Honolulu Advertiser Interview 2004
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Sep/12/il/il01a.html
Trials & Tribulations of 'Acting Local'
Sunday September 12. 2004
By Michael Tsai
Of the four network television series filming on O'ahu this season, none has placed itself in a more precarious position with its adopted community than NBC's audaciously titled "Hawaii."
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, Aya Sumika and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, all Hollywood actors of Asian or Pacific-island ancestry, play the roles of locals on the NBC cop drama "Hawaii." Each sees his or her role as representing a facet of what Hawai'i is really about.
(There was somewhat of a controversial notation for these Hawaii based TV shows becuase there weren't enough Asian Americans being represented on TV. There were 4 TV series shooting in O'ahu but none of the assigned actors weren't actual Hawaii natives/locals)
"When you call yourself 'Hawaii,' you'd better be prepared to step up and represent all that the name stands for," says Tagawa, who plays Capt. Terry Harada on the show. "If not, you need to pack up and go home."As far as Tagawa is concerned, that goes triple for the so-called Dynamic Trio."This ain't L.A.," Tagawa said. "We have a great cast, and I enjoy working with all of them, but without our characters — Aya, Pete and myself — this show could be set in any city. I think our presence gives the show some balance and some credibility with locals.
While Tagawa, Sumika and Tuiasosopo were all born and raised primarily on the Mainland, their Asian and Pacific-islander backgrounds mark them as the most identifiably "local" characters. That makes them focal points for viewers sensitive to how race and culture are portrayed.
For Sumika, every good risk deserves a reward.By her accounting, "Hawaii" producers took a big chance by casting her to be the lone woman in the show's core cast — her first significant acting role ever.
She says "NBC also took a risk casting three Asian and Pacific-islander actors as regulars in a prime-time series. When was the last time you saw this much diversity on network television?NBC has taken a big risk, but it's a good risk. This will be something new for viewers, and I think they'll like what they see."
Raised in Seattle, the half-Japanese, half-Caucasian Sumika said she grew up highly aware of the differences between herself and her Caucasian peers.
"Growing up, everyone is always asking you, 'Where are you from? Where did you get those eyes? What planet are you from?' I was conscious of it every day."
Rather than retreat, Sumika said, she found strength in her self-consciousness. Asked what sort of ethnic or cultural description she now prefers, Sumika responds simply: "Different."
"I feel different & it feels good to feel different. Being different is something new to network TV and it's interesting to viewers. I think being the only female puts me into character. Linh is a strong woman surrounded by men in the workplace, and so am I off screen. It can be an intense environment with all those guys around, but it's fun, and I enjoy the challenge."
Still, Sumika takes female camaraderie where she can find it.
"We've had a few female guest stars, and when they come, I'm like, 'aloha, welcome' and beyond. It's like, I'm a woman, you're a woman. Thank God for estrogen!"
In the wave of negative reviews that followed the airing of the show's pilot episode, one of Sumika's scenes was singled out by minority watchdog groups for what was perceived as a stereotypical sexualization of an Asian female character. The scene involved Linh's fellow officers trying to find Detective John Dec-lan (Atkins), concerned that he might have been attacked by a local crime lord. They break into his bathroom only to find Declan and Linh (who was already involved with Ivan Sergei's character) naked in the tub.
Sumika says she had concerns about the scene, but went through with it because of the way her character was allowed to handle the situation.
"The No. 1 priority for me was that she was able to walk away with strength. This was one of the worst moments of her life, to be caught in that situation by people whose respect she's had to fight so hard to earn, and yet she was able to walk out with her head up. The scene wasn't about sex but the conflict that situation created between the characters. Conflict is fun to watch."
Still, Sumika understands people's sensitivity to the scene.
"I think people are quick to judge sometimes, and you really can't judge a character by one scene. At the same time, I think people were just being protective of Linh. I think they're supportive of her and what she represents."
Trials & Tribulations of 'Acting Local'
Sunday September 12. 2004
By Michael Tsai
Of the four network television series filming on O'ahu this season, none has placed itself in a more precarious position with its adopted community than NBC's audaciously titled "Hawaii."
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, Aya Sumika and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, all Hollywood actors of Asian or Pacific-island ancestry, play the roles of locals on the NBC cop drama "Hawaii." Each sees his or her role as representing a facet of what Hawai'i is really about.
(There was somewhat of a controversial notation for these Hawaii based TV shows becuase there weren't enough Asian Americans being represented on TV. There were 4 TV series shooting in O'ahu but none of the assigned actors weren't actual Hawaii natives/locals)
"When you call yourself 'Hawaii,' you'd better be prepared to step up and represent all that the name stands for," says Tagawa, who plays Capt. Terry Harada on the show. "If not, you need to pack up and go home."As far as Tagawa is concerned, that goes triple for the so-called Dynamic Trio."This ain't L.A.," Tagawa said. "We have a great cast, and I enjoy working with all of them, but without our characters — Aya, Pete and myself — this show could be set in any city. I think our presence gives the show some balance and some credibility with locals.
While Tagawa, Sumika and Tuiasosopo were all born and raised primarily on the Mainland, their Asian and Pacific-islander backgrounds mark them as the most identifiably "local" characters. That makes them focal points for viewers sensitive to how race and culture are portrayed.
For Sumika, every good risk deserves a reward.By her accounting, "Hawaii" producers took a big chance by casting her to be the lone woman in the show's core cast — her first significant acting role ever.
She says "NBC also took a risk casting three Asian and Pacific-islander actors as regulars in a prime-time series. When was the last time you saw this much diversity on network television?NBC has taken a big risk, but it's a good risk. This will be something new for viewers, and I think they'll like what they see."
Raised in Seattle, the half-Japanese, half-Caucasian Sumika said she grew up highly aware of the differences between herself and her Caucasian peers.
"Growing up, everyone is always asking you, 'Where are you from? Where did you get those eyes? What planet are you from?' I was conscious of it every day."
Rather than retreat, Sumika said, she found strength in her self-consciousness. Asked what sort of ethnic or cultural description she now prefers, Sumika responds simply: "Different."
"I feel different & it feels good to feel different. Being different is something new to network TV and it's interesting to viewers. I think being the only female puts me into character. Linh is a strong woman surrounded by men in the workplace, and so am I off screen. It can be an intense environment with all those guys around, but it's fun, and I enjoy the challenge."
Still, Sumika takes female camaraderie where she can find it.
"We've had a few female guest stars, and when they come, I'm like, 'aloha, welcome' and beyond. It's like, I'm a woman, you're a woman. Thank God for estrogen!"
In the wave of negative reviews that followed the airing of the show's pilot episode, one of Sumika's scenes was singled out by minority watchdog groups for what was perceived as a stereotypical sexualization of an Asian female character. The scene involved Linh's fellow officers trying to find Detective John Dec-lan (Atkins), concerned that he might have been attacked by a local crime lord. They break into his bathroom only to find Declan and Linh (who was already involved with Ivan Sergei's character) naked in the tub.
Sumika says she had concerns about the scene, but went through with it because of the way her character was allowed to handle the situation.
"The No. 1 priority for me was that she was able to walk away with strength. This was one of the worst moments of her life, to be caught in that situation by people whose respect she's had to fight so hard to earn, and yet she was able to walk out with her head up. The scene wasn't about sex but the conflict that situation created between the characters. Conflict is fun to watch."
Still, Sumika understands people's sensitivity to the scene.
"I think people are quick to judge sometimes, and you really can't judge a character by one scene. At the same time, I think people were just being protective of Linh. I think they're supportive of her and what she represents."
posted by ayasumikafan1 at 9:01 AM
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