EP:532- Sherry Cola Interview (uncensored)

Serry Cola from the hit movie Joy Ride stopped by The Cruz Show to talk about her new movie, her history with Cruz, Asian & Latino representation in movies, her childhood, love for radio & more. It's a hilarious interview, tap in!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I was good as your boy,Jad What what was good? Everybody?
This is what's good? This glovereally and you're checking out the Cruise Show
podcast. Make sure to subscribe.Rate from the movie Joy Riding theaters.
Now Sherry calls on the Cruise Shows. What you realize this is a dream
come true for me? No,this is crazy, this is so dope.

(00:21):
I've known Sherry for a long time. I think it must have been
like twenty twelve, maybe, yeah, yeah, I think so, yep,
something around that. I remember Vinewas hot. Vine. You were
trying to be an intern of mine. I got rejected and it didn't work
out. But that's okay because itwasn't meant for you. Look at you
now, you're doing better than allof us. You realized that was after

(00:42):
I got rejected like two times already. You know. The hustle was real,
like I would not take no foran answer, you know, And
I just wanted to be in radioso badly. I had just done like
three years of campus radio. Acustthey've alted. I remember, Yeah,
you do. No, my cousingoes. I was never seven years.
I hardly went. I went toValley College. You know, No,

(01:04):
I don't know vc vc VC,I knew a guy named Harvard is close
enough, close enough, close enough. You also joy Ride in theiatas.
Now what a movie, right,So you and your friend you are in
search of her birth mother, andall of a sudden you are now smuggling
drugs, yes, and putting up, putting it up places that that are

(01:29):
insane. Yes, I mean cocainein the butt, the American Dream,
that's it, you know. Um, yeah, I think this film is
the first of its kind. Y'all, come on R rated with these beautiful
Asian faces on the big screen.It's never been done. You know.
We're talking about the classics like Bridesmay'sHangover, Girls Trip, like these are
movies. We love, these,these timeless movies we still, you know,

(01:51):
keep watching till this day. AndI think joy Ride really enters that
category because it's chaotic, sure itis, you know, horny, It's
heartfelt, and it's about friendship discoveryand yes, there's uh drugs in the
booty. Um, there's a Kpop music fantasy. I'm in a blue
way with fishnet holographic harness. I'msexy, right, Yes, you want

(02:16):
I didn't know you want to dyeyour hair Blue after Low Key, It's
a look. It's a look maybemy next chapter of life, a new
about yourself. You know, Iactually think this character is the most liberated
version of myself that I've portrayed.You know. I've always been very loud
and you know, passionate about breakingstereotypes, you know, because you know,

(02:38):
as as Asian women, society hasreally expected us to not rock the
boat. And my character says whatpeople think, you know, and kind
of causes trouble in that way aswell. Um, but it's you know,
really taught me a lot about well, the importance of representation always.
You know, I preach about representationin my sleep, you know, so
I'm always happy to just keep emphasizingthat. Because the fact that, you

(03:01):
know, the director Adele Limb,who co wrote Crazy Rich Agents, and
she wrote Ryan the Last Dragon.It's her directorial debut, you know,
Cherry and Teresa who wrote it PointGray Seth Rogan's production company, lions Gate,
really were champions since day one,and the fact that we got to
do this thing for the first timetogether, I think that I've just really

(03:21):
learned what it's like to be ona set that's a safe space. You
know, when the foundation is there, you just get to play. Yeah,
your people are there so you feelsafe, you know. Right,
it's like being on the set ofFlaming Hot for us, right, brilliant
movie. By the way, Iwatched it, like I said, my
girlfriends Latina, so you know we'rewatching, we're taking in all the content.

(03:43):
So dope though, because like you, I think this past year for
a lot of like Asian representation andmovies especially, this has been the year
I mean everything ever, all atonce. Which Stephanie, she is in
Beef, which actually Park is inJustin Min's also in that another film I
have coming out Shortcomings August fourth,also in theaters, Randall Parks the ritorial
debut, What is Life? Pinchmy nipples? Okay, my nipples,

(04:09):
my nipples later, Yeah, itwas wrong with you. That was a
test, a test. But butyou know, it's it's been such a
glorious year, but there's still somuch work to be done. I think
y'aking agreed to, like with justLatin X representation, we need to do
more. You know, we're notdone, honey, you feel me?

