May 26 2005
Source: asiancemagazine.com
Lynn Chen and Michelle Krusiec Interview for Saving Face
Michelle Krusiec plays 28-year old New Yorker Wilhelmina "Wil" Pang who's life is a juggling act between a promising career as a surgeon and her responsibilities as a dutiful daughter. Like the #7 train she takes to visit her Chinese family on a weekly basis, Wil is perpetually in transit between her love for Ma (Joan Chen) and her budding relationship with gorgeous dancer Vivian (Lynn Chen). ASIANCE Magazine caught up with Michelle and Lynn together on their recent visit to New York City.
ASIANCE: What did your parents think of you getting into acting?
Michelle: I actually wanted to be a dancer. I sort of did it as a hobby but I never pursued it professionally because my mother was so against it. I fell into the business by accident. I was scouted by a talent agent when I was 12. Then I went and auditioned for an arts school where they had disciplines. I took all five disciplines just to see which one I fell into. I actually fell into acting. I trained in high school there and then started doing it in addition to some of the more videos and commercial stuff. That started providing me funds to pay for school. When that started to happen my mother gave me the ok since I was paying my way through school.
ASIANCE: You went to Virginia Tech. What did you major in?
Michelle: I was a double Art major in Theatre Arts and English.
ASIANCE: What drew you to play Wil and do you identify with her?
Michelle: She's a really complicated character to understand. She's got a lot of issues that she needs to deal with. I was drawn to her because she was sort of unusual and I never played anything quite like her. To be able to play a lead character that was so complex and dynamic in a very unusual way that was the draw for me.
I really identify with the relationship between Wil and Ma. My mother is an immigrant and the thing that you discover with immigrant parents is that they come to America and they want to give you the opportunity to live the life they were not able to live or live the life that they themselves sacrificed to provide for you. For me, I really understand the compulsion as a child to try to live up to your parents' expectations because they have done so much for you. And I also understand that growing up in an American society, there is this idea of individuality and expression and artistic ideas that have nothing to do with practicality and making money and some of the other values that you find in the Asian culture. So for me, I could always identify with being torn and ultimately this is what this film sort of focuses on; how do you balance your roots with the life you ultimately want to live.
ASIANCE: Alice said, "Michelle is a talented actress but someone who presents herself differently than Wil." And I understand you were starting to pick up Alice's mannerisms to incorporate her into Wil?
Michelle: Yeah I really didn't know what I was going to do with Wil. I figured I'd meet with Alice, we'd start rehearsing and I'd discover that process. When I met Alice at our table discussions, I understood that she was writing from a very personal point of view and I noticed that she had a lot of very specific mannerisms. I started stealing those and used her as my muse really because they were great and unusual quirks. I don't think she realized I started doing that until people started pointing it out to her.
Lynn Chen made her debut on the stage of The Metropolitan Opera House in a ballet featuring Russian dancer Rudolf Nuruyev. She worked steadily between The Metropolitan and NYC Opera House for three years, during which she landed the role of "Ngana" in the Broadway revival of "South Pacific." Lynn decided to focus on her education and attended Wesleyan University in CT. She couldn't stay away for long, however. After a few years working as a waitress, a teacher, and an administrative assistant, she decided to pursue a professional acting career. Lynn has most recently appeared in guest spots on NBC's "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," and in the recurring role of pre-med student "Regina" on ABC's "All My Children."
ASIANCE: Tells us about your background.
Lynn: My mom is originally from China and my dad is from Taiwan, but they are both Taiwanese. I was born here in Queens actually.
ASIANCE: "Saving Face" was the very first script you ever read. What drew you to play Vivian? Do you identify with Vivian?
Lynn: Just in general when you are given a script and it's a leading role, for an actor at my stage, you take whatever you can get but I was very fortunate that Vivian was this amazing character. I really wanted to fight for her to get this role, because when I initially went in for it, after I read the script with each call back I wanted it even more. I lost like pounds for the role because I wanted it so bad even before I was cast. When I was, it wasn't until a few weeks before we started. I already had the whole script memorized; I had read it so many times. I loved it. I was a little obsessed with it.
