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GR: How do you decide whether to make a career in Hong Kong or the U.S.? EY: There could be one, and I've sort of made one. I could've done the whole Miss Hong Kong route and stayed in Hong Kong and became their style of "actor" or whatever it is there, but I chose not to. It's not that I don't like the directors there. Some are awesome, creative, and artistic, and aren't just chop-suey spit-50-movies-out-a-year type of directors. I want to work with them. But I choose to live and work on my career where I grew up and feel I belong. Of course, the ultimate is to have both--plus France. I want to make movies in France, live there, speak French, and breathe the love that I feel just automatically happens when you are in France. GR: Are you encouraged to work solely in Asia? EY: No, not really. I don't think it's wise for anyone to limit themselves to just one place. I think it benefits me to work both places, so that one day I can hopefully be recognizable in both Asia and America. GR: What types of roles in America are you reading for and or getting? EY: Well, I've been lucky enough to get some roles in films that didn't actually call for a Chinese girl. Of course, there was the war movie where I played a Filipina nurse. It seems I've played a lot of nurses lately, but the funny thing is I faint at the sight of blood. GR: What are the stigmas you've faced in being an Asian-American actress who's not extra large and in comedy? EY: Hell, I'd love to do comedy but producers don't generally look at me and go, "Ah, comedian." Of course they want me to do martial arts. Then there's the issue that I don't look Asian enough--whatever that means. It always makes me laugh because I am full Chinese. Then there's the competition like Lucy and Kelly. Producers will always go there first, which makes sense. But I think I'm different. I think their careers are awesome. They've put us on the map and made people pay attention. I want to do that, too. GR: What are you working on these days? EY: I'm hoping to start working on something soon! I hate the waiting period. It drives me insane. I try to think of this time as more life experience that I'm accumulating to be a rounded actress, and I'm about to learn French. I love languages. I speak six right now and, to me, that's not enough.  Three: Going Home isn't showing theatrically in the U.S. and who knows when Flying Dragon will come out, but you can see Eugenia in Charlotte Sometimes, which is making the rounds at arthouse theaters: SAN JOSE MAY 9 Camera 3 Theater, 288 South Second Street, 408-998-3005 BERKELEY MAY 16 Renaissance Oaks Theater, 1875 Solano Avenue, 510-526-1836 LOS ANGELES JUNE 20 Exclusively at Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Encino, 310-777-FILM HONOLULU JULY 11 Wallace Restaurant Row, 808-526-4171 |