Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Helen Park wasn’t awake when the Tony Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago. “My agent called me and I was still asleep!” said Park, who bears the distinction of being the first Asian American female composer on Broadway. “When I checked my phone, the first text I saw was, ‘OMG’ and the second was, ‘You’re Tony nominated.’ I just sat on my bed completely speechless for about a good 20 minutes.”
“I definitely don’t get to explore as much as I would like, but I try to get one thing in per city,” said Zurin Villanueva, who stars in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” “I went to Paisley Park – home of the late Prince – in Minneapolis. I left invigorated and very inspired. His moxy to be exactly who he wanted to be, his love for his craft and his generosity is still striking.”
“I’m lucky to have family roots that stretch around the globe,” said screenwriter William Yu. “I was born in Philadelphia, moved to Hong Kong when I was five, then to Boston, and then to New York, before coming out here to Los Angeles. My older sister currently lives in London. While we still have family in Seoul, where my parents were born, my mother went to high school in Taiwan, while my father spent formative years in Jamaica, before the two ended up in America for college and beyond.”
“I would love to experience more musical exchange in my travels,” said Ian Chang, whose group Son Lux was nominated for an Academy Award for their scoring of the film “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” “Unfortunately, the standard touring model doesn’t allow for this because of how tight the travel and performance schedules tend to be. I do have a very fond memory of trading drum set lessons for cajón lessons in Lima with an incredible cajón player who was just 10 years old.”
“Ghana and Ireland are two of my favorite places,” said Damien D. Smith, who portrays Top Notch in the FX series “Snowfall.” Ireland was one of the most scenic places I’ve ever been, whether you are at the beaches, driving through the country, or taking in its lushness. I visited the Cliffs of Moher and visited several castles. I also had the opportunity to learn a lot about their history.”
Young Mazino plays Steven Yeun’s younger brother in the Netflix rage series “BEEF.” And he has the starring role in the upcoming series “Good Boy.” In this interview, we talk about acting, reclaiming his identity as an American, and that name of his that isn’t quite Korean. “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask,” he said, laughing. “You’re officially the first.” Read the full story here.
“My first overseas performance as a musician was in Japan,” says singer-songwriter SHAUN. “It was a club performance during the time I was playing in a band. We performed at a small venue called Eggman. I have fond memories of the enjoyable time we had. Prior to that, I visited several European cities in England, France and the Netherlands.”
In Maurene Goo’s novel “Throwback” (Zando Young Readers, $16.99), teenage protagonist Samantha goes back to the ’90s, where she befriends her 17-year-old mother, Priscilla. Satirical, humorous and thoroughly engaging, Goo’s novel also reflects on how what was once accepted as the norm – casual racism played off as a joke – is problematic when viewed through our modern lens.
“I sailed the Atlantic on an ocean liner in 1964,” said musician Peter Case. “That was pretty exciting for a 10-year-old kid. We went on some incredibly high and rough seas for a few days. Most of the people onboard were sick and upset, but I was just a child. I didn’t know enough to be concerned. The ship was lurching all around. The Beatles had just come out that year. I was listening to their singles on a jukebox in the cafe.”
Last seen in the Apple TV+ series “Dear Edward,” Idris Debrand is at work on the streaming site’s upcoming series “Sinking Spring,” where he plays the younger version of a character played by Brian Tyree Henry. “Ray is a complex character and we see some of the choices he’s made as a teenager and how they affect him in the present day,” said the British actor. “So [without giving] too much away, I play the reason why Ray is the way he is.