Trailglazing: The Cleaning Lady Features First Cambodian Lead That Doesn’t Own a Donut Shop
Donut want to perpetuate any stereotypes!
February 23, 2022
By: K. Cheng
FOX Network – known for its trailblazing diversity – has a new hit on the air: The Cleaning Lady. Elodie Yung, an actress of Cambodian descent, plays the show’s main character, Thony. Thony is a doctor who immigrates from Cambodia to the US and must work as a clearing lady to pay for her son’s medical bills. After witnessing a mafia-ordered murder and threatened into clearning up the aftermath, Thony becomes increasingly entangled in organized crime and coerced into housekeeping for mobsters. The plot twist: nowhere on her resume does it list, “Owner of Sam’s Donuts.”
As far as Cambodian representation in mainstream media goes, the lack of stereotyping is a surprisingly sweet treat for viewers. Cambodians are often type-casted as donut shop owners, but the writers of the Cleaning Lady sprinkle in a rich backstory that makes Thony a hole character.
“I donut want to perpetuate any stereotypes,” said Yung. “When showrunners try to put Cambodians into a pink box, it’s just glazy writing and really old fashioned. I’ve always been jelly of actresses that get to portray complex characters.” Yung’s casting as the lead is also significant. Besides Elodie Yung and Angelina Jolie, few Cambodian actresses have played lead roles.
For anyone that still watches network TV, you can watch the Cleaning Lady on FOX at 9/8c. Or for normal human beings, whenever you want on Hulu.
