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SPECIAL
FEATURE SECTIONS INDIE