(04:31):
She is off Yah, Yeah,I am barely in the threshold. The
BRA's not off yet, was neveron. My wife hasn't worn a bronze
seven years. It's great listen,I'm nips the knees. I am nips
the knees. Gravity is a bitso yo when you get the call right
because you're also you're you're doing yourstand up good Trouble's great show. Congratulations,

(04:56):
you love phenomenal. My wife lovesit as well. You get the
call for joy Ride right, andthat's got to be a dream come true.
It's a dream role. It isa joy Ride come true. It
was literally like Adele Limb calls meApril twenty twenty one and she told me
that she saw me opening for RonnieChang his Netflix taping in like twenty nineteen,

(05:16):
and she saw me on stage andshe was like, who's that girl?
You know? So she has meup and basically asks what's your availability
for the rest of the year.I'm like, what's going on? So
she tells me about joy Ride atthe time titled joy Fuck Club, So
ready off the bat, I'm like, oh, I have to be a
part of this. And I readit and it's evolved so much from the

(05:38):
first draft, Like there was waterBuffalo I was asso see Naked At a
point in the first draft. Iwas ready. I personal trade for two
months, when to Vancouver, Whento Vancouver, and gained it all back
in two weeks right before we werefilming. But you know, she was
just saying that this film, likelions Gate's gonna do a point grade.
Cherry and Teresa wrote it. Theyjust kind of brains formed this concept from

(06:01):
Just Dinner, you know, amovie that they wanted to see growing up
about their like badass friends who areum figuring it out, you know,
and also just want to have sex. And like, you know, I
mean, if girls just want tohave sex, that's the Cindey Lauper remix.
M But but yeah, like Iwas just so happy for her.

(06:24):
I'm like, oh, this isyour directorial debut. Congrats. The foremost
that, yeah, the fact thatit exists. So then I went to
reading reading the script, and youknow, I was just so blown away
by how refreshing it was, because, like I said, this is rare,
this is unique, this is historymaking, honestly, you know.
And we went through you know,the due diligence. I I did the

(06:46):
audition, rounds and rounds of chemistryreads Um, this was like maybe two
two and a half three years.I mean, I'm sorry, not years.
What is my name? This waslike whole summer. Yeah, yeah,
the whole summer two and a halfto three months of just edg edging,
edging, my my my clearteress wasthrobbing, throbbing fruit gusher, you

(07:14):
know, ready to expose. Theflavor is a watermelon? All right,
let's just strawberry? Go on?You know, is sugar free? Is
this sugar free? What diabetes runsas a family? Two? Real two
real? So yeah, manny noisethat is a T shirt? Yeah,

(07:34):
okay, everything is marched. Everythingis march everything. Um. And you
know, when you finally book it, it's just the most fulfilling feeling because
first day on set you're like,yo, it's not easy, y'all likes
in or are you just ready togo? It's hard to say because I
think I was born ready to go. Yeah that, you know, like

(07:58):
in terms of Imboster syndrome, Iknow that is something that I do feel,
you know sometimes where you know,especially with the anxieties of Hollywood,
it's so unpredictable, you know,truly, Yeah, joy rides out right
now, I don't have a jobcurrently. You know what I'm saying.
We just wrapped Good Trouble season five, Like I'm currently like still hoping for
the next thing. You know,Listen, can I apply? I mean

(08:22):
listen, it's been am I hired? You want to do Sunday? Give
up a shift. We'll be intouch. We'll double team seven days a
week for a year. Yeah.Um, but yeah, I think I've
always had the juice for performing,you know, like I hosted talent shows

(08:43):
in high school. I was makingfunny videos and film the job. No
was never an issue for you.That's the thing that was funny to you
when someone said no. I fullywas like when I said no, you
giggled like yeah, I'm like la, I'm like, we're the hitting cameras.
Okay. Oh. Had this confidencethough that I've always admired. Thank
you, have this bravery about yourselfthat I've always admired. Thank you so

(09:05):
much, And I see it now. We all get to see it now,
we all get to see you onscreen doing your thing. And Jay
Cruise has go ahead. Parents mustbe extremely proud of I mean, no,
the parents I'm talking about Jay CruiseOkay has been so supportive I mean
really it was. It's been likeover ten years of when I first you
know, submitted that video, uhto win Jay Z and Kanye tickets.

