A new biography tells the story of a South Asian Hollywood star who passed as white

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: A Deep Dive into "Love Queenie" by Mayuk Sen

Podcast Information:

• Title: NPR's Book of the Day
• Host: Andrew Limbong
• Episode: A New Biography Tells the Story of a South Asian Hollywood Star Who Passed as White
• Release Date: March 20, 2025

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Introduction

In the March 20, 2025 episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong introduces listeners to a compelling new biography, Love Queenie by Mayuk Sen. This episode delves into the life of Merle Oberon, a South Asian actress who navigated the treacherous waters of 1930s Hollywood by concealing her true ethnic heritage. Through a meticulous exploration of Oberon's life, Sen raises pertinent questions about identity, race, and the entertainment industry's enduring challenges.

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Merle Oberon: A Star Concealed

Background and Heritage

Merle Oberon's story begins in the racially complex landscape of early 20th-century India. Born as the illegitimate daughter of a half Sinhalese, half white woman and a white father, Oberon grew up amidst severe societal prejudices. Mayuk Sen reveals, "[Oberon] was neither here nor there. Essentially, she was unable to assimilate fully with fellow South Asians, nor was she quite accepted by white folks around her" (02:25). This liminal identity placed Oberon in a precarious position, unable to find a stable community in either racial category.

Family Secrets and Passing as White

Oberon's grandmother, Charlotte, played a pivotal role in shaping her granddaughter's identity. To shield Oberon from the rampant discrimination faced by Anglo Indians at the time, Charlotte decided to present Merle as her own daughter. Sen explains, "she had to hide who she was... because Anglo Indians like herself faced so much prejudice in that period" (02:53). This concealment extended to revealing that the woman Merle believed to be her mother was, in fact, her grandmother, and her real mother was someone she considered a half-sister.

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Navigating Hollywood: Charm and Cunning

Journey to London and Hollywood

Determined to fulfill her dream of acting, Oberon left India for London at the age of 18 in 1929. Her beauty and charm caught the attention of influential men who facilitated her entry into Hollywood. Sen notes, "She knew how to use her beauty and charm to get ahead. It was something she had learned as a sort of survival mechanism" (05:06). Key figures like Alexander Korda and Joseph Schenck were instrumental in launching her career in America.

Challenges of Passing in a Restrictive Era

Upon her arrival in Hollywood, Oberon faced stringent racial barriers. The enforcement of the Hays Code, which prohibited the depiction of interracial relationships, compounded the dangers for someone like Oberon. Sen underscores the severity of these challenges: "She absolutely had to pass. She didn't have much of a choice" (06:09). The combination of legal restrictions and societal prejudices meant that Oberon's success hinged on maintaining her concealed identity.

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The Decline of Oberon's Career in the 1940s

Shifting Industry Dynamics

The 1940s brought about significant changes in the film industry, notably the rise of color films. This shift posed a threat to Oberon's carefully maintained image, as color cinematography made racial masking increasingly difficult. Sen explains, "starting the 1940s, many more color films were being produced. And that poses a sort of danger to someone like Merle Oberon" (07:22). To cope, Oberon resorted to skin bleaching to preserve her white facade, a practice that strained both her personal and professional life.

Business Relationships and Career Struggles

Oberon's relationship with Sam Goldwyn, under whose mentorship she thrived in the 1930s, eventually deteriorated. After parting ways post the release of Wuthering Heights in 1939, Oberon found herself bouncing between studios without the same level of support. This instability, coupled with the industry's evolving racial landscape, contributed to the downturn of her career.

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Unveiling the Truth: Research and Revelations

The Making of "Love Queenie"

Mayuk Sen's extensive research for Love Queenie involved uncovering hidden truths about Oberon's life. This process included interviewing Oberon's surviving family members and delving into archival materials to piece together her complex history. Sen shares, "they only knew one part of it... I was able to talk to them for many hours" (08:35). These conversations revealed the deep-seated prejudices Oberon faced and the sacrifices her family made to protect her.

Correcting Historical Misinformation

One of Sen's primary objectives was to rectify the misconceptions surrounding Oberon's heritage. By meticulously documenting Oberon's true lineage and the societal forces that shaped her decisions, Sen provides a more nuanced and accurate portrayal of the actress. This effort is crucial in understanding the broader context of race and identity in Hollywood's golden age.

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Contemporary Reflections and Implications

Parallels with Modern America

Sen draws alarming parallels between Oberon's time and present-day America. She expresses concern that recent political and social trends may force individuals to hide aspects of their identities, reminiscent of Oberon's experiences. Sen warns, "We are approaching a time in American history that is sadly quite reminiscent of 1930s America, in which people will be forced to hide aspects of their identity" (09:27). This reflection serves as a cautionary tale about the persistent and evolving challenges of racial identity in the entertainment industry.

Impact on the Entertainment Industry

The resurgence of anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts and the rollback of progressive policies threaten to undermine the progress made in combating racial discrimination. Sen emphasizes the importance of recognizing and learning from Oberon's story to prevent history from repeating itself. "No one should have to go through what Merle Oberon had to go through just to make their talent known" (09:27).

