April 29, 2025 • 38 mins
Bobo Le’s breakout role in The Wedding Banquet proves that being your authentic self can change everything.Host Caitlynn McDaniel welcomes Bobo to Pride to talk about her expanded role in the newly reimagined The Wedding Banquet (which premiered April 18), where she plays Kendall, the cousin to Bowen Yang’s character.Bobo shares how it felt to help shape her character, what it was like working with an award-winning ensemble, and why telling stories about queer joy and chosen family matters. Plus, there’s plenty of love for Spy Kids, spicy food obsessions, deep-sea creatures, and future Marvel dreams.Highlights from this episode:
🌟 How Bobo’s audition freestyle changed the course of her character
🌟 Behind the scenes with Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, and Kelly Marie Tran
🌟 Why “None of us are good enough alone” became the heart of the film
🌟 Spy Kids fandom, spicy food obsessions, and anglerfish appreciation
🌟 What it means to finally see lived-in queer and Asian American characters on screenThe Wedding Banquet is now playing in theaters.
🌟 How Bobo’s audition freestyle changed the course of her character
🌟 Behind the scenes with Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, and Kelly Marie Tran
🌟 Why “None of us are good enough alone” became the heart of the film
🌟 Spy Kids fandom, spicy food obsessions, and anglerfish appreciation
🌟 What it means to finally see lived-in queer and Asian American characters on screenThe Wedding Banquet is now playing in theaters.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Straw Hut Media. You know, we do have these beautiful
stories about, you know, the struggles of coming out and
being gay and the trauma that you know that comes
along with it. But had I had a movie when
I was younger where there are other problems, you know,
regular problems I gave people go through every day, it
would have been so meaningful for me to see that that,
(00:22):
you know, we are just normal people.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
I'm Caylen McDaniel, and this week on Pride, I'm talking
to Bobo Leigh, who has a new breakout role in
The Wedding Banquet from Andrew On He's directing. It's an amazing,
amazing film. It has queer representation, Asian American representation. Go
check it out in theaters April eighteenth. We are going
to be talking about her role in the film, her
amazing line that everyone is going to be quoting, her
(00:54):
love for deep sea creatures, spy kids, and so much
more so, stay tuned. I am a big fan of
this movie. I hadn't seen the original, I will say,
(01:17):
but just going into this one, I loved how much
I saw and like just hearing the backstory of it.
I got to talk to Andrew about it. And everything,
but obviously you play Kendall's cousin, and I wanted to
talk to you a little bit. I mean I heard
about how the role was smaller and then it got
expanded for you, so I want to hear just a
little bit about how that happened.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
You know what's really amazing is I think that when
I did the initial audition, you know, Andrew loved it
so much he called me back in person to do
kind of like a callback situation. So I got to
meet Andrew and our producers, and you know what, I
think what Andrew really loved about what I brought to
the character was I brought this kind of like chaotic
(02:00):
sibling energy. And I brought this also, you know, Kendall
really tries to go for all your ideas, even the
worst ones are the best ideas ever, and and it
brought this layer of just like, oh yeah, that's like,
you know, your little like sibling, you know, who's like
he's like egging you on. And I think that's something
(02:21):
that Andrew really loved and wanted to explore. So and
it's funny too, because at the end of my callback audition, uh,
you know, Andrew asked me if I had any questions,
you know about the script, and I said, yeah, you know,
I'm reading here it says that Kendall goes to the club.
And I told Andrew I'm a dancer, and I pulled
(02:41):
my phone out and I started freestyling for him and
all of our producers and they were just dying. And
then Andrew's like, where'd you learn how to do that?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
And I was like.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
YouTube and he loved it so much he wrote that
dance scene into the movie as well. So, you know,
Andrew was just so open into you know, all these
like different aspects of me that I brought into Kendall,
and it was so amazing that he expanded my role
so much and and you know turned, you know, Kendall
(03:13):
went from being a friend to to Bowen's character's cousin.
So it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I love that. I love that the dance got incorporated
in side. Yeah, yeah, I did see that. You're you're
a dancer a popper, right, yep? Can you tell me
a little bit about that?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, I'm a street dancer and I danced with
a community with a bunch of poppers. And my first
time ever seeing popping was probably when I was like
nine and I was watching So You Think You Can Dance,
and I love that show so much too. And there's
a dancer on the show. His name's Philip Chabebe, and
(03:48):
I remember seeing him do this like wiggly arm thing,
and I thought it was so cool. And then you know,
the air of YouTube came about and like these like
tutorials started coming out and I would just watch them
all day and and and try to learn and look
at myself in the mirror. And and then I found
my community in Vancouver. A lot of street dancers come
(04:10):
out to this place called Robson Square. It's while the
dancers hang out and we'll just put on music and
dance with each other. So yeah, that's where I spent
a lot of my time just you know, freestyling with
other dancers. And and then we you know, we started
competing in battles and things like that. So that's kind
of where I found my love for popping.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Amazing. I love that you brought up just like So
you Think you Can Dance watching the YouTube videos. I
used to watch those and try to learn them, and
I did like National Dance Day when they did those,
but I was never good. Another life maybe, but I
was like, I had that exact same, like loving all
of the YouTube videos and wanting to know all the dances.
(04:50):
So that's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
That Yeah, when YouTube is this like there's plethora of
tutorials and amazing dancers, you know, back then even now,
there's just so much out there and it's amazing. I
feel you can learn anything from YouTube.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Anytime I do something random, like I'll start a new craft,
my Momi always be like, are you teaching yourself this?
Like what are you doing? And I was like, YouTube,
I don't know tube. If I can find it on
anything that's wrong with my car. I'm like, if I
can find it on YouTube, I can do it myself.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You can totally do it.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
You don't ye why?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, I'm like now it's like the world is your oyster. Truly.
I wanted to go back to the show just because
you were talking or the movie, because you were talking about,
you know, expanding this role. And I did talk to
your other cast mates who are all amazing, and they
everyone has kind of agreed that there's one line from
the movie that stands out from all the rest, and
(05:41):
it's yours. So you came in really. Yeah, I got
to be the side character that like got a bigger role.
And then you had the best line of the entire movie.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Which line did they say?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
They said, it is the one about not being enough alone.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Oh, yes, none of us are good enough alone?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yes, yeah, yeah, And it just stands out so much.
I mean, it really ties the whole movie together, and
you got to to deliver.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
It, yeah, which I think is amazing because I think
I think you're right in that, Like it really sums
up our movie of chosen family and you know, having
people that you love and love you in your life
and you know the love and care that there is there,
and I think that line really speaks to that. Yeah,
(06:27):
none of us are good enough alone.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
When you were going into this movie, did you realize,
you know, like how impactful it was going to be.
I mean, I feel like from the get go you
hear like this queer Asian American movie, like it has
to be good, But like, did you really understand like
the gravity of it all when you were first going in.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
You know, I think when I first was going into it,
my brain was thinking, like, well, there's four gay people
living in this same house.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
That's crazy, that's where I started, right and you know,
the more and more I got deep burn deeper into
the script, I just thought, like, these are fully, you know,
lived in characters who are all going through something so
personal to them, and yet you know, they're kind of
coming together to love and support each other.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
And I think that's such a beautiful message that you
know the movie. And also it just brings these feelings
of this like warm butterflies in your stomach, you know,
kind of thing. And I think that's what I love
so much, and I think that it does have an
impact on me and many other people who've seen the
movie because it's just such a feel good movie.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Did you have a favorite line from the movie that
maybe isn't that one we already talked about.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, yeah, I have a favorite scene. Okay, so better
and the line too. So there's a scene where Bowen
and Kelly are like at the bar and then Bowen
puts that like neo glowstick necklace over Kelly and they're
like holding each other's faces and they're like, I see you.
