"I think Asian females in America are probably
the highest paid film actresses. That's what my agent said."
Q: Then let's talk about the process whereby you get the
parts. You're with William Morris? A: Yeah.
Q: Do you still have to go to casting calls?
A: I don't go to cattle calls any more. The casting directors
would single me out, treat me a little differently if I'm right for the part.
Sometimes I get offers, sometimes I just go and take a meeting. I don't mind
reading if it's a good environment to read. It's still very very competitive. I
think Asian females in America are probably the highest paid film
actresses.
Q: Why do you say that? A: That's what my agent said.
Q: You mean on an average basis? A: No, Asian actresses on the screen. I don't ask everybody
how much they made. It could be my agent is just saying that to make me
feel better so she doesn't have to work that hard.
Q: You expressed an interest in filmmaking. What are you
doing about that? A: I love stories. When I see a beautiful movie that I won't be
acting in, I imagine me making a movie like it.
Q: Have you taken any steps to become a producer? A: I don't really have the time yet. I'm pretty occupied as an
actress right now. But I am [interested in producing] first for myself, because
I see so many crappy roles out there I just don't want to play. Second, I just
love good characters. Certain things I know there's no part for me but I just
love the story, I would just love to tell it.
Q: Earlier you mentioned you were working on a soap opera
called 24 about Chinese students in America... A: The script is being published in China. There's some
problems with other people, we're kind of holding it, we're not making it.
Q: You wrote it? A: I co-wrote it.
Q: Are they fiction stories? A: Fiction based on life.
Q:There was another project you were working on with
your friend? A:Mosquito Net is still alive. We sold the story to
Golden Harvest. That's like my love, my passion. It's a very very good story.
I also work with a writer whose name is Skye Lee, a Canadian Chinese writer
who wrote a very beautiful book called Disappearing Moon Cafe, so
we're trying to work out of the book and also her other stories into scripts.
There are a few stories that I like, but I don't know how to approach them
because there's no part for me--just books I read.
Q: What kind do you read? A: I've been reading very many different books. I used to
follow writers, and whatever book they wrote, I would go buy right away.
Since I've been in San Francisco I met Amy and through Amy I met other
writers based in San Francisco. Isabelle Allende...
Q: Who's your favorite author? A: Isabelle Allende. I like her stories a lot. Since I met her,
I've read a lot more of her books. There's a writer that I read who wrote
about native American people. Very good writer. I love her story. There are
books recommended to me by friends, I mean writers that I've never heard
of. Just books I've picked out while I was on location. And oftentimes while
I was reading, I say, Wow, this is a great story! I would love to tell that
story. I mean there is no part for me whatsoever...
Q: Do you read a lot? A: I read a lot. On location that's all I do.
Q: You were working on a cosmetics line. A: The perfume, yeah. It's coming out in November.
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