(09:28):
It's right because you know, I'vedabbled in the rhyme, so I decided
let me, let me be different, let me just wrap uh and and
I wont was that the birth ofa little tasty or no, no,
listen, I was wrapping, Iwas wrapping out the womb. Yeah,
Mic drop Yeah, okay, Mikedrop in bellical cord. You know what

(09:50):
I mean. Um, And andyou know, I'm just so happy that,
like I get to do this,like truly, this is a full
circle because you've seen firsthand and thehustle I've seen it, you know.
And like with Good Trouble, I'vebeen so lucky to be on that show
for five seasons now eighty eight episodes, Like not all shows can say that,
you know, And it's evolved meas an actress. You play a

(10:11):
comedian, I mean you almost almostplaying yourself in a way pretty much,
well, you know, in adifferent way that my character Lolow on Joy
Ride is Alice on Good Trouble isvery similar in terms of the trajectory,
but the personality is very different,Like Alice is kind of apologetic and timid
and still very safe. So that'sactually the real acting there, you know,

(10:35):
because I am putting on a characterwith Alice, and you know,
I've grown so much because I comefrom comedy and on this show, I'm
crying, you know, I'm overhere screaming to the veins pop on my
neck, you know, and it'slike it's so fulfilling as a performer to
be able to, you know,express through the craft and you know,
it's just I'm so lucky, dude. I can't believe it. I can't

(10:58):
believe it. You did it?What you did it? Man? What
did crazy? Right? You didit? I'm I'm shocked. I'm just
shocked as everyone else is. Ijust did um a screening of joy Ride
in the six two six where I'mfrom, and so many people showed up.
I bought out the theater and Imade a speech just to inspire people,

(11:18):
because a lot of us come fromsmall towns that can feel like a
bubble where you grow Temple City anda Hambra. Yeah, so I'm saying
Gabriel Valley until I die. YEA. My mom has a restaurant. Yes,
where would you up heights all aroundthat way? Respect? Respect?
Were you also addicted to claw machines? No, okay, that's just I'm

(11:41):
looking for a support group. Youhave sold stuff that people were addicted to
cocaine in the But that's a cocainein the button. Yeah. Yeah,
but he's a jokes. These arejokes. We've never done drugs in our
lives. We're all virgins. Script. But yeah, Like my mom has

(12:01):
a restaurant and saying Gabriel and she'sliterally printing out posters and I went there
to sign them because she's giving themout to customers. You know, mom's
trying to make a profit. Yeah, okay, the woman is a smart
immigrant hustler. Okay, listen.Yeah, I'll grow up Asian. It
feels as if you're in a bubblethough, wherever you're growing up, right

(12:22):
right, right, And I wasreally lucky to grow up in Soco,
where there was a lot of cultureand you know, Asian restaurants and people
who look like me. And youknow, I still kind of did feel
like a fish out of the watera lot of times because I was always
like the girl who said the darkestthings you know I was never the hot
one. All my friends are likedying pieces, like fully like just tens

(12:46):
she got some bad Listen, you'veseen the clear vision, the cheek Bones,
and I'm taken. But I'll giveyou some referrals. You never forget
your first Asian never, just likewhen the Beyonce album dropped. You know,
you never forget where you were experiences. Do Asians hate on other Asians

(13:11):
like Latinos hate on other Latinos.There's some jokes and joy ride for sure.
Um, yeah, you know it'sall family. It's kind of like
relatives when we add on each otherbefore we love each other. You can
go through trauma before you can hugyour mama. Mer merch merch merge first
to tum exactly like that. Yeah, but sometimes the trauma is from mama,