(08:05):
That is my favorite favorite favorite scene in the movie.
It makes me laugh so hard every time that I
see it. That has to be my favorite scene and
my favorite line.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It's definitely like that is me when I'm in a
bar after three drinks. That's just it's so real, me
in the bathroom with any girl that wants Yeah, yeah,
one hundred percent. And their relationship between Kelly and Bowen
is so interesting in the movie. But what was it
like working with Bowen who's such an icon and just
(08:37):
really kind of like creating that like not sibling, you know,
family relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
You know, with Bone. It was just so easy because
Bowen is so amazing, and he's so kind, and he's
so funny, and he's you know, working with him, he's
so giving as well. And you know, when I was
working with him, he was constantly checking in on me
and you know, being like, hey, I'm going to do this,
It's okay, and just he just made me feel so
safe and so comfortable to really just just play and
(09:06):
explore you know, these scenes with him, and and it's
so amazing because you know, we have a very emotional
scene together kind of towards the end of the movie,
and we actually got that scene super last minute. We
got it on the day in hair and makeup, so
we both didn't have a ton of time. You know,
to look it over. And the most amazing thing about
(09:29):
working with Bowen.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Is that.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
We both trusted each other so much to get to
this vulnerable place where we kind of just were so
present with each other. And I feel so grateful, you know,
that I got to share this experience with Bowen, and
I'm so glad that, out of all the people that
it was with Bowen specifically. And he's just so gracious
(09:55):
and so funny. He's constantly, you know, improvising and throwing
things at me. And I think the fun anything about
Kendall is that, you know, Kendall is so supportive and
and but Kendall doesn't always know what to say. So
you know, when Boone's always always throwing these lines out
a lot of the time, Kendall's just like just processing,
you know, just like yeah, yeah, yeah, you know that
(10:17):
that's kind of those are the vibes. So I really
do love working with Boones so much, and and I
love him so much as a friend, and he's so
supportive and so kind, so sweet. We both love Final Fantasy,
and it's it's always so fun getting to see him
every time. And whenever we kind of split apart, I
(10:38):
always miss him.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Did he actually learn anything about birds throughout the process
of filming? Do you know?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Oh yeah, yeah, so many, so many things about birds.
It it's so cool because I know nothing about birds,
and just getting to do these scenes with Bowen, it's
it's it's awesome, you know, picking up Oh like that,
what are the birds? Squealer ducks? I learned what squealer
ducks are. Yeah, that's awesome because.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Yeah, he's a bird watcher. But then he also gets
to carry a duck at that point. Yep, does lots
of duck drawings. But I was like, I don't know,
Like I wonder how much you know, research is really
necessary to go into.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I don't know much about birding. I love them all.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Did you get to show I think you only filmed
for a couple of weeks for the movie, right, Okay,
but it was in Vancouver. It was so were you
like the tour guide? I sure was.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
We all got in my car. We had so many awesome,
you know days where I took them out hiking. We
went to Squamish and we ended up doing like a
five six hour hike and my leg gave out towards
almost towards the end of the hike, like the last
half hour and Kelly and Kichen had to carry me
(11:55):
up the rest of the way up the mountain. And
it's so funny. We joke about this every day every
time we see each other. They were like, you remember
that time you almost died on a mountain. So we
made so many memories. And then we went out, you know,
we went to community theaters and we watched this production
of Mama Mia put on by some senior Korean aunties
(12:17):
and it was the cutest thing ever. And yeah, we
made so many memories when we were out in Vancouver,
and it was so special because I got to see
Kelly have her first poutine. Oh okay, which is so cool.
I've heard, like contact photo on my phone is a
picture of her eating a poutine at Stanley Park. The
(12:38):
best thing ever. Did she like it? She loved it?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, a big fan. And I know that Kelly has
talked about how this movie was really big for her
own identity and really like resonating with herself. And then
when I spoke to her, she was talking about just
the importance of just being a queer actor playing a
queer role. So just for you, how what is that
(13:02):
impact of just really being a part of a queer
love story.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yeah, it's so amazing because I have yet to have
This is the first time where I had the amazing
opportunity to you know, play a queer character and to
bring so many parts of myself into this character, and
to also be a part of a cast that you know,
really really resonates with our characters and this whole movie
(13:26):
and all the themes that are involved. And I feel
really fortunate. And you know, we talk about this as
a cast all the time that we're like, this is
so amazing that we're doing this, Like you guys were
doing this, like this is crazy. Can you believe that
we're doing this? And a lot of the time we're
just like, you know, it's it's absolutely insane, and we still, yeah,
(13:49):
we can't believe that this is this is happening, And
we were so grateful, and I feel so grateful that, yeah,
I get to play a character where you know, I
bring so many parts of myself and it feels amazing too,
and I feel honored to be able to represent that
for many other people too.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And this was one of your first big breakout roles, right, Like,
I know you've been a part of other projects. But
if you were to go into another role, and you
obviously got to help form this one, be it add
some dancing in. But what would be your like ideal
next role if you could really just imagine anything.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, you know, I had so much fun doing this
kind of like fun, silly role. I would love to
go into like a sci fi fantasy world, something in
like Marvel. You know, I have a background in martial arts,
So something where I could bring my martial arts background
(14:49):
and you know, with a bit of comedy, so you know,
maybe an alternate universe spider girl of some sorts, you know, Yeah, yeah,
I think or like the X Men New Mutants. There
there's a there's a character named Karma. She's she's Vietnamese.
She's that that's that'd be that'd be super cool to
play her.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, I bet. I mean you said sci fi and
I was like, well, you could talk to Kelly because
she's the Star Wars queen.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
She's a Star Wars queen.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, Marvel a whole new world. But that would be
so fun. I want to go back to your dancing,
(15:37):
just because I saw this story that you left school
to go to an audition right, okay, can you just
kind of tell me about that day and what was
really going through your mind.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
So I was in the middle of a final exam. Yeah,
there was a written portion and there was also the
practical portion. So I was in my my scrubs in
the middle of the written portion. At the same time
that I was writing it, there was an audition down
the street for Step Up five, the movie in Vancouver.
And the time, you know, I didn't have an agent,
(16:12):
I didn't know anything about the business or anything like that.
I just saw this you know, massive open call on Facebook.
It was like an ad and they were looking for
you know, they're holding auditions, you know, union non union's welcome,
just show up and sign it. And the entire time
I was writing the written portion of thing sham, I
(16:33):
was just like, I really want to go to this audition.
I really really, really just I really want to be there,
and I don't know, I guess like the demons took over.
Instead of just getting up to go do the audition,
I got up, I walked to the office and I
said I want to drop out, and then the very
(16:54):
nice lady working there was just like, are you okay,
Like do you want to talk to somebody, you know,
you want to think about this. I was like, nope,
I want to drop out. Any I want to drop out.
And so anyway, I signed all the paperwork, I went
to my locker, grabbed all my stuff, and I ran
down the street to the Step Up five audition. I
didn't have any other clothes, so I did the audition
(17:16):
in my scrubs and I did the audition. I did
not get the job, and then I was like, uh,
what do I do now? But I yeah, the demons
really took over in that moment. I think now, looking back,
I think it was maybe I signed from the universe
(17:37):
that I was meant to be doing something else not
related to teeth.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yeah, it definitely worked out and it was a good decision.