ASIANCE: Did you lose weight to fit the role of Vivian or because you were obsessed with getting the role?
Lynn: I was asked to for Vivian's character
ASIANCE: Alice says, "By nature she is very girl next door regalness but what I love about Lynn is that there is a sort of intelligence and kindness there that allows the role to not just have her be some sort of babe." What's your take?
Lynn: It's funny because when I first went in to audition I saw Vivian completely different than Alice did. I saw her as this sweaty ballet dancer who came in right from practice who was funky crazy. And Alice said, "Oh no no no. She's composed. She wears Marc Jacobs. She’s from the Upper East Side. " Then I was like, "Oh, Oh I get it. So I had to rethink it. But I think that confidence part that I brought into it initially is probably something that she saw. A confidence but a sort of approachability.
ASIANCE: What was it like to work with Joan?
Michelle: Joan is incredible. She's so gifted as an actress. One of the things I so often see especially struggling away as an Asian American actress is that you don't find a lot of resources. You don't find a lot of mentors or people that you can go to and just ask for advice and get inspired and get encouraged. 1) When Joan was so warm and giving and so nurturing on set that to me was a very safe place to be working in and 2) I just realized that she's such a gracious celebrity to have that kind of nurturing quality. For me it was a gift because it allowed our relationship to have the kind of chemistry you see on screen.
Lynn: When I was talking about auditioning and really wanting the part, once I found out Joan was attached that was like the ultimate. I thought, if I don't get this part I'm going to die. I need to be in this movie with Joan Chen because she is one of the reasons that I wanted to be a film actress. Then I meet her in person and she's this really funny funky person and it was such a pleasant surprise. I really enjoy being around her watching her work. I wasn't in that many scenes with her so I didn't get to feel what Michelle felt.
ASIANCE: What is your beauty routine?
Michelle: As my makeup artist stands to the left, I wake up like this every morning. At night I pop all my zits around my nose (laughs). I put a lot of cream there. And the morning after, the night seems to have replaced all my pores and I'm refreshed and rejuvenated.
Lynn: I'm a drug store sale girl. Like I only buy stuff that's on sale. I don't really stick to a particular routine. I use shampoos that I get from hotels and whatever else is around. I'm pretty low maintenance. I walk out of the house with no makeup and gloss on.
Michelle: Lynn has got great skin. The only thing I suggest for all you listeners out there is once a month going to the derm. Getting a little facial. Go to a derm.
ASIANCE: Let's talk about the love scene. Any awkward moments?
Michelle: There was an awkward moment which I saved Lynn from.
Lynn: Oh yeah go ahead.
Michelle: We were trying to prevent each others' nipples from being on the screen for too long (laughs). We were doing some lines and I think we both realized our nipples would clearly be in the scene the entire time. But it so happened that it was Lynn's nipples so I covered her nipples
Lynn: Yeah she's really nice. (laughs)
Michelle: But very naturally if you notice or don't notice to prevent any more shame brought onto us. (Laughs)
Lynn: Thank you
Michelle: No actually, Alice would kill us if she heard us. (Laughs) We actually went through a very specific process and we had a few things we shared about each other just do create intimacy and we kind of choreographed it lightly, but really it wasn't manipulated. Because we had our own sort of apprehensions based on whatever, I think that sort of led to the chemistry.
ASIANCE: Do you think the roles for Asian American women in media are changing? Do you have a long way to go?
Lynn: I think its getting better. I don't think there is a long, long way to go. I think within a couple of years, it's going to move pretty fast just because I'm seeing so many more Asian American directors that are coming out right now. They are writing responsibly and casting responsibly, by which I mean utilizing the pool of Asian talent that's out there because no one else is really. But at the same time I've noticed this pilot's season the Asian roles haven't been as stereotypical as I have experienced in the past.