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Notable Quotes

• Andrew Limbong: "A good biography can tell a story bigger than the life of its subject... Mayuk Sen's biography, Love Queenie, does just that." [00:02]

• Deepa Fernandez: "Do you know who was the first Asian nominated for best actress? If you said Michelle Yeoh, well, that's wrong." [00:39]

• Mayuk Sen: "She was unable to assimilate fully with fellow South Asians, nor was she quite accepted by white folks around her." [02:25]

• Mayuk Sen: "She knew how to use her beauty and charm to get ahead. It was something she had learned as a sort of survival mechanism." [05:06]

• Mayuk Sen: "She absolutely had to pass. She didn't have much of a choice." [06:09]

• Mayuk Sen: "Starting the 1940s, many more color films were being produced. And that poses a sort of danger to someone like Merle Oberon." [07:22]

• Mayuk Sen: "I was able to talk to them for many hours. And they shed so much light on what it was like for Merle to grow up in India during a deeply prejudicial time." [08:35]

• Mayuk Sen: "I fear that we are approaching a time in American history that is sadly quite reminiscent of 1930s America, in which people will be forced to hide aspects of their identity." [09:27]

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Conclusion

Mayuk Sen's Love Queenie offers a poignant exploration of Merle Oberon's life, shedding light on the immense personal and professional challenges faced by a South Asian actress in 1930s Hollywood. Through detailed research and compelling narrative, the biography not only recounts Oberon's journey but also serves as a mirror reflecting ongoing societal issues related to race and identity. NPR's Book of the Day masterfully encapsulates the essence of Sen's work, offering listeners an insightful and engaging summary that underscores the timeless relevance of Oberon's story.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. A good biography can tell a story bigger than the life of its subject. It can use a life story from the past to raise questions about the things we're dealing with today. Mayuk Sen's biography, Love Queenie does just that. It's a biography of Merle Oberon, a South Asian actor working in the 1930s who passed as white and was able to reach the highest highs in Hollywood. In this interview with here and as Depot Fernandez, Sen talks about Oberon's complicated family history and how she maneuvered her way through the male dominated space of Hollywood. That's coming up.

[Deepa Fernandez]

Before we let the Oscars rest for the year, a question. Do you know who was the first Asian nominated for best actress? If you said Michelle Yeoh, well, that's wrong. Almost nine decades before Yeoh won her Oscar, Merle Oberon was up for the award for 1935's the Dark Angel. She starred in Wuthering Heights, an adaptation of Emily Bronte's beloved novel. A few years later, Heathcliff, make the world stop right here. Make everything stop and stand still and never move again. Make the Moors never change and you and I never change. But if you didn't know that Merle Oberon was of South Asian descent, that's because she had to hide the fact for her entire career. It's known as passing as white. Mayuk Sen tells Merle Oberon's story in the new book Love Queenie, and he joins us now from the NPR New York studios. Mayuk, welcome.

[Mayuk Sen]

Deepa, thank you so much for having me. It's an honor.

[Deepa Fernandez]

Let's dive right in with that clip there that we just heard. It was Wuthering Heights that first introduced you to Merle Oberon. Can you talk about what it was like to see her on the screen?

[Mayuk Sen]

Oh, absolutely. So I remember it with crystalline precision. I was completely mesmerized by her performance. And going into that film, I knew her backstory, or at least its broad contours. I knew that she was a mixed race South Asian and white woman who had been born into poverty in India and grew up in Kolkata, which is the city where my dad, who was Bengali, was from. And I was just enormously moved by the fact that someone who had such pain in her private life could set that aside and create work of such lasting power.

[Deepa Fernandez]

I just want you to talk about that fact that she had to hide who she was because as you mentioned, she was born into poverty. You also drop Another bombshell. Not only is she hiding who she is, the woman she thought of as her mother, who raised her, was actually her grandmother. And she never knew that her real mother was the woman she believed to be her half sister. I mean, the mind boggles. Why?

[Mayuk Sen]

Yeah, there's so much tragedy just in her early life. So she was the illegitimate daughter of a 14 year old, half Sinhalese and half white woman named Constance, and a white father, of course. But because, you know, she was part of what was known as the Anglo Indian community, despite the fact that, you know, her ethnic roots were in what is today Sri Lanka. Because she was born and raised in India, she was subsumed within this broader racial category of Anglo Indians because of her mixed South Asian and white heritage. She was neither here nor there. Essentially, she was unable to assimilate fully with fellow South Asians, nor was she quite accepted by white folks around her. But because Anglo Indians like herself faced so much prejudice in that period in Indian history, Merle's grandmother Charlotte, who was from Sri Lanka, decided that it was in the family's best interest to just scoop Merle up and pretend that Meryl was her own daughter to spare the family any further prejudice during an already difficult time.

[Deepa Fernandez]

You know, and I learned a lot from your book because, you know, I, in my extended family, I have people who identify as Anglo Indian. I always just thought that that term was kind of their way of embracing their whiteness, to put themselves kind of higher than the rest of us. But Anglo Indian, as you point out in the book, really was not a good place to be, especially for someone like Merle Oberon. She had to get, to actually get ahead.