But I love that you did the whole unenrollment first,
Like you weren't just like, let me just step out
of this test.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Yeah, yeah, I don't. It's you know, a clean break,
this like impulsiveness and this like you know, I think
that it's so funny because I think I carry that
into Kendall. My character is that like even the worst
ideas are the best ideas. Right now in this moment,
you know, and I'm like, ah, when I drop out, Okay,
it sounds like a good idea to me, even though
(18:13):
it's not, because you know, then I had all these
student loans to pay back and I was like, well,
didn't think about that. But then you know, and it's
life goes on. You pay back the loans and then
now you're in a movie.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Right. So that's the lasson to everyone. If you're in
the mid test and you're like, I actually think I'm
just gonna leave and never come back, then do it?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Do it?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Because I support, I really really support that.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Has there been any other impulsive moments that you felt
have had like a payout with your career so far?
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Yeah, I think that with my character Kendall, I think
the biggest payout was or also this is a lesson
for me too that I learned and I'm going to
continue to carry forward, is that I showed up as
my true authentic self with Kendall, and Andrew loved it
so much that he, you know, rewrote the character. So
I think by you know, taking the risk of just
(19:06):
not thinking about you know, what does what do other
people want? Like what do they want? You know, what
do they want? Kendall to be. I just made Kendall
my own, and however Kendall I envision Kendall to be
was really the ultimate payout because you know, I got
way more than what Kendall was initially supposed to be,
just by just by being me.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
And I think that is common with all of these
wonderful characters. Is just truly how Andrew was like, just
be whatever they are, like build them together, Like I know,
the couples got to really like immerse themselves and be like,
what is our couple language? What are we doing? Like
it was just so like thought out that you really
feel like they're real. Yeah, and it's just so sweet
(19:46):
to see.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Yeah, it's amazing. They really do feel just like, you know,
fully fleshed out characters, just living and breathing and existing
through their existential crisis.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
What would it have meant to you to have seen
this movie when you were like growing up?
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Oh, you know, I for me, it would have meant
so much, you know, to see because you know, the
first ever queer movie I saw was Saving Face and
Joan Chen was in Saving Face. And you know, it's incredible,
in a very full circle for me to be in
the Wedding Banquet with Joan Chen because Saving Face meant
(20:28):
so much to me. And a movie like The Wedding
Banquet this kind of modern like Okay, you're gay, Great,
here's like the next thing. You know, having something like
that growing up would have been so amazing because you know,
we do have these beautiful stories about you know, the
struggles of you know, coming out and being gay and
(20:51):
the trauma that you know that comes along with it.
But yeah, I had I had a movie when I
was younger where you know, there are other problems, you know,
regular problems that gave people go through every day. It
would have been so meaningful for me to see that that,
you know, we are just normal people.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Right we have Everyone has their own struggles, their own
things are going through, whether or not their sexuality and everything. Yeah,
and this one gets to touch on obviously just like marriage, IVF,
living situations like.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Exactly, and and you know, and it's such it's a
feel good you know. And I think that's something that
would have meant so much to me if I got
to see it when I was younger.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I saw another note just speaking of younger you that
you loved spy kids.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So much and I still do. I still love Spy Kids.
It's the Spy Kids too, specifically specifically where they go
to the Gobi Desert and they go to the island
with where like the big magnet shuts down all the
technology on the island and then there's all these like
creatures that like.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Roam the island. It's the best Spike Kids ever.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Why is that one better than the other ones? That's
a great question, because I feel like I liked Spy
Kids three.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Spy Kids three was really good. It is it was
so futuristic. Yeah, you know, it was so like I
wish that I could enter this like video game world
and just like what is he do you remember that
scene in Spy Kids three where he like, in order
to get to like to like the moon or whatever,
he has to jump onto like a target and he
gets to.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Bounce to them down.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Yeah, that's crazy. That's like if we could just transport
ourselves through these little bouncy targets la traffic, Like we
need bouncy targets to get around.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah. I mean all of the movies feel like such
a fever dream, but obviously in the best way. Like,
you know, there's dumb.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
The doll and the thumbs and and and floops foglies,
that's what they're called, the foglies. I I'm obsessed with
Flop that. You do remember his his theme song where
he's like who what what?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Where? He just redid it the other day the actor
he didn't like Jimmy fallon or something. He did No
way a little video on it, and I was like,
this is like just acknowledging it. I was like, this
is too much for me.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I need to I need to see this after yeah,
after this after but iconic.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Anytime anyone brings up it, I like forget because I
always just forget that it exists. I feel like you
don't cause.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
No, but I think about it all the time. Yea,
all the time. It's it lives in my mind, rent
Free constantly. It's my kids too, just plays in my brain.
And Shrek two. I also love Shark Boy and love
a girl, you know, kind of like.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
I do, feel like the same.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, similar universes. Yeah, you know, yeah, I loves my
kids too. I wish I had all the gadget's. Uh
you know, when like Apple watches became a thing, I
was my first thought was that spy kids you do
you remember when you know, like the watch, like like yeah,
came like holographic and you're like, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
I mean, I'm still waiting for that to happen because
I feel like we've obviously enhanced so much, but we
still don't have that.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
No really yeah, no, like holograms. Yeah, but like the
microwave you can talk into it now, true, that's crazy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I feel like if more people thought about spy kids
more often, the world would be better.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I don't know what impact it would have, but I
think it would be better.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I think we would have a little more peace. Probably
that's the impact that it really has spy kids to
thank you, Thank you spy kids.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I think about what like kids are watching nowadays, and
I obviously have no idea. I don't know children, but
I just I feel like it's not that, and it's
not Shark Boy and Loma Girl, and that's the problem.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
I wish it was. Yeah, well, we should show these
kids spy kids and chirpy and love a girl.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I mean, I'm I'm like, I don't know that many mothers.
I'm hoping the generation is showing them that, but I
just don't know, I don't know what's I don't know
what they're getting.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Please show them Spy Kids and Sharp Boy and Lover Girls,
Spi Kids one, two, and three, all of us, especially too,
especially too. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
You can quote too right, like you like know the
whole script? You know, try me.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I don't know if you tell me lines, I could
tell you probably where it kind of you know what
the scene is?
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, So yeah, I should have come more prepared. I
should have had lines ready.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
No, that's okay. You know we both love Spiked Suit.
We can watch it again. Okay, yeah, yeah, we watched
it again.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Children are watching it, and then.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
I hope that all the children will will know the
lines and they'll know the floops song and what floops
fooglies are.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Yeah. When I saw him redoing it, I was like,
do people know this? I mean, I think a lot
of people do I do. Yeah. I'm not trying to
question everyone and their ability of spy kids. I was
just going on this like whimsy trail because I loved
all of the facts that were sent in. I don't
know what I would have put on a fat sheet
about like myself, but just being like I love spy kids,
(26:26):
I love deep sea creatures. I was like, this is
this is the time type of whimsy I need to
be on.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
This is just what came first to my mind. Really,
I didn't have to think so deep. You were just like, yeah, no,
that's that's what am I doing tonight. Oh yeah, I'm
watching a documentary about deep sea creatures. Great, that's fun.
Fact about me. YouTube it's on YouTube, okay, because it's
(26:57):
the best. It's the best YouTube all the way.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Do you have a favorite deep sea creature?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I really like anglerfish. Oh me too, because I think
they're so they kind of they kind of look like
aliens in a way. You know, like do you think
aliens exist? Since anglerfish exist? Like I feel like they
have to.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I mean, I'm terrified of the deep sea because I
know there's just things there. Yeah, we're not really experiencing,
and I feel like I could feel a similar way
about like space, but like the sea is right there,
the seas, yeah, and we were interacting with it, and
there's there's aliens in there.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
There's definitely aliens in in there.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I agree. Like then, we just had the anglerfish story
recently where everyone kind of like I saw that realized
what an anglerfish. Was it like came to the surface, right,
and apparently it's really small? It is. Yeah, I didn't
know that because, you know, I saw it a scary
nemo and I thought it was terrifying. Yeah, but yeah,
it's like a tiny little.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
You would think that it's at least like the size
of our hands, right, maybe too.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Yeah, And that's just further proving that we have no idea, We.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Don't know anything. Aliens are among us.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Yeah, but I mean she seemed really nice, the little anglerfish.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Yeah, I think they're friendly.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Would you go like deep sea diving if you could
to see creatures down there?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
I would love to. Would I get into like a submarine?
