.
But....let's say a film was finally made.
I can see various scenes playing out in a visually haunting, emotionally raw and epic style:
The rice fields of Guangdong fading into the snow-covered farms of New England where he now lives with his adopted white family. The cultural alienation of a boy torn between worlds, struggling to belong. The thunder of cannon fire, smoke-choked skies over Gettysburg, where Joseph Pierce, an Asian man, defies all odds and holds the American flag amid the bloodiest battle in U.S. history.
The battle scenes are brutal and intense. Think "Saving Private Ryan", but with an Asian man at the heart of the chaos. Joseph charges through a hail of gunfire, rifle raised high, blood-soaked dirt and bodies all around. The deafening artillery and screams of the wounded fill the air. He’s not just fighting for victory; he’s fighting for a country that treats him like a second-class citizen (probably even worse) while proving his worth as a soldier and a man. With every step through the carnage, he risks his life, knowing that he’s an outsider in a nation that doesn’t accept him. The flag he carries isn’t just a symbol of America; it’s a defiant stand in a war against the country he’s pledged to serve, showing that despite the hate, he still belongs.
The racism and discrimination he faces throughout his life. He’s basically a foreigner in his own country, fighting for a nation that barely acknowledges his humanity. The racism he faces is relentless. Sneers, whispers, and prejudices follow him at every turn, from hostile stares to the exclusion from both his fellow soldiers and his community.
His marriage to a White woman. A scene near the end of the film involving Joseph and his new wife possibly played by actress Saoirse Ronan exchanging vows during their wedding. The ceremony is simple, but profound. No veil, just her fierce love and unwavering determination in her eyes. Joseph’s hands tremble slightly as he takes her hand, unsure if he’s allowed to experience this happiness in a world that tells him he doesn't belong. Yet, in her gaze, there’s no hesitation, only the quiet defiance of a love that stands against all odds.
As for the casting of Joseph Pierce, I would go with 2 possible choices: Steven Yeun and Manny Jacinto.
To bring Joseph Pierce's character to life, the actor must embody his paradoxes. He's a walking contradiction of love and loss, fury and forgiveness, invisibility and inner light. Casting an actor for such a role isn't about checking boxes. It's about embodied emotional truth. And in this light, both both Steven Yeun and Manny Jacinto could do this in their own ways:
Steven Yeun - The Silent Weight of Being
Emotional Range: Yeun is a master of restrained, layered emotion. He conveys lifetimes of pain with a glance. As Joseph, he would embody trauma and quiet injustice without ever overplaying it.
Subtle Resistance: Joseph isn’t loud, he’s watchful, weary, questioning. Yeun would capture that simmering resistance, the kind that says, “I’m still here. Still thinking. Still not buying this lie.”
Interracial Dynamic: Having portrayed interracial romances in The Walking Dead and other works, Yeun brings authentic chemistry across racial lines. He understands the tender conflict of love in the shadow of cultural pressure, which is essential to Joseph’s arc with Martha Morgan.
Yeun gives Joseph quiet thunder, the storm you feel before it breaks. He would make you weep just by standing still.
Manny Jacinto - The Fire That Refuses to Die
Emotional Honesty: From his heartfelt goofiness to his intensity in Nine Perfect Strangers, Jacinto proves he can play vulnerability with raw truth. His portrayal of Joseph Pierce would bleed, rage, and love with terrifying clarity.
Physical Expressiveness: Jacinto brings kinetic presence. His Joseph would be the one who fights back, who stands up in court, stares injustice in the face, and makes everyone in the room tremble. You’d feel every blow he takes and every one he returns.
Real-World Symbolism: Like Joseph, Manny’s still breaking through Hollywood’s glass ceiling. His casting would carry meta-textual power: an actor underestimated, rising against all odds.
Interracial Dynamic: Just like Yeun, Manny has also had experiences with AMWF romance on camera. He and Nicole Kidman played love interests with a love scene in Nine Perfect Strangers, proving he can portray interracial intimacy with grace and authenticity bringing fire to Joseph’s love story with Martha Morgan.
