Don’t Miss Kallie Hu
Photo by Valantena Sleman
We had the amazing opportunity to interview actress Kallie Hu here at RIVAL. She is known for her roles in shows such as Showtime's Yellowjackets, CW's The Flash, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Charmed. She also appeared in CBS's Twilight Zone and Freeform's Motherland: Fort Salem, and also in several Lifetime and Hallmark movies. This year, Kallie will star in the highly anticipated GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES, where she plays Peg, the loyal, hardworking, and ambitious friend you’ve always wanted. As a person of color, she navigates the 1950s social hierarchy. Through school, boys, and friendship, Peg acknowledges the effort it takes to stay on her feet. Four years before the original "Grease," the musical series takes place in 1954. When the T-Birds were the coolest group in school, four outcasts dared to have fun on their own terms, causing a moral panic that changed Rydell High forever.
Let's see what Kallie has in store for us today, shall we?
WELCOME, KALLIE! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. HOW'S EVERYTHING?
It’s a pleasure, thank you for having me. Good times & sunny days — I love it.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, HOW WAS YOUR LIFE GROWING UP?
Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, I was the nerdy-sporty-shy child combo that found it hard to break out of her shell. I started dancing from the age of 4 (you know, the usual ballet-jazz-tap), took piano lessons, climbed monkey bars, scraped my knees a lot, and studied hard. I loved watching the Discovery Channel growing up and I wanted to be a Mythbuster for the longest time. As I matured, I got into things that helped me experience life to the fullest — motorcycle riding, SCUBA diving, and martial arts. They’ve helped me take life by the reigns and break out of my shell.
HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ACTRESS? WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN THE CRAFT?
I always knew I loved to perform and tell stories. I was doing open calls as a dancer through high school and university but wasn’t booking for the longest time. Once I graduated university (I have a degree in Cognitive Systems from The University of British Columbia, with a minor in Commerce), I was accepted into a 1-year Masters' program in Barcelona. That summer I was going to call it quits until a dance open call for Disney’s Descendants 2 (directed by Kenny Ortega and choreographed by Tony Testa) showed up on Facebook. I remember seeing Tony Testa on the cover of Dance Spirit Magazine back in high school and I had looked up to him for years. I gave the audition my last shot and… booked it! During filming, I answered an open call for a soda pop commercial audition on Facebook, and the agent that sent me to that signed me onto his acting roster. 7 years later, I’m still with that same agent who decided to give me a chance, and I’ve irrevocably fallen in love with the craft.
YOU’VE QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME OF SHOWS, THE FLASH, SABRINA, AND CHARMED TO NAME A FEW, ANY SPECIAL REMARKS ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES IN SAID SHOWS?
They were all incredible experiences. One experience that has stuck in my heart was on Charmed. As soon as I walked onto the set for rehearsal and blocking, Gina Rodriguez, who directed the episode, turned to me immediately and said, “You are amazing!”. It metaphorically knocked my socks off and I stood there like an open-mouthed carp.
I HEARD YOU’RE NOW WORKING ON GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES, A PREQUEL TO THE ORIGINAL 1978 MOVIE. CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE SHOW?
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies takes place in 1954, four years before the original Grease. I love how it focuses on the story of the Pink Ladies, four outcasts who dare to challenge the status quo and be game changers in the school, not to mention their own lives.
GREASE IS A LANDMARK IN FILM HISTORY. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT IT?
It’s been an absolute honor bringing to life a universe that has impacted so many generations. I remember meeting a family at Sundance that owns a production company: the father came up to me saying, “We are a Grease family.” It was the first movie his daughters watched and if his wife hadn’t liked it then he wouldn’t have married her! All of us on the show were aware of the power of this story, and I am so excited for the world to see the love, dedication, and attention to detail that every single cast and crew member poured into it.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THIS ROLE OR ANY ACTING ROLE FOR THAT MATTER?
I start with the backstory and that character’s “why”. Much like my work as a User Experience designer, I ask a lot of questions and listen empathetically to where my character is coming from. What makes her tick? What makes her excited to get out of bed in the morning? Why does she react this way and not another? What is she not saying? The magic is all in the script. I write the lines out one by one, working through each intention. Then I try to physically embody the character — How does she walk? Sit? Eat a bag of chips? Wipe her hands? I try to be as specific as possible, allowing for creative exploration.
AS AN ASIAN ACTRESS YOUR EXPERIENCES IN HOLLYWOOD MUST BE QUITE CHALLENGING, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU OVERCOME THIS?
I grew up in Richmond, a southern suburb of Vancouver, which has a large Asian population, so I had a community of other Asian Canadians who were also learning to navigate North American culture while being tied to traditional Asian values. It wasn’t until I watched Everything, Everywhere, All at Once that I realized just how important representation was. Seeing the beautiful depiction of the clash of Chinese family dynamics, morals, and values with those of North America’s brought me to tears. I felt seen and heard for the first time in Hollywood, and I hadn’t even realized it was missing. It made me really believe that all this was possible.
ARE ANY SHOWS OR FILMS IN THE WORK AFTER RISE OF THE PINK LADIES? IF SO CAN YOU GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK?
I’m not able to say at this moment, but there are exciting things in the pipeline. Though they’re not on the docket, I would love to be on shows such as The Last of Us or The Boys: Gen V.
IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU WITH US, KALLIE! ANY FINAL REGARDS? DO YOU WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH YOUR FANS?
Be kind, build cool things, and don’t forget to stretch.
Story by Armando Vera