I'm kind of iffy on that, you know, but if
there was a very safe and economical way to see
these deep sea creatures and you know, not disturb them
so much, I would love that. But maybe maybe they
(28:49):
just want to be away from us, which is why
they they're so deep, you know. That makes sense to me.
That makes sense to me too, Like if they're so
far away that it's not quite safe for us to reach,
I think there has to be a reason. Not a reason, yeah,
is like we don't want anything to do with you,
(29:09):
So stay away.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
So deep I'm afraid of under like deep deep sea water.
But now I'm like, maybe they're onto something.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I think so I think it's I think it's intentional.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
I think they're very intentional creatures that are like we
need to put the water and like keep our distance.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
We need to put the water and keep our distance.
I'm really trying to be like, this is deep, But
what does that I think mean?
Speaker 1 (29:44):
I think they control the water. Oh okay, like we're
not making it deep enough. Clearly they know something that
we don't. Yeah, so it's intentional.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, everything they do has a purpose, has a reason.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Up.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Yeah, did you make the cast watch any documentaries with
you while they were over there?
Speaker 1 (30:04):
We did not watch any crazy documentaries, but we watch
Couple's Therapy, like multiple seasons of it on set actually,
like in between takes, you know, when they're they're like resetting,
we would get so excited and they're like they're resetting.
We'd like rush back to like our green room and
watch Couple's Therapy. That was really fun. But one loves
(30:24):
Couple's Therapy should ask him about it. Oh man, he'll
tell you everything about couple's therapy.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Interesting. I don't know much about couple therapy me neither.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I watch multiple seasons of it. I still don't know what.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Okay, That's how I feel about a lot of things.
Like I'll be like, I don't know what that is,
and have you seen I'm like, yeah, but I really know.
Besides couple therapy and documentaries, what else are you really
loving right now?
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I really like spicy food. Oh did you see that?
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I did see that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
My my dream one day is to become the ultimate
hot ones champion. Have you ever had those like really
spicy Korean bulldock noodles, like the the Korean like spicy
noodle Challenge?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
I've seen people, yeah, but I've never loved those.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Delicious can you eat spicy food?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I feel like I don't know where on the level
of like hot ones, I would be like, I definitely
like hot sauce. I like spice to add to my food,
but like I've never had that, and I haven't really
had like ghost pepper, yeah, wings or something. But I
think I think like a nice middle ground.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
So what I would really love is I think on
my fact sheet there too, is I say that I
love Guitar Hero. Yes, right, So the perfect night to
me is we're playing Guitar Hero and then we're eating
wings with like the hottest sauce. I think it's like
the Bomb, that's what they call it. They had the
Final Boss, the Bomb. So we're having the bomb hot
(31:56):
wings playing Guitar Hero and there's deep Sea documentaries playing
in the back.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
I think that's the perfect night.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Have you had a debomb Wing? No? I don't know
if he sells it, like, I don't know what the
I don't know either, like you even get access to it.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
I really want to try it because I am confident
that I could handle it. I might even enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I think there's only been like three people on the
show who were like, oh this is yummy.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Did they they like they liked it?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Yeah? Okay, that like said it had good flavor.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
So I want to be the fourth one.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Okay, I mean don't yeah, don't statistics, but I really
want to try it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
So if anybody knows where to get this, please let
me know.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
So are you are you training for this or you
just feel like you're already there?
Speaker 1 (32:47):
No, I do it right now?
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:49):
If you had it right now.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
I did see that on the list, and I did
think about being like, do we bring spicy food to
challenge you? But I honestly felt like my level of spice,
like I'd.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Be like, this is real, because I mean, you would
have to do it too, right. Yeah, that's the whole
thing is we'd have to do it together.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Yeah, that was the scary part. I don't have that
same vision of well, it's even better because then we
would have this experience to think about, and I think
you would think about it forever. I agree. Okay, there's
so many missed opportunities here, because next time I'll bring
spicy wings, I'll bring quotes from spy Kids.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
And an angler, fish and fish and.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Guitar Hero and we'll just steck out the whole space perfect. Yeah,
do you have anything else coming up?
Speaker 1 (33:41):
You know, I'm kind of just rolling through all of
this crazy wedding banquet stuff.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I mean, it's still out.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yeah, it's taken me around the world, which is so crazy.
You know. We premiered it at Sun Dance, which was
in Utah, never been in Utah, and then we had
it an international premiere in London in the UK, and
that was my first time ever in Europe and now
we're in La and it's my first time ever in La.
(34:10):
So I'm just living my life and just enjoying all
of these new sites and new people and like. And
it's just been so cool getting to see people come
out and watch our movie and and love it so much.
And I'm just so happy to just be here.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
So what has it been like in La. I don't
know how long you've been here, but like, what have
you been up to? Obviously went to the premiere, and
I also want to hear about how that was.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yeah, uh, you know, it's been really amazing. I feel
like everything really really excites me. I was in a
car with Kelly Murray Tran and I saw the Hollywood
sign and I was like sticking my head out the
window and I'm like, look, it's all I want's on.
It was super cool. Everything is amazing out here. I
love La so much. I want to see more. I
(35:00):
want to go to the beach. I had in and
out for the first time ever. Okay, blew my mind.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
It is really good. What was the order I got?
Speaker 1 (35:09):
You know, it was just the combo with the hamburger
and the fries and like a fountain drink. Okay and classic.
It was amazing. I've never had anything like it before,
so I'm very very glad that I had in and Out.
There are so many joints that you know, we don't
have in Canada. We just got jolly Be in Canada.
I love jelly Be. Yeah, I wish we had an
(35:33):
in and Out.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I actually have never tried jolly Be, and I didn't
know about it until I moved here.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
It's so good. I mean, their fried chicken is what
you know they're famous for. But my favorite dish is
their Filipino spaghetti. It's like a banana ketchup sauce. Oh yeah,
it's amazing with like spaghetti so good.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Okay, good to know good banana ketchup. Yeah, that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
It's like sweet but also ketchup be.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Makes sense. It's great. I honestly I feel the same way.
I've lived here a couple of years now, but I
still every time I see the Hollywood side, I'm like,
it's right because like I'll be like at the grocery
store and I can see it.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
It's got crazy wild. Should I do the hike?
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Yeah? The hike's really fun honestly, I've done it. There's
like a couple different ones you can do, and I've
done one where you can go behind it or in
front of it and okay, yeah, it's really fun, honestly cool.
It's like six miles though. The one I did bring
someone so they can carry.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
You down, just in case my leg gives out again,
right and it stops working. I think I need Kelly
and keich On specifically to do this hike with me.
How long are you here till Sunday?
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Okay, you have time?
Speaker 1 (36:45):
Yeah, it was it's a full week actually, so it's
been really nice. It's kind of cold, which this is
cold for you?
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Yeah, this is cold. I was like it was. It
was sunny last week, so I was like, oh man,
I really like not warm for you.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
No, this is okayat so this is warm for Vancouver
beach weather. Oh yeah, okay, it's like raining all the
time in Vancouver. It's like gloomy. It's like dark at
three pm. Oh so this is really nice.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Well that's good.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I love it. This is summer.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
See yeah, I think it's like sixty something.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I don't know what that means, because I mean that's true.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
I don't know how to convert or I would me neither.
So I haven't gone to the beach in months because
it's been too cold, so you'll have to tell me
it is.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
I would love to go to the beach in this weather.