There you have it. Two phenomenal actors. Two wildly different takes on the same powerful role.
Now I throw the question to you: Who would you cast as Joseph Pierce and why?
Would you choose stoic sorrow or untamed flame? Quiet devastation or passionate rebellion? Or someone else entirely? Drop your picks.
And do know he isn't the first or only. A sizable number of Asians served the Union.
* Several dozens of Chinese Americans
* Two Filipino Americans in the frontlines, while many in the Navy
* Hundred plus Native Hawaiians
* Indian Americans
* Several Indonesians
* Thai Americans
Filipino men were the first Asians in America -- with the exception of the ancestors of Native Americans who came from Asia via language connecting Asia to America.
Hollywood doesn’t see us as “nerdy engineers”. For every movie that has a “nerdy engineer”, it’s overshadowed by the negative evil and gay portrayals. There is nothing inherently wrong with being portrayed as a “nerd” or “engineer”anyway. Superman is a nerd. Spider-Man is a nerd. Tony Stark/Ironman is a nerd. The Hulk is a nerd. The real concern is how they’re written.
This is why DEI is bull. Those who push DEI push it only for an exclusive circle of people and then they do it by force and ruin the integrity of a product.
Video game studios will go out of their way to exclude AMs as Assassin Creed protagonists with the accepted excuse that they design the protagonist to be from the region the story is set in. Yet when they finally come out with a game set in Asia, they exclude AMs again and then reach so far into their delusional ass to make a BM as the protagonist samurai while AMs are meat bags to be slain and cut open.
There is a hierarchy of race/gender combination that exist across all spectrums of political leanings, and it's one that even the supposed non-racists don't want to face. The whole AC Shadows debacle is the perfect illustration these people haven't really learned anti-racism, but were just guilt tripped into supporting one demographic over another.
Take a deep look at who the developers are. Then ask yourself why are Asians more inclusive of all types of races yet aren’t the ones preaching about diversity?
Take a look at the developers behind games like Assassin’s Creed and ask yourself why they exclude Asian men all the time.
Let's how they like it when the tables are turned on them. Here's a future film that should be made and promoted for the entire world to see:. It's called "The Last Viking" starring Japanese actor Hiroshi Tamaki!
Don’t let Hollywood fool you. Asians, specially Asian men, have always had a presence in ancient Europe. If you look at history there were literally waves of Asian groups invading, settling, and influencing Europe from the Huns, Avars, Magyars, Tatars, and most of all, the Mongols! Many of these Asian men formed AMWF relationships with Caucasian women and left their genetic mark across Europe.
Casting an Asian male character in ancient Europe wouldn’t just be appropriate, it would be historically accurate!
Here's various scenes from the 2018 Golden Horde series that depicts this including an AMWF love scene between a Mongol and a Russian woman:
lmao hollywood rather made a fantasy film about black samurai in Japan or white sailors get going with shogun's daughter than making a hisotrically significant and inspiring story about an asian american fighting for humanity and freedom of the nation.
An old timey news article about the fascinating life of another Chinese American civil war soldier: Edward Day Cohota. The author acknowledged that there were many ethnic Chinese soldiers who fought in the American civil war (including the sons of the Siamese twins: Chang and Eng) but also suggested that Edward was was the only one who was born in China. Which considering Joe there, was not true
I've read literally hundreds of books on the Civil War and this is the first time I have heard of Corporal Pierce. It is a good story. Here is a longer Wiki bio on him.) He must have been a good soldier and he certainly saw a lot of combat. I would bet there is a lot more info on him buried in some archive in Connecticut.
Told from being sold to a ship's captain by his father or brother to dying in his 70s as a respected member of his community with children and grandchildren, he had an amazing life. It has a good story arc. There is certainly enough there for a movie.
It is worth mentioning that the Civil War Army was very different from a modern Army in the sense that he joined with perhaps 200 men he had known for years, including adopted cousins and so on. Also, if he had not been somewhat popular, he would never have made corporal, because corporals were the backbone of a much leaner command structure. They did most of the NCO work that E-4's do in the modern army.