Michelle: I'm always torn because I think there is the desire out there with the network and the studios to cast ethnically responsibly. I think the desire is there to cast ethnics in all roles but I don't know if it actually gets executed. I think when it comes down to it there still needs to be a lot of progress that needs to be made. I don't want to be skeptical because I think it's a bad way to sort of approach this business. I'm much more hopeful and ambitious but I think like Lynn said, it can't just happen on one level. It can't just be actors. It's got to be writers, directors and executives. It's got to be in a way that sort of infiltrates all elements of the business. It can't just be one group of people. That's where I think needs improvement. I do see progress in that capacity.
ASIANCE: Any advice for Asian American women?
Lynn: For women in general I think it's really important to really know yourself and to listen to yourself and to execute what your feelings are. I used to teach sex ed. The people I'd be teaching with would say certain things and then act a completely different way. I'd say, "Do you really believe what you are teaching?" A lot of them really found it hard to practice what they preach and really found it hard to stick with what they believe in everyday life. I think that's really difficult for women in general.
I think being an Asian American woman today; it's hard because you don't want to be pigeonholed. You don't want people to think that you're defined by your ethnicity but at the same time you don't want to ignore it. I don't know how that relates to sex ed. (laughs)
Michelle: It all relates to sex ed (laughs)
Lynn: I guess not stereotyping. …ok this is how it relates to sex ed. (laughs) A lot of things that people have problems with like in terms of condom use, etc. is that they think, "oh I don't fit into that mold" I'm not like that. I think it's similar to race relations because you think, "Oh I'm not like that Chinese person, I'm not like that Japanese person, so I can't relate to that". I think it's important to listen to yourself and listen to what other people are saying and then try to act accordingly.
Michelle: I see a lot of criticism within the culture that is both inflicted on oneself and on each other. I think if we take the focus off of that and heighten more of what's going to make an individual happy I think within that process will ultimately create unity and then a society of that will be honoring the individual and then honoring the group and the community. I think that has to happen before progress can really and truly be made. It's like the film, if you really don't come to terms with what you want and what's going to make you happy and you confront those issues you'll never be able to effect change or progress or effect happiness on someone else.
Lynn Chen and Michelle Krusiec Interview for Saving Face
Michelle Krusiec plays 28-year old New Yorker Wilhelmina "Wil" Pang who's life is a juggling act between a promising career as a surgeon and her responsibilities as a dutiful daughter. Like the #7 train she takes to visit her Chinese family on a weekly basis, Wil is perpetually in transit between her love for Ma (Joan Chen) and her budding relationship with gorgeous dancer Vivian (Lynn Chen). ASIANCE Magazine caught up with Michelle and Lynn together on their recent visit to New York City.
ASIANCE: What did your parents think of you getting into acting?
Michelle: I actually wanted to be a dancer. I sort of did it as a hobby but I never pursued it professionally because my mother was so against it. I fell into the business by accident. I was scouted by a talent agent when I was 12. Then I went and auditioned for an arts school where they had disciplines. I took all five disciplines just to see which one I fell into. I actually fell into acting. I trained in high school there and then started doing it in addition to some of the more videos and commercial stuff. That started providing me funds to pay for school. When that started to happen my mother gave me the ok since I was paying my way through school.
ASIANCE: You went to Virginia Tech. What did you major in?
Michelle: I was a double Art major in Theatre Arts and English.
ASIANCE: What drew you to play Wil and do you identify with her?
Michelle: She's a really complicated character to understand. She's got a lot of issues that she needs to deal with. I was drawn to her because she was sort of unusual and I never played anything quite like her. To be able to play a lead character that was so complex and dynamic in a very unusual way that was the draw for me.
I really identify with the relationship between Wil and Ma. My mother is an immigrant and the thing that you discover with immigrant parents is that they come to America and they want to give you the opportunity to live the life they were not able to live or live the life that they themselves sacrificed to provide for you. For me, I really understand the compulsion as a child to try to live up to your parents' expectations because they have done so much for you. And I also understand that growing up in an American society, there is this idea of individuality and expression and artistic ideas that have nothing to do with practicality and making money and some of the other values that you find in the Asian culture. So for me, I could always identify with being torn and ultimately this is what this film sort of focuses on; how do you balance your roots with the life you ultimately want to live.