(13:33):
which is right. But yeah,but yeah, we still sign the
posters. You know they're healing.Well. Really, we really owe it
all to our immigrant parents. Whatdid your parents want for you that you
fought against? You know, myuh, heterosexuality first and foremost, husband,
heterosexuality first and foremost. Uh.No, you know what, my

(13:56):
mom is so proud that like nothingelse matters anymore because you know that was
its own journey. Listen, I'mkeeping my lights on, you know that's
all that matters. Uh yeah,the lights are rainbow, but you know
it's all good. Yeah yeah,listen, flex got the Hugh lights.

(14:16):
Um the bulbs are bright yea inthis house. Uh no, it's it's
been a journey because you know mymom, um. You know, my
parents couldn't be more different. Mymom is very much Asian immigrant mother,
keep your head down, motivation andsurvival, put food on the table,
you know what I'm saying. Versusmy dad. When we came to this
country from Shanghai, he immediately wantedto absorb pop culture. You know,

(14:39):
we had a Ricky Martin poster hangingin the living room. That's a different
conversation. But um so, whichis why you know, Living Love a
kola Um reality show coming soon.Which is why my dad like his English
is like probably a like eighty fivepercent, you know. Um. And
my dad was very much the dreamer. You know, he actually did radio.

(15:01):
He literally one of his jobs alongwith like working at the casino,
you know, catering. No ygress, I just got the twenty three
meter results. But my dad,he was on their AM stations, these
two like Chinese stations, and hewas actually well known. Um. He
always says that I followed his footsteps. But you know, right, that's

(15:22):
where he's going to take credit.Listen, the buttery voice does come from
him, for sure. That's onething parents will do is take credit for
They want executive producer credit. Yeah, no, for real, but they
want no credit for the trauma theycall. Oh my god. When I
was at seven years you know,cal State Fullert said, without my shit
together, they didn't even make eyecontact. Okay, I'm slurring because I'm

(15:46):
drunk, um and emotional for you, Okay, but the point is they
they I don't know. I guessbecause our expectations were so low, to
be honest, you know, asyou know, Asian folks, immigrants,
we never expect that much, youknow what I mean. We just wanted
to be comfortable and you know,just coast. So this completely just exceeded

(16:08):
everything. The fact that my faceis on a billboard. What even when
I was on air, you know, on AUNT radio, like that felt
like just impossible, and it happened, you know, yeah, it did
happen, and it can and it'scontinuous it's it's happening. Now, it's
happening. Congratulations, and we're allin this together, like this is a
group project, you know, it'sthe day ones like that I will always

(16:32):
like just have so much respect foryou know, because like appreciate that Jay
Cruise, Like you realize you wereon my vision board. You know what
I'm saying like this moment, youknow, being here, so um yeah,
the pleasure is mine? Yeah,true or false? I look like
Ving Rhimes. I don't know whothat is shore because that a porn star.

(16:56):
I wish from the neck down?Are you words that describe radio people
energetic? Because we have to turnit on like we could be crying to
our mom worst they ever And thenwho wants to go to six flass magic
Mountains calling your name the way weturn it on? Sure? Yeah,

(17:21):
because it's only voice, you knowwhat I mean? You have you have
to get the people in the car, like the stereo is like feeling like
you're sitting shotgun. Sure, youknow, so it's not easy. It's
exhausting, but you know, yeah, y'all are killing it. It's a
word for radio person toxic. Listen, it's a whole beast. No listen,

(17:41):
listen. I'm also U media trainedto a fault, and I would
never say anything bad about anyone.But it's a whole different beast. You
know. Radio definitely has its ownins and outs. Um, you know,
just within the walls. Oh soNo, I wouldn't say toxic Britneys,
Um so energetic uh hustler. Yeah, I really think the radio hustle

(18:07):
is unlike any other you know whatI'm saying, Like just from it's truly
started from the bottom, like trulyJulie truly um. And another one is
just uh, you know, cutit up and make it pretty. Um.
I want to say a word thatis uh real, I guess real
in the sense that they are championsfor people they support and they really put

(18:30):
people on Like I think radio isstill so crucial to artists. You know,
that's a big gas deal. Whena musician is on the radio,
that's still a big deal to me. So it's so many artists and the
fact that it is the like firstplatform really ever right Yeah, and and
so I think it matters just asmuch in twenty twenty three. Yeah.