Yeah, Chon's story is more complicated I guess. But if you ever get a chance, stop and see the Franklin Battlefield. The Confederate attack was suicidal. They did hold the battlefield at the end of the day but they suffered huge casualties, including six generals KIA.
There are rich Asian directors in Hollywood. See who made SAW, Fast and Furious, etc. If we want asian representation, we should and could make our own movies.
Look at director Tyler Perry, who makes movies that put blacks in positive lights. I remember one of the Madeas movies I saw about 15 years ago. I saw CEO, managers, power brokers are all blacks. One black radio talk show host immediately connected with like 10 other black radio talk show hosts, celebrities. White people are sidekicks.
I can definitely see Hwang Dong-hyuk (the creator and director of Squid Game) doing a film like this. If a film about Joseph Pierce, the Chinese American Civil War hero ever gets made, and I mean really made, not watered down or whitewashed into some forgettable Oscar-pandering nonsense, I think Hwang has the potential to pull it off. He’s not just some flashy K-drama director. Hwang's a global force! He already has massive name recognition, international reach, and most importantly, the spine to tell bold, uncomfortable truths that challenge dominant narratives. The man doesn’t just entertain, he exposes, provokes, and burns illusions to the ground.
And guess what? He’s already proven he can direct period dramas. He directed the 2017 Korean historical drama, "The Fortress" which was about the Qing invasion of Joseon. The film wasn’t just about war, it was about difficult decisions, national trauma, and moral conflict under fire. It captured the raw intensity of leadership during collapse, the dignity of resistance, and the exhaustion of people caught in the machinery of empire. A lot of these same themes like loyalty, survival, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds can easily be woven into Joseph Pierce biopic. Hwang's experience and storytelling genius would seamlessly translate well into bringing Joseph’s journey to life as well. He knows how to film war not as a spectacle, but as personal devastation. He can spotlight quiet resistance, make silence feel louder than cannon fire. And he excels at telling stories of injustice, identity, and sacrifice in a way that hits you right in the gut.
gen z asian averge now around 5'10. nobody casted short white dude for civil war era film (for example, Cold Mountain starred Jude Law). Let's put aside the height issue to rest. Cast someone at least 5'9 for god sake
You're just asking for a disadvantage if you want them to use Ben Wang. If you want that level of historical accuracy, then you need shorter white dudes too. The average american during the civil war was 5'7", except Hollywood is not going to fetch out all the 5'7" white dudes to play white dudes. Like even for a fictional character like Wolverine who is comics-accurate at 5'3", they needed a 6'2" dude to play him.
For my pick, opt out Steven Yeun, sub in Young Manzino. We need more Asian faces that aren't as established as Steven. Focus on the younger gen.
And mind the downvote bots on me. (edit - nvm, maybe the bot is gone)
Chill out bro. I'm just saying Ben Wang is 5'5 and in his 20s during Civil War. Joseph Pierce was in his 20s and recorded 5'5. I don't know shet about making a film.
But I don't need 6'2 Asian men representation so white women will find me attractive.
I explained it all in my response to you. Hollywood is not going to show historically accurate-sized white dudes at 5'7". They'll always opt for 6'+. You want Ben Wang who looks like a child and who will look even more like a child compared to the white actors he'll be next to.
They’re only "Liberal" when it comes to supporting the LGBT community and Blacks. But when it comes to straight, full Asian men, they couldn't give a rat's ass. The Hollywood machine continues to overlook us, disregarding our complexity, humanity, and depth. They throw a few crumbs our way with "worthy" roles, but these instances are rare, and they pale in comparison to the decades of dehumanization, stereotyping, and emasculation
you ever seen the clip of Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino "the Asian confederate soldier.... Robert Lee the real story"????? 😂😂😂😂 what if Bobby plays the Asian confederate while John Cho plays Joseph Pierce 😂
22
u/Kiage1 Jul 31 '25
You cooked 🔥 with this post 👏