ASIANCE: Alice said, "Michelle is a talented actress but someone who presents herself differently than Wil." And I understand you were starting to pick up Alice's mannerisms to incorporate her into Wil?
Michelle: Yeah I really didn't know what I was going to do with Wil. I figured I'd meet with Alice, we'd start rehearsing and I'd discover that process. When I met Alice at our table discussions, I understood that she was writing from a very personal point of view and I noticed that she had a lot of very specific mannerisms. I started stealing those and used her as my muse really because they were great and unusual quirks. I don't think she realized I started doing that until people started pointing it out to her.
Lynn Chen made her debut on the stage of The Metropolitan Opera House in a ballet featuring Russian dancer Rudolf Nuruyev. She worked steadily between The Metropolitan and NYC Opera House for three years, during which she landed the role of "Ngana" in the Broadway revival of "South Pacific." Lynn decided to focus on her education and attended Wesleyan University in CT. She couldn't stay away for long, however. After a few years working as a waitress, a teacher, and an administrative assistant, she decided to pursue a professional acting career. Lynn has most recently appeared in guest spots on NBC's "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," and in the recurring role of pre-med student "Regina" on ABC's "All My Children."
ASIANCE: Tells us about your background.
Lynn: My mom is originally from China and my dad is from Taiwan, but they are both Taiwanese. I was born here in Queens actually.
ASIANCE: "Saving Face" was the very first script you ever read. What drew you to play Vivian? Do you identify with Vivian?
Lynn: Just in general when you are given a script and it's a leading role, for an actor at my stage, you take whatever you can get but I was very fortunate that Vivian was this amazing character. I really wanted to fight for her to get this role, because when I initially went in for it, after I read the script with each call back I wanted it even more. I lost like pounds for the role because I wanted it so bad even before I was cast. When I was, it wasn't until a few weeks before we started. I already had the whole script memorized; I had read it so many times. I loved it. I was a little obsessed with it.
ASIANCE: Did you lose weight to fit the role of Vivian or because you were obsessed with getting the role?
Lynn: I was asked to for Vivian's character
ASIANCE: Alice says, "By nature she is very girl next door regalness but what I love about Lynn is that there is a sort of intelligence and kindness there that allows the role to not just have her be some sort of babe." What's your take?
Lynn: It's funny because when I first went in to audition I saw Vivian completely different than Alice did. I saw her as this sweaty ballet dancer who came in right from practice who was funky crazy. And Alice said, "Oh no no no. She's composed. She wears Marc Jacobs. She’s from the Upper East Side. " Then I was like, "Oh, Oh I get it. So I had to rethink it. But I think that confidence part that I brought into it initially is probably something that she saw. A confidence but a sort of approachability.
ASIANCE: What was it like to work with Joan?
Michelle: Joan is incredible. She's so gifted as an actress. One of the things I so often see especially struggling away as an Asian American actress is that you don't find a lot of resources. You don't find a lot of mentors or people that you can go to and just ask for advice and get inspired and get encouraged. 1) When Joan was so warm and giving and so nurturing on set that to me was a very safe place to be working in and 2) I just realized that she's such a gracious celebrity to have that kind of nurturing quality. For me it was a gift because it allowed our relationship to have the kind of chemistry you see on screen.
Lynn: When I was talking about auditioning and really wanting the part, once I found out Joan was attached that was like the ultimate. I thought, if I don't get this part I'm going to die. I need to be in this movie with Joan Chen because she is one of the reasons that I wanted to be a film actress. Then I meet her in person and she's this really funny funky person and it was such a pleasant surprise. I really enjoy being around her watching her work. I wasn't in that many scenes with her so I didn't get to feel what Michelle felt.
ASIANCE: What is your beauty routine?
Michelle: As my makeup artist stands to the left, I wake up like this every morning. At night I pop all my zits around my nose (laughs). I put a lot of cream there. And the morning after, the night seems to have replaced all my pores and I'm refreshed and rejuvenated.