That's great.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
It's like a few miles over.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, maybe that's where I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Okay, let me know.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Do you want to come?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Sure? Okay, it'll be cold, yeah for me.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
You don't like that, I'll be all right. Maybe we'll
find an angler fish, yes.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Even though that's scary as well, the idea, anything else
you want to tease about this or anything that you're
working on.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Please go see the wedding banquet. Yes, I hope. And
you watch it, you feel really warm and tingly inside
and it makes you feel all kinds of emotions, and yeah,
I just really hope that you enjoy it as much
as we all do. And please go see it. Yeah,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Thank you so much for listening. Be sure to subscribe
to Pride wherever you listen or watch podcasts, and follow
us on social media at Pride
Straw Hut Media. You know, we do have these beautiful
stories about, you know, the struggles of coming out and
being gay and the trauma that you know that comes
along with it. But had I had a movie when
I was younger where there are other problems, you know,
regular problems I gave people go through every day, it
would have been so meaningful for me to see that that,
(00:22):
you know, we are just normal people.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
I'm Caylen McDaniel, and this week on Pride, I'm talking
to Bobo Leigh, who has a new breakout role in
The Wedding Banquet from Andrew On He's directing. It's an amazing,
amazing film. It has queer representation, Asian American representation. Go
check it out in theaters April eighteenth. We are going
to be talking about her role in the film, her
amazing line that everyone is going to be quoting, her
(00:54):
love for deep sea creatures, spy kids, and so much
more so, stay tuned. I am a big fan of
this movie. I hadn't seen the original, I will say,
(01:17):
but just going into this one, I loved how much
I saw and like just hearing the backstory of it.
I got to talk to Andrew about it. And everything,
but obviously you play Kendall's cousin, and I wanted to
talk to you a little bit. I mean I heard
about how the role was smaller and then it got
expanded for you, so I want to hear just a
little bit about how that happened.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
You know what's really amazing is I think that when
I did the initial audition, you know, Andrew loved it
so much he called me back in person to do
kind of like a callback situation. So I got to
meet Andrew and our producers, and you know what, I
think what Andrew really loved about what I brought to
the character was I brought this kind of like chaotic
(02:00):
sibling energy. And I brought this also, you know, Kendall
really tries to go for all your ideas, even the
worst ones are the best ideas ever, and and it
brought this layer of just like, oh yeah, that's like,
you know, your little like sibling, you know, who's like
he's like egging you on. And I think that's something
(02:21):
that Andrew really loved and wanted to explore. So and
it's funny too, because at the end of my callback audition, uh,
you know, Andrew asked me if I had any questions,
you know about the script, and I said, yeah, you know,
I'm reading here it says that Kendall goes to the club.
And I told Andrew I'm a dancer, and I pulled
(02:41):
my phone out and I started freestyling for him and
all of our producers and they were just dying. And
then Andrew's like, where'd you learn how to do that?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
And I was like.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
YouTube and he loved it so much he wrote that
dance scene into the movie as well. So, you know,
Andrew was just so open into you know, all these
like different aspects of me that I brought into Kendall,
and it was so amazing that he expanded my role
so much and and you know turned, you know, Kendall
(03:13):
went from being a friend to to Bowen's character's cousin.
So it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I love that. I love that the dance got incorporated
in side. Yeah, yeah, I did see that. You're you're
a dancer a popper, right, yep? Can you tell me
a little bit about that?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, yeah, I'm a street dancer and I danced with
a community with a bunch of poppers. And my first
time ever seeing popping was probably when I was like
nine and I was watching So You Think You Can Dance,
and I love that show so much too. And there's
a dancer on the show. His name's Philip Chabebe, and
(03:48):
I remember seeing him do this like wiggly arm thing,
and I thought it was so cool. And then you know,
the air of YouTube came about and like these like
tutorials started coming out and I would just watch them
all day and and and try to learn and look
at myself in the mirror. And and then I found
my community in Vancouver. A lot of street dancers come
(04:10):
out to this place called Robson Square. It's while the
dancers hang out and we'll just put on music and
dance with each other. So yeah, that's where I spent
a lot of my time just you know, freestyling with
other dancers. And and then we you know, we started
competing in battles and things like that. So that's kind
of where I found my love for popping.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Amazing. I love that you brought up just like So
you Think you Can Dance watching the YouTube videos. I
used to watch those and try to learn them, and
I did like National Dance Day when they did those,
but I was never good. Another life maybe, but I
was like, I had that exact same, like loving all
of the YouTube videos and wanting to know all the dances.
(04:50):
So that's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
That Yeah, when YouTube is this like there's plethora of
tutorials and amazing dancers, you know, back then even now,
there's just so much out there and it's amazing. I
feel you can learn anything from YouTube.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Anytime I do something random, like I'll start a new craft,
my Momi always be like, are you teaching yourself this?
Like what are you doing? And I was like, YouTube,
I don't know tube. If I can find it on
anything that's wrong with my car. I'm like, if I
can find it on YouTube, I can do it myself.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You can totally do it.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
You don't ye why?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Yeah, I'm like now it's like the world is your oyster. Truly.
I wanted to go back to the show just because
you were talking or the movie, because you were talking about,
you know, expanding this role. And I did talk to
your other cast mates who are all amazing, and they
everyone has kind of agreed that there's one line from
the movie that stands out from all the rest, and
(05:41):
it's yours. So you came in really. Yeah, I got
to be the side character that like got a bigger role.
And then you had the best line of the entire movie.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Which line did they say?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
They said, it is the one about not being enough alone.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Oh, yes, none of us are good enough alone?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yes, yeah, yeah, And it just stands out so much.
I mean, it really ties the whole movie together, and
you got to to deliver.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
It, yeah, which I think is amazing because I think
I think you're right in that, Like it really sums
up our movie of chosen family and you know, having
people that you love and love you in your life
and you know the love and care that there is there,
and I think that line really speaks to that. Yeah,
(06:27):
none of us are good enough alone.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
When you were going into this movie, did you realize,
you know, like how impactful it was going to be.
I mean, I feel like from the get go you
hear like this queer Asian American movie, like it has
to be good, But like, did you really understand like
the gravity of it all when you were first going in.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
You know, I think when I first was going into it,
my brain was thinking, like, well, there's four gay people
living in this same house.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
That's crazy, that's where I started, right and you know,
the more and more I got deep burn deeper into
the script, I just thought, like, these are fully, you know,
lived in characters who are all going through something so
personal to them, and yet you know, they're kind of
coming together to love and support each other.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
And I think that's such a beautiful message that you
know the movie. And also it just brings these feelings
of this like warm butterflies in your stomach, you know,
kind of thing. And I think that's what I love
so much, and I think that it does have an
impact on me and many other people who've seen the
movie because it's just such a feel good movie.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Did you have a favorite line from the movie that
maybe isn't that one we already talked about.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, yeah, I have a favorite scene. Okay, so better
and the line too. So there's a scene where Bowen
and Kelly are like at the bar and then Bowen
puts that like neo glowstick necklace over Kelly and they're
like holding each other's faces and they're like, I see you.
(08:05):
That is my favorite favorite favorite scene in the movie.
