Sherry Cola: The blue wig looked really good. Depending on how the movie does, that might turn into a permanent look. That kind of short, edgy, wavy cut and the holographic harness, fishnets, and blue hair is a vibe for me. I definitely came alive as Cutie, a member of our K-pop group, Brownie Tuesday. It’s a version of Sherry Cola that I’ve yet to unleash. I will absolutely bring her out again. She’s my secret weapon. It’s my party trick now.
Do you have a secret skill, a surprising thing you can do that you whip out at a party and shock everyone?
I always joke that I’m secretly an athlete because I’m very agile when it comes to catching things quickly. My reflexes are very sharp. One of my skills is spinning a basketball on my finger. People are always really blown away by how long I can keep that ball on my finger, which is a reflection of the themes in this film.
Yes, balls on fingers. Theraguns used in very interesting ways that I’m surprised haven’t been done before. I cried. I cried-cried, I cried-laughed, and I literally snorted.
I love the thought of Asian people just letting loose and laughing out loud. Just having no inhibitions in a movie theater, because that’s what it’s all about. This film is a good-ass time, and I want everyone to live in the moment and just enjoy it.
Your character Lolo is trying to figure out who she is outside of her best friend, Audrey, and the small town they grew up in. As you were growing up, was your journey more similar to Lolo’s or Audrey’s?
Lolo is probably the most liberated version of myself that I’ve ever portrayed on the screen, because we have so many similarities. I’m very proud of being Asian, and I’m outspoken in a lot of ways, but that didn’t happen overnight. As a kid, I always said the darndest things; my mom’s friends always got a kick out of me. Through high school, I hosted the talent shows, made funny videos in a film club, and was voted Most Outgoing in the senior yearbook. Little things like that really aligned with my passion for performing and how I’ve always been comedy-forward, how making people laugh is the ultimate drug.
I just never thought I could actually pursue it realistically because of the lack of representation. Back then it was Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, and a handful of legends. Because there were so few, I held on tighter when I saw them. Margaret Cho, one of my heroes, really inspired me to be outspoken, bold, and prove people wrong with everything that came out of my mouth. I’ve gotten to work with her on Good Trouble, which was a full-circle moment. Now I can text her whenever I want, which is bananas!
But there was always a through line deep within my soul that, because I’m an immigrant, because my parents came here in pursuit of the American dream, how could I possibly be ordinary? My parents made something from nothing. So I really owe my mom, Zengping, everything. I hope that when I “make it” make it, if you will, it’ll align with her retiring from her restaurant so I can take her with me everywhere and we can see the world because she works so hard. That’s where I get my work ethic from—my mom is still busting her ass at her restaurant in San Gabriel Valley. She wakes up before the sun’s up and has to take care of my grandpa. She carries so incredibly much. I will always say that my mom has never lived for herself, so I want to pay her back in some way, shape, or form eventually through this dream that I’ve achieved. I really hope she feels fulfilled and gets to live wholeheartedly one day.