[Mayuk Sen]

Absolutely. She faced so much discrimination in class terms and also because of the way she spoke. She had a sort of accent that many people disparaged her for. And she really could not find a way to realize her dreams within India because she had, from a young age, wanted to be an actress. So the only way for her to achieve those dreams was to leave India and go to London, which she did when she was 18 years old in 1929.

[Deepa Fernandez]

So she's in England. From there she has her sights set on Hollywood and she gets there. But it seems, I have to say, Mayuk, to be that she has to do this by her relationship with various men who are key in advancing her career. Talk a little bit about that.

[Mayuk Sen]

She knew how to use her beauty and charm to get ahead. And I think that was just something that she had learned as a sort of survival mechanism. You know, the man who spotted her back in London was a man named Alexander Korda, who was this film mogul who would later become her first husband in 1939. But it was her being noticed by a man named Joseph Schenck, actually, who is a big time producer in Hollywood, that really got her noticed in America. And he was instrumental in bringing her to America and launching her as a potential star. And so she came to America in late 1934 to make inroads in Hollywood.

[Deepa Fernandez]

And throughout all of this, she's covering up her South Asian identity. She's passing, as we mentioned in the intro, as white. Part of that goes along with, you know, elaborate stories. There's even one part where she's born in Tasmania, little island off of Australia. I mean, there's so much to this that she herself goes along with. Why would it really have been such a killer to her career if someone had known that her mother was part Sri Lankan?

[Mayuk Sen]

Absolutely. You know, she arrives in Hollywood in a time when the industry has begun stringently enforcing what's known as the Hays Code, which was a set of restrictive and kind of puritanical rules meant to govern studio filmmaking after the industry had been rocked by a bunch of scandals back in the 1920s. And one of those stipulations bar the depiction of what was then called miscegenation or interracial romance. Right. And this was a point in American history when miscegenation was outlawed in various parts of the country, including California. But in addition to that, America itself had outlawed immigration from India starting in 1917. Alongside that came a 1923 Supreme Court ruling that barred Indian immigrants from obtaining citizenship because of their race. And those policies are the results of long simmering animus towards South Asian immigrants that had kind of roiled the American minds since the early 20s. So there was great danger in her for even being on American soil. So she absolutely had to pass. She didn't have much of a choice.

[Deepa Fernandez]

But also, you know, she couldn't stay in the sun too long lest she got too brown. She used products to whiten her face. You've just telling us about the prejudice. Then in the 1940s, her career starts to go downhill. Why?

[Mayuk Sen]

Yeah, so throughout the 1930s, after she comes to Hollywood, she primarily works under the aegis of a man named Sam Goldwyn, who, as of United Artists, essentially takes her under his wing and says, I'm going to make you into my next big star. And he does everything he can to make sure that no one gets word of her South Asian heritage. But it's actually after the release of 1939's Wuthering Heights that the two of them mutually decide to part ways. And, you know, she kind of bounced around from studio to studio. In addition to that, I would say that starting the 1940s, you start to see many more color films being produced. And that poses a sort of danger to someone like Merle Oberon, whom, as you say, you know, if she was in the sun for too long, she would have to undergo skin bleaching at the behest of her studios. So she really was.

[Deepa Fernandez]

She was better in black and white.

[Mayuk Sen]

Oh, absolutely. And that's something that her family actually stressed to me. It helped her pass.

[Deepa Fernandez]

You did a lot of research for this book, and I'm guessing a lot of it was finding her family members and interviewing them to stitch together this story. Did they know all these details of her life, or are they learning things as they read your book because they've told you one part of it?

[Mayuk Sen]

Yeah, they only knew one part of it. You know, I really pounded the pavement to find some of her surviving family members from India. I, you know, looked at funeral home listings to see surviving next of kin, plug those names into every possible database until I found the right people. And I want to respect their privacy, but I was able to talk to them for many hours. And they shed so much light on what it was like for Merle to grow up in India during a deeply prejudicial time. And in addition to that, what life was like for her mother, who told her family, in fact, that Merle was her half sister. She took that secret with her to her grave as well, the fact that Merle was, in fact, her biological daughter. But I'm so grateful that, you know, I was able to correct all the misinformation that is out there about Merle Oberon.

[Deepa Fernandez]

What do you think just ending for us, this story means today?

[Mayuk Sen]

You know, I fear that we are approaching a time in American history that is sadly quite reminiscent of 1930s America, in which people will be forced to hide aspects of their identity. And this may very well have a chilling effect on the entertainment industry. We're already seeing some companies kind of roll back DEI efforts in an effort to kowtow to the current ruling administration. And I want my readers to read my book and understand that no one should have to go through what Merle Oberon had to go through just to make her talent known.

[Deepa Fernandez]

Mayuk Sen's book is love. Merle Oberon, Hollywood's first South Asian star. Mayuk, thank you so much.

[Mayuk Sen]

Thank you so much, Deepa.