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Vic Chao:
Engineering a Lifestyle Upgrade

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Vic Chao:
Engineering a Lifestyle Upgrade

GS: What has been your biggest acting coup to date?
VC: While I don't really believe in The Big Break that makes you an instant star, I've had some nice opportunities come my way. Most recently, I worked for 7 weeks on Miss Congeniality 2 (coming out in Spring 2005) as FBI Agent Hills. Last month I was cast as a new employee in the workplace of a major network drama; this role had a LOT of potential. Unfortunately, a few days into filming, they wrote out the entire storyline that involved me. (Sighs.) The Hollywood gods giveth and they taketh away...
     Otherwise, I'd say that my biggest acting coup has been finding great agents (DSA, AKA, and KSA) that believe in me and fight for me. They're awesome.

GS: What has been the worst fiasco of your acting career?
VC: I'm sure they probably were the bad auditions. Fortunately, in time you forget about them. In a business like this where you succeed only about 5% of the time, it's important to have confidence and a very selective memory.
     I suppose another low point was when, as an Asian engineer from Stanford, I could not get an audition for a film role to play an Asian engineer from Stanford. WASSUPWIDDAT?
     I've also had some stereotypical auditions which I've had to deal with. One was for a children's sketch comedy show which called for a Chinese delivery boy complaining in broken English about being beaten up. This was a stereotypical role using a stereotypical accent playing a victim for children who don't know the difference between fictional portrayals and reality! I was really angry about that, and performed my audition with a backwoods hillbilly accent, which justified the bad English, made it very comedic and entirely non-stereotypical. I didn't get the job, but I kept my dignity.

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Vic Chao scubadiving in Thailand on a recent trip to Southeast Asia.

GS: How did your life change after you became an on-screen actor?
VC: When I went from engineering to acting, my co-workers suddenly became much better looking and significantly poorer. And sometimes a shade dumber. I also have to pay more attention to my physical appearance, which is annoying. I have more money and more free time now, but ironically, I never have any idea when it's going to come. But I've traded in some job security for enormous job satisfaction, and that's worth it any day.

GS: Who are your favorite actors?
VC: Ed Norton, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt.

GS: What role would you have most liked to have played among those in recent films?
VC: Pretty much any role Ed Norton's played.

GS: What added dimension has there been because you're an Asian American actor?
VC: I really feel pride when I book a role that was not written for an Asian, because it's one of those actor victories--where you can change somebody's preconceived notion about the role on the strength of you and your talent. As I progress in my career, these victories become more difficult, because Asian-Americans aren't immediately thought of as "leading men." But part of why I do this is to open people's minds about my race.

Vic Chao with his mother, brother, sister and niece.

GS: What's your best physical feature?
VC: My parents were nice enough to give me a couple of dimples. Thanks Mom and Dad! Also, being a gymnast gives you a strong, sculpted upper body.

GS: What's your worst physical feature?
VC: Funny thing, being a gymnast also gives you skinny, bird-like legs.

GS: What surprises people most when they get to know you?
VC: I have an additional eyeball on top of my forehead which comes from being the half-spawn of aliens. They cover that with makeup.
     People are also surprised at how down to earth I am. And uhh, how dorky I can be. I admit it, I'm a big dork. I don't play dorks in my acting because you have to play your type first (leading man). Ironically, once you become a star, then you can play what you really are. So maybe there are some great dorky roles waiting for me after I become an international star. Give me another week or two...



GS: What do you secretly hope people never find out about you?
VC: Remember that part about the extra eyeball and the half-spawn of aliens? Yeah, that'd be bad if they found that out. If this answer doesn't prove the aforementioned dorky part of my personality, nothing will.

GS: What's your favorite dressing-up style for an evening out?
VC: Nice casual. I'm all about avoiding the tie if I can help it. And while we're at it, shoes with laces on them are way too much trouble for me. But I've got a stylish, comfortable, black cashmere sweater that I really like for evenings out. And I thought of it because I happen to be wearing it right now.

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“I admit it, I'm a big dork. I don't play dorks in my acting because you have to play your type first (leading man). Ironically, once you become a star, then you can play what you really are.”


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