It makes me laugh so hard every time that I
see it. That has to be my favorite scene and
my favorite line.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
It's definitely like that is me when I'm in a
bar after three drinks. That's just it's so real, me
in the bathroom with any girl that wants Yeah, yeah,
one hundred percent. And their relationship between Kelly and Bowen
is so interesting in the movie. But what was it
like working with Bowen who's such an icon and just
(08:37):
really kind of like creating that like not sibling, you know,
family relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
You know, with Bone. It was just so easy because
Bowen is so amazing, and he's so kind, and he's
so funny, and he's you know, working with him, he's
so giving as well. And you know, when I was
working with him, he was constantly checking in on me
and you know, being like, hey, I'm going to do this,
It's okay, and just he just made me feel so
safe and so comfortable to really just just play and
(09:06):
explore you know, these scenes with him, and and it's
so amazing because you know, we have a very emotional
scene together kind of towards the end of the movie,
and we actually got that scene super last minute. We
got it on the day in hair and makeup, so
we both didn't have a ton of time. You know,
to look it over. And the most amazing thing about
(09:29):
working with Bowen.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Is that.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
We both trusted each other so much to get to
this vulnerable place where we kind of just were so
present with each other. And I feel so grateful, you know,
that I got to share this experience with Bowen, and
I'm so glad that, out of all the people that
it was with Bowen specifically. And he's just so gracious
(09:55):
and so funny. He's constantly, you know, improvising and throwing
things at me. And I think the fun anything about
Kendall is that, you know, Kendall is so supportive and
and but Kendall doesn't always know what to say. So
you know, when Boone's always always throwing these lines out
a lot of the time, Kendall's just like just processing,
you know, just like yeah, yeah, yeah, you know that
(10:17):
that's kind of those are the vibes. So I really
do love working with Boones so much, and and I
love him so much as a friend, and he's so
supportive and so kind, so sweet. We both love Final Fantasy,
and it's it's always so fun getting to see him
every time. And whenever we kind of split apart, I
(10:38):
always miss him.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Did he actually learn anything about birds throughout the process
of filming? Do you know?
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Oh yeah, yeah, so many, so many things about birds.
It it's so cool because I know nothing about birds,
and just getting to do these scenes with Bowen, it's
it's it's awesome, you know, picking up Oh like that,
what are the birds? Squealer ducks? I learned what squealer
ducks are. Yeah, that's awesome because.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Yeah, he's a bird watcher. But then he also gets
to carry a duck at that point. Yep, does lots
of duck drawings. But I was like, I don't know,
Like I wonder how much you know, research is really
necessary to go into.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I don't know much about birding. I love them all.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Did you get to show I think you only filmed
for a couple of weeks for the movie, right, Okay,
but it was in Vancouver. It was so were you
like the tour guide? I sure was.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
We all got in my car. We had so many awesome,
you know days where I took them out hiking. We
went to Squamish and we ended up doing like a
five six hour hike and my leg gave out towards
almost towards the end of the hike, like the last
half hour and Kelly and Kichen had to carry me
(11:55):
up the rest of the way up the mountain. And
it's so funny. We joke about this every day every
time we see each other. They were like, you remember
that time you almost died on a mountain. So we
made so many memories. And then we went out, you know,
we went to community theaters and we watched this production
of Mama Mia put on by some senior Korean aunties
(12:17):
and it was the cutest thing ever. And yeah, we
made so many memories when we were out in Vancouver,
and it was so special because I got to see
Kelly have her first poutine. Oh okay, which is so cool.
I've heard, like contact photo on my phone is a
picture of her eating a poutine at Stanley Park. The
(12:38):
best thing ever. Did she like it? She loved it?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, a big fan. And I know that Kelly has
talked about how this movie was really big for her
own identity and really like resonating with herself. And then
when I spoke to her, she was talking about just
the importance of just being a queer actor playing a
queer role. So just for you, how what is that
(13:02):
impact of just really being a part of a queer
love story.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Yeah, it's so amazing because I have yet to have
This is the first time where I had the amazing
opportunity to you know, play a queer character and to
bring so many parts of myself into this character, and
to also be a part of a cast that you know,
really really resonates with our characters and this whole movie
(13:26):
and all the themes that are involved. And I feel
really fortunate. And you know, we talk about this as
a cast all the time that we're like, this is
so amazing that we're doing this, Like you guys were
doing this, like this is crazy. Can you believe that
we're doing this? And a lot of the time we're
just like, you know, it's it's absolutely insane, and we still, yeah,
(13:49):
we can't believe that this is this is happening, And
we were so grateful, and I feel so grateful that, yeah,
I get to play a character where you know, I
bring so many parts of myself and it feels amazing too,
and I feel honored to be able to represent that
for many other people too.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And this was one of your first big breakout roles, right, Like,
I know you've been a part of other projects. But
if you were to go into another role, and you
obviously got to help form this one, be it add
some dancing in. But what would be your like ideal
next role if you could really just imagine anything.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, you know, I had so much fun doing this
kind of like fun, silly role. I would love to
go into like a sci fi fantasy world, something in
like Marvel. You know, I have a background in martial arts,
So something where I could bring my martial arts background
(14:49):
and you know, with a bit of comedy, so you know,
maybe an alternate universe spider girl of some sorts, you know, Yeah, yeah,
I think or like the X Men New Mutants. There
there's a there's a character named Karma. She's she's Vietnamese.
She's that that's that'd be that'd be super cool to
play her.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Yeah, I bet. I mean you said sci fi and
I was like, well, you could talk to Kelly because
she's the Star Wars queen.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
She's a Star Wars queen.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, Marvel a whole new world. But that would be
so fun. I want to go back to your dancing,
(15:37):
just because I saw this story that you left school
to go to an audition right, okay, can you just
kind of tell me about that day and what was
really going through your mind.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
So I was in the middle of a final exam. Yeah,
there was a written portion and there was also the
practical portion. So I was in my my scrubs in
the middle of the written portion. At the same time
that I was writing it, there was an audition down
the street for Step Up five, the movie in Vancouver.
And the time, you know, I didn't have an agent,
(16:12):
I didn't know anything about the business or anything like that.
I just saw this you know, massive open call on Facebook.
It was like an ad and they were looking for
you know, they're holding auditions, you know, union non union's welcome,
just show up and sign it. And the entire time
I was writing the written portion of thing sham, I
(16:33):
was just like, I really want to go to this audition.
I really really, really just I really want to be there,
and I don't know, I guess like the demons took over.
Instead of just getting up to go do the audition,
I got up, I walked to the office and I
said I want to drop out, and then the very
(16:54):
nice lady working there was just like, are you okay,
Like do you want to talk to somebody, you know,
you want to think about this. I was like, nope,
I want to drop out. Any I want to drop out.
And so anyway, I signed all the paperwork, I went
to my locker, grabbed all my stuff, and I ran
down the street to the Step Up five audition. I
didn't have any other clothes, so I did the audition
(17:16):
in my scrubs and I did the audition. I did
not get the job, and then I was like, uh,
what do I do now? But I yeah, the demons
really took over in that moment. I think now, looking back,
I think it was maybe I signed from the universe
(17:37):
that I was meant to be doing something else not
related to teeth.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yeah, it definitely worked out and it was a good decision.
But I love that you did the whole unenrollment first,
Like you weren't just like, let me just step out
of this test.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Yeah, yeah, I don't. It's you know, a clean break,
this like impulsiveness and this like you know, I think
that it's so funny because I think I carry that
into Kendall. My character is that like even the worst
ideas are the best ideas. Right now in this moment,
you know, and I'm like, ah, when I drop out, Okay,
it sounds like a good idea to me, even though
(18:13):
it's not, because you know, then I had all these
student loans to pay back and I was like, well,
didn't think about that. But then you know, and it's
life goes on. You pay back the loans and then
now you're in a movie.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Right. So that's the lasson to everyone. If you're in
the mid test and you're like, I actually think I'm
just gonna leave and never come back, then do it?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Do it?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Because I support, I really really support that.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Has there been any other impulsive moments that you felt
have had like a payout with your career so far?
