People Watching In Honolulu

I’m here sitting on a stoop in a shopping center in Honolulu just watching all the people walk by… Eminem’s new album is playing on my headphones, there’s a cool breeze bowing through the crowd and I’m about to start filming a new movie tomorrow.

Hawaii is a magical place… for most people its magical because its a tropical paradise, or the amazing surf… but for me its amazing because as an Asian-American, it may be one of the only places in America where I’m not a minority. If you have never been to Hawaii, or even if you have, you have to realize how amazing that is.

I don’t know when you realize your race, for me it was around 6th grade, you have that first awareness that you may not be quite the same as your other classmates. It’s not a good thing or bad thing, its just a moment most minorities go through growing up in America. And that awareness somehow lingers in the back of your mind. I don’t think it rules your motivations, at least it never ruled mine, but its there and it influences your perspective on the world. And in my industry, your constantly reminded of race and ethnicity with every audition you go on… that’s the world of casting in Hollywood.

Most days you don’t even think about… you just keep grinding, keep moving closer to success. But getting off the plane and walking around here for the last few days, for a moment you realize, the guy who checked you into your hotel and the girl you just bought your Starbucks from and all these thousands of people walking around, you realize that they all kind of look like you. It’s crazy to realize that this is a whole island where there are more Asian/Pacific Islanders then there are white people.

It’s kind of a weird awareness to know your in a place where your the majority and for once they are the minority.

It’s a magical place… I know there are a lot of problems here, like everywhere else, and some very serious problems that are very unique to Hawaii. Talking to locals, you get to know fast that its not quite paradise for everyone out here. But its a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by my people… no matter where your family’s from originally, if your Asian or Pacific Islanders in America… Hawaii is like your second homeland… and I’m honored to be here to tell a story about this place, one made by the locals that’s going to show a side of Waikiki that most Americans know nothing about, the side that has nothing to do with the surf and hula girls… the other side of this paradise.

But while I’m here, I’m going to enjoy the Magic of Hawaii…

Oh what a night… (weekend actually)

As I crawl into bed Sunday night, I’m so tired, I can’t wait to fall fast asleep. But I’m that good tired, the tired you get from doing good things… things like doing good work, work that you love and partying, having the time of your life, with people you love!

My weekend started out Friday with a rehearsal for a fundraiser I was to host with all my brothers and sister called “Hip Hop & Hot”, from there I had to rush to an event I was scheduled to make an appearance at… as I rolled up to this club in Beverly Hills, I see my fiance there to greet me and boy Mark Harris, who is throwing the event to usher me through the line. As I walk into the club they escort me into private room. As the doors fly open, things now start to love in slow motion. Confetti is flying through the air and I see the faces of guy named Marv, a friend who runs with a LA hipster scene, Chad, the tallest dude in the room, whom I have a t-shirt company with, and my mother! Now, ok I’m thinking, there is no way these three people know each other and then I vaguely here the word “Surprise”! And it dawns on me… this is a surprise birthday party for me! Wow! This is crazy… Sammy really got me!
Now, let me tell you, I’m not one for surprise parties… most of the time the person knows its going down which totally ruins the surprise and when ever I’m invited to attend one, I like to come after the surprise to avoid that uncomfortable feeling you can get because the surprise is fake. But man, Sammy really got me! (Did I say that already? Well she did!)
See there’s a few reasons why she really got me… first my birthday isn’t for another two weeks so it wasn’t on my my mind. Second, I just came from a rehearsal for show I had to do this weekend and I was still getting prepared to leave to Hawaii to shot a film this week, so my birthday was really not on mind and third, I share my birthday with my brother Derek and never had my own party… so this was a big surprise.
After the initial surprise, I was so surprised to see so many friends from different parts of my life… my girl really did an excellent job in reaching people. It was such an amazing evening, I got to party with so many good friends and family… simply an unforgettable night. One of the great things was to see my parents up in the club, sitting at a table with bottle service… classic. Thank you, baby… best birthday ever. And thank you to all my friends and family that came through to give me some love… I appreciate each and every one of you.
And that was just the beginning of the weekend… I had to wake up early the next morning to shoot a short film with the director Francis de la Torres and Gisele Tongi and upon wrapping that day, I rushed downtown to host the event for East West Players with my siblings… promptly woke up Sunday morning to get back on the set to finish this film where me and Gisele had to perform a tango number. We finished what I think is going to be a very cool and sexy short and now I’m home home just thinking… what a crazy weekend…

Well, time to get some rest. Got to catch a plane on Wednesday to shoot a film in Hawaii!