Lynn: I'm a drug store sale girl. Like I only buy stuff that's on sale. I don't really stick to a particular routine. I use shampoos that I get from hotels and whatever else is around. I'm pretty low maintenance. I walk out of the house with no makeup and gloss on.
Michelle: Lynn has got great skin. The only thing I suggest for all you listeners out there is once a month going to the derm. Getting a little facial. Go to a derm.
ASIANCE: Let's talk about the love scene. Any awkward moments?
Michelle: There was an awkward moment which I saved Lynn from.
Lynn: Oh yeah go ahead.
Michelle: We were trying to prevent each others' nipples from being on the screen for too long (laughs). We were doing some lines and I think we both realized our nipples would clearly be in the scene the entire time. But it so happened that it was Lynn's nipples so I covered her nipples
Lynn: Yeah she's really nice. (laughs)
Michelle: But very naturally if you notice or don't notice to prevent any more shame brought onto us. (Laughs)
Lynn: Thank you
Michelle: No actually, Alice would kill us if she heard us. (Laughs) We actually went through a very specific process and we had a few things we shared about each other just do create intimacy and we kind of choreographed it lightly, but really it wasn't manipulated. Because we had our own sort of apprehensions based on whatever, I think that sort of led to the chemistry.
ASIANCE: Do you think the roles for Asian American women in media are changing? Do you have a long way to go?
Lynn: I think its getting better. I don't think there is a long, long way to go. I think within a couple of years, it's going to move pretty fast just because I'm seeing so many more Asian American directors that are coming out right now. They are writing responsibly and casting responsibly, by which I mean utilizing the pool of Asian talent that's out there because no one else is really. But at the same time I've noticed this pilot's season the Asian roles haven't been as stereotypical as I have experienced in the past.
Michelle: I'm always torn because I think there is the desire out there with the network and the studios to cast ethnically responsibly. I think the desire is there to cast ethnics in all roles but I don't know if it actually gets executed. I think when it comes down to it there still needs to be a lot of progress that needs to be made. I don't want to be skeptical because I think it's a bad way to sort of approach this business. I'm much more hopeful and ambitious but I think like Lynn said, it can't just happen on one level. It can't just be actors. It's got to be writers, directors and executives. It's got to be in a way that sort of infiltrates all elements of the business. It can't just be one group of people. That's where I think needs improvement. I do see progress in that capacity.
ASIANCE: Any advice for Asian American women?
Lynn: For women in general I think it's really important to really know yourself and to listen to yourself and to execute what your feelings are. I used to teach sex ed. The people I'd be teaching with would say certain things and then act a completely different way. I'd say, "Do you really believe what you are teaching?" A lot of them really found it hard to practice what they preach and really found it hard to stick with what they believe in everyday life. I think that's really difficult for women in general.
I think being an Asian American woman today; it's hard because you don't want to be pigeonholed. You don't want people to think that you're defined by your ethnicity but at the same time you don't want to ignore it. I don't know how that relates to sex ed. (laughs)
Michelle: It all relates to sex ed (laughs)
Lynn: I guess not stereotyping. …ok this is how it relates to sex ed. (laughs) A lot of things that people have problems with like in terms of condom use, etc. is that they think, "oh I don't fit into that mold" I'm not like that. I think it's similar to race relations because you think, "Oh I'm not like that Chinese person, I'm not like that Japanese person, so I can't relate to that". I think it's important to listen to yourself and listen to what other people are saying and then try to act accordingly.
Michelle: I see a lot of criticism within the culture that is both inflicted on oneself and on each other. I think if we take the focus off of that and heighten more of what's going to make an individual happy I think within that process will ultimately create unity and then a society of that will be honoring the individual and then honoring the group and the community. I think that has to happen before progress can really and truly be made. It's like the film, if you really don't come to terms with what you want and what's going to make you happy and you confront those issues you'll never be able to effect change or progress or effect happiness on someone else.
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