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Yeah, I think that with my character Kendall, I think
the biggest payout was or also this is a lesson
for me too that I learned and I'm going to
continue to carry forward, is that I showed up as
my true authentic self with Kendall, and Andrew loved it
so much that he, you know, rewrote the character. So
I think by you know, taking the risk of just
(19:06):
not thinking about you know, what does what do other
people want? Like what do they want? You know, what
do they want? Kendall to be. I just made Kendall
my own, and however Kendall I envision Kendall to be
was really the ultimate payout because you know, I got
way more than what Kendall was initially supposed to be,
just by just by being me.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
And I think that is common with all of these
wonderful characters. Is just truly how Andrew was like, just
be whatever they are, like build them together, Like I know,
the couples got to really like immerse themselves and be like,
what is our couple language? What are we doing? Like
it was just so like thought out that you really
feel like they're real. Yeah, and it's just so sweet
(19:46):
to see.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Yeah, it's amazing. They really do feel just like, you know,
fully fleshed out characters, just living and breathing and existing
through their existential crisis.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
What would it have meant to you to have seen
this movie when you were like growing up?
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Oh, you know, I for me, it would have meant
so much, you know, to see because you know, the
first ever queer movie I saw was Saving Face and
Joan Chen was in Saving Face. And you know, it's incredible,
in a very full circle for me to be in
the Wedding Banquet with Joan Chen because Saving Face meant
(20:28):
so much to me. And a movie like The Wedding
Banquet this kind of modern like Okay, you're gay, Great,
here's like the next thing. You know, having something like
that growing up would have been so amazing because you know,
we do have these beautiful stories about you know, the
struggles of you know, coming out and being gay and
(20:51):
the trauma that you know that comes along with it.
But yeah, I had I had a movie when I
was younger where you know, there are other problems, you know,
regular problems that gave people go through every day. It
would have been so meaningful for me to see that that,
you know, we are just normal people.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Right we have Everyone has their own struggles, their own
things are going through, whether or not their sexuality and everything. Yeah,
and this one gets to touch on obviously just like marriage, IVF,
living situations like.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Exactly, and and you know, and it's such it's a
feel good you know. And I think that's something that
would have meant so much to me if I got
to see it when I was younger.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
I saw another note just speaking of younger you that
you loved spy kids.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So much and I still do. I still love Spy Kids.
It's the Spy Kids too, specifically specifically where they go
to the Gobi Desert and they go to the island
with where like the big magnet shuts down all the
technology on the island and then there's all these like
creatures that like.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Roam the island. It's the best Spike Kids ever.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Why is that one better than the other ones? That's
a great question, because I feel like I liked Spy
Kids three.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Spy Kids three was really good. It is it was
so futuristic. Yeah, you know, it was so like I
wish that I could enter this like video game world
and just like what is he do you remember that
scene in Spy Kids three where he like, in order
to get to like to like the moon or whatever,
he has to jump onto like a target and he
gets to.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Bounce to them down.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Yeah, that's crazy. That's like if we could just transport
ourselves through these little bouncy targets la traffic, Like we
need bouncy targets to get around.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah. I mean all of the movies feel like such
a fever dream, but obviously in the best way. Like,
you know, there's dumb.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
The doll and the thumbs and and and floops foglies,
that's what they're called, the foglies. I I'm obsessed with
Flop that. You do remember his his theme song where
he's like who what what?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Where? He just redid it the other day the actor
he didn't like Jimmy fallon or something. He did No
way a little video on it, and I was like,
this is like just acknowledging it. I was like, this
is too much for me.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I need to I need to see this after yeah,
after this after but iconic.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Anytime anyone brings up it, I like forget because I
always just forget that it exists. I feel like you
don't cause.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
No, but I think about it all the time. Yea,
all the time. It's it lives in my mind, rent
Free constantly. It's my kids too, just plays in my brain.
And Shrek two. I also love Shark Boy and love
a girl, you know, kind of like.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
I do, feel like the same.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Yeah, similar universes. Yeah, you know, yeah, I loves my
kids too. I wish I had all the gadget's. Uh
you know, when like Apple watches became a thing, I
was my first thought was that spy kids you do
you remember when you know, like the watch, like like yeah,
came like holographic and you're like, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
I mean, I'm still waiting for that to happen because
I feel like we've obviously enhanced so much, but we
still don't have that.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
No really yeah, no, like holograms. Yeah, but like the
microwave you can talk into it now, true, that's crazy. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I feel like if more people thought about spy kids
more often, the world would be better.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I don't know what impact it would have, but I
think it would be better.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I think we would have a little more peace. Probably
that's the impact that it really has spy kids to
thank you, Thank you spy kids.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
I think about what like kids are watching nowadays, and
I obviously have no idea. I don't know children, but
I just I feel like it's not that, and it's
not Shark Boy and Loma Girl, and that's the problem.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
I wish it was. Yeah, well, we should show these
kids spy kids and chirpy and love a girl.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I mean, I'm I'm like, I don't know that many mothers.
I'm hoping the generation is showing them that, but I
just don't know, I don't know what's I don't know
what they're getting.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Please show them Spy Kids and Sharp Boy and Lover Girls,
Spi Kids one, two, and three, all of us, especially too,
especially too. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
You can quote too right, like you like know the
whole script? You know, try me.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I don't know if you tell me lines, I could
tell you probably where it kind of you know what
the scene is?
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, So yeah, I should have come more prepared. I
should have had lines ready.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
No, that's okay. You know we both love Spiked Suit.
We can watch it again. Okay, yeah, yeah, we watched
it again.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Children are watching it, and then.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
I hope that all the children will will know the
lines and they'll know the floops song and what floops
fooglies are.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Yeah. When I saw him redoing it, I was like,
do people know this? I mean, I think a lot
of people do I do. Yeah. I'm not trying to
question everyone and their ability of spy kids. I was
just going on this like whimsy trail because I loved
all of the facts that were sent in. I don't
know what I would have put on a fat sheet
about like myself, but just being like I love spy kids,
(26:26):
I love deep sea creatures. I was like, this is
this is the time type of whimsy I need to
be on.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
This is just what came first to my mind. Really,
I didn't have to think so deep. You were just like, yeah, no,
that's that's what am I doing tonight. Oh yeah, I'm
watching a documentary about deep sea creatures. Great, that's fun.
Fact about me. YouTube it's on YouTube, okay, because it's
(26:57):
the best. It's the best YouTube all the way.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Do you have a favorite deep sea creature?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I really like anglerfish. Oh me too, because I think
they're so they kind of they kind of look like
aliens in a way. You know, like do you think
aliens exist? Since anglerfish exist? Like I feel like they
have to.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I mean, I'm terrified of the deep sea because I
know there's just things there. Yeah, we're not really experiencing,
and I feel like I could feel a similar way
about like space, but like the sea is right there,
the seas, yeah, and we were interacting with it, and
there's there's aliens in there.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
There's definitely aliens in in there.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I agree. Like then, we just had the anglerfish story
recently where everyone kind of like I saw that realized
what an anglerfish. Was it like came to the surface, right,
and apparently it's really small? It is. Yeah, I didn't
know that because, you know, I saw it a scary
nemo and I thought it was terrifying. Yeah, but yeah,
it's like a tiny little.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
You would think that it's at least like the size
of our hands, right, maybe too.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Yeah, And that's just further proving that we have no idea, We.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Don't know anything. Aliens are among us.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Yeah, but I mean she seemed really nice, the little anglerfish.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Yeah, I think they're friendly.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Would you go like deep sea diving if you could
to see creatures down there?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
I would love to. Would I get into like a submarine?
I'm kind of iffy on that, you know, but if
there was a very safe and economical way to see
these deep sea creatures and you know, not disturb them
so much, I would love that. But maybe maybe they
(28:49):
just want to be away from us, which is why
they they're so deep, you know. That makes sense to me.