(18:52):
Absolutely, you're asking for you yes, no answers, and here I am.
Do you know you've talked about yourgolf and what's the most like number
one lesson you've you've learned about datinga Latina. It's actually not my first
time dating and Latina young. Shebe taking them down for I have a

(19:15):
punch card, actually one of thestamp cards. One more, one more
and I get a free Uh,I gotta I gotta keep. Yeah,
you know what, Actually I lovethe family oriented aspect because I'm identify as
an only child. My dad remarried. I have two half sisters who are

(19:36):
fourteen and eighteen, but I grewup as the only child. My family's
very small. I love the justlike affection of a big family. You
know. My girlfriend has two sistersand like they literally just are very much
that Cuban family. Um. Sothat's something I've always been attracted to.
Is like the cohesive like just unconditionallove and tough love a lot of the

(19:56):
times too, um of Latina families. Yeah for sure, honey. Yeah,
and your insecurity is your nickname?Right? What was yours? Oh?
God, we'd be here forever.Where do I start fail? Yeah?
I mean God is a good marchMarch March Yeah, yeah, you

(20:18):
know, for what was it toughcoming out to your parents. Yeah,
you know, like I said,you know, my my parents were so
proud and um my mom because shewas very much you know, just working
all the time. She didn't getto watch Netflix all day or listen to
Lady Gaga, you know, likemy dad does. You know, So

(20:40):
she wasn't exposed to these new ageconcepts like queerness, you know, especially
not having representation when she was growingup in China. Like you know,
she's not traditional per se, butshe just didn't have the resources or the
exposure to this lifestyle of queerness.And I identify as bisexual. And when
I booked Good Trouble, Um,I play lesbian character Alice, and you

(21:03):
know, I was like, Okay, this character might you know, be
a potential role model to a lotof people. And I was bisexual in
my inner circles, like everyone knew, my friends, Like I wasn't a
public figure, so there was noopen conversation for it, you know,
there was no need. But whenI book Good Trouble, I was like,
okay, I need to tell mymom just so I can spread my
wings and feel you know, authenticin my own life. So I sat

(21:27):
her down it's still a conversation technically, you know, because she's still processing
it, wrapping her head around it. You know, not that she's against
it, but you just never knewthat would be the results. I guess,
I don't know, sure navigate orwhatever the case, but you know,
because of how clearly you know,my success is correlated to how comfortable

(21:52):
I am in my skin, Likeeven in shortcomings like the Rantal Park movie.
I don't think I would have bookedit if I wasn't queer, you
know what I'm saying, because thecharacter is queer, and you know,
I think my mom is seeing thatit's actually a superpower in a lot of
ways of how wholeheartedly me I amnow, you know, and queerness happens
to be one of it, butalso being in movie theaters globally is also

(22:15):
part of it, so she can'tbe mad. Yeah, but she you
know, I've had my girlfriend foryou know, over a year now,
and there has been progress, soI feel really good about it. You
know. It's all about having theconversation. Yeah, you know what I'm
saying, because I'm also very empatheticand patient to the fact that my mom
wasn't exposed to this stuff. Youknow, we have to like consider that

(22:36):
part, you know, so umyou know poco poco Yeah yeah, yeah,
for sure, yeah, you knowwhat I mean. And and the
all you can do is live yourlife the best way you can listen and
look at the fruits of our labors. You know what I mean? Right?
What joy riding? Hey check youRachel with the Cruise Show. Thanks

(22:57):
for listening to The Crui Show podcast. Make sure to subscribe and hear auto
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