That makes sense to me too, Like if they're so
far away that it's not quite safe for us to reach,
I think there has to be a reason. Not a reason, yeah,
is like we don't want anything to do with you,
(29:09):
So stay away.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
So deep I'm afraid of under like deep deep sea water.
But now I'm like, maybe they're onto something.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I think so I think it's I think it's intentional.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
I think they're very intentional creatures that are like we
need to put the water and like keep our distance.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
We need to put the water and keep our distance.
I'm really trying to be like, this is deep, But
what does that I think mean?
Speaker 1 (29:44):
I think they control the water. Oh okay, like we're
not making it deep enough. Clearly they know something that
we don't. Yeah, so it's intentional.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, everything they do has a purpose, has a reason.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Up.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Yeah, did you make the cast watch any documentaries with
you while they were over there?
Speaker 1 (30:04):
We did not watch any crazy documentaries, but we watch
Couple's Therapy, like multiple seasons of it on set actually,
like in between takes, you know, when they're they're like resetting,
we would get so excited and they're like they're resetting.
We'd like rush back to like our green room and
watch Couple's Therapy. That was really fun. But one loves
(30:24):
Couple's Therapy should ask him about it. Oh man, he'll
tell you everything about couple's therapy.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Interesting. I don't know much about couple therapy me neither.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I watch multiple seasons of it. I still don't know what.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Okay, That's how I feel about a lot of things.
Like I'll be like, I don't know what that is,
and have you seen I'm like, yeah, but I really know.
Besides couple therapy and documentaries, what else are you really
loving right now?
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I really like spicy food. Oh did you see that?
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I did see that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
My my dream one day is to become the ultimate
hot ones champion. Have you ever had those like really
spicy Korean bulldock noodles, like the the Korean like spicy
noodle Challenge?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
I've seen people, yeah, but I've never loved those.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Delicious can you eat spicy food?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I feel like I don't know where on the level
of like hot ones, I would be like, I definitely
like hot sauce. I like spice to add to my food,
but like I've never had that, and I haven't really
had like ghost pepper, yeah, wings or something. But I
think I think like a nice middle ground.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
So what I would really love is I think on
my fact sheet there too, is I say that I
love Guitar Hero. Yes, right, So the perfect night to
me is we're playing Guitar Hero and then we're eating
wings with like the hottest sauce. I think it's like
the Bomb, that's what they call it. They had the
Final Boss, the Bomb. So we're having the bomb hot
(31:56):
wings playing Guitar Hero and there's deep Sea documentaries playing
in the back.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
I think that's the perfect night.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Have you had a debomb Wing? No? I don't know
if he sells it, like, I don't know what the
I don't know either, like you even get access to it.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
I really want to try it because I am confident
that I could handle it. I might even enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I think there's only been like three people on the
show who were like, oh this is yummy.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Did they they like they liked it?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Yeah? Okay, that like said it had good flavor.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
So I want to be the fourth one.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Okay, I mean don't yeah, don't statistics, but I really
want to try it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
So if anybody knows where to get this, please let
me know.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
So are you are you training for this or you
just feel like you're already there?
Speaker 1 (32:47):
No, I do it right now?
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:49):
If you had it right now.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
I did see that on the list, and I did
think about being like, do we bring spicy food to
challenge you? But I honestly felt like my level of spice,
like I'd.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
Be like, this is real, because I mean, you would
have to do it too, right. Yeah, that's the whole
thing is we'd have to do it together.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Yeah, that was the scary part. I don't have that
same vision of well, it's even better because then we
would have this experience to think about, and I think
you would think about it forever. I agree. Okay, there's
so many missed opportunities here, because next time I'll bring
spicy wings, I'll bring quotes from spy Kids.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
And an angler, fish and fish and.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Guitar Hero and we'll just steck out the whole space perfect. Yeah,
do you have anything else coming up?
Speaker 1 (33:41):
You know, I'm kind of just rolling through all of
this crazy wedding banquet stuff.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I mean, it's still out.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yeah, it's taken me around the world, which is so crazy.
You know. We premiered it at Sun Dance, which was
in Utah, never been in Utah, and then we had
it an international premiere in London in the UK, and
that was my first time ever in Europe and now
we're in La and it's my first time ever in La.
(34:10):
So I'm just living my life and just enjoying all
of these new sites and new people and like. And
it's just been so cool getting to see people come
out and watch our movie and and love it so much.
And I'm just so happy to just be here.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
So what has it been like in La. I don't
know how long you've been here, but like, what have
you been up to? Obviously went to the premiere, and
I also want to hear about how that was.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yeah, uh, you know, it's been really amazing. I feel
like everything really really excites me. I was in a
car with Kelly Murray Tran and I saw the Hollywood
sign and I was like sticking my head out the
window and I'm like, look, it's all I want's on.
It was super cool. Everything is amazing out here. I
love La so much. I want to see more. I
(35:00):
want to go to the beach. I had in and
out for the first time ever. Okay, blew my mind.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
It is really good. What was the order I got?
Speaker 1 (35:09):
You know, it was just the combo with the hamburger
and the fries and like a fountain drink. Okay and classic.
It was amazing. I've never had anything like it before,
so I'm very very glad that I had in and Out.
There are so many joints that you know, we don't
have in Canada. We just got jolly Be in Canada.
I love jelly Be. Yeah, I wish we had an
(35:33):
in and Out.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
I actually have never tried jolly Be, and I didn't
know about it until I moved here.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
It's so good. I mean, their fried chicken is what
you know they're famous for. But my favorite dish is
their Filipino spaghetti. It's like a banana ketchup sauce. Oh yeah,
it's amazing with like spaghetti so good.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Okay, good to know good banana ketchup. Yeah, that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
It's like sweet but also ketchup be.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Makes sense. It's great. I honestly I feel the same way.
I've lived here a couple of years now, but I
still every time I see the Hollywood side, I'm like,
it's right because like I'll be like at the grocery
store and I can see it.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
It's got crazy wild. Should I do the hike?
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Yeah? The hike's really fun honestly, I've done it. There's
like a couple different ones you can do, and I've
done one where you can go behind it or in
front of it and okay, yeah, it's really fun, honestly cool.
It's like six miles though. The one I did bring
someone so they can carry.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
You down, just in case my leg gives out again,
right and it stops working. I think I need Kelly
and keich On specifically to do this hike with me.
How long are you here till Sunday?
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Okay, you have time?
Speaker 1 (36:45):
Yeah, it was it's a full week actually, so it's
been really nice. It's kind of cold, which this is
cold for you?
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Yeah, this is cold. I was like it was. It
was sunny last week, so I was like, oh man,
I really like not warm for you.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
No, this is okayat so this is warm for Vancouver
beach weather. Oh yeah, okay, it's like raining all the
time in Vancouver. It's like gloomy. It's like dark at
three pm. Oh so this is really nice.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Well that's good.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I love it. This is summer.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
See yeah, I think it's like sixty something.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I don't know what that means, because I mean that's true.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
I don't know how to convert or I would me neither.
So I haven't gone to the beach in months because
it's been too cold, so you'll have to tell me
it is.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
I would love to go to the beach in this weather.
That's great.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
It's like a few miles over.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, maybe that's where I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Okay, let me know.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Do you want to come?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Sure? Okay, it'll be cold, yeah for me.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
You don't like that, I'll be all right. Maybe we'll
find an angler fish, yes.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Even though that's scary as well, the idea, anything else
you want to tease about this or anything that you're
working on.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Please go see the wedding banquet. Yes, I hope. And
you watch it, you feel really warm and tingly inside
and it makes you feel all kinds of emotions, and yeah,
I just really hope that you enjoy it as much
as we all do. And please go see it. Yeah,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Thank you so much for listening. Be sure to subscribe
to Pride wherever you listen or watch podcasts, and follow
us on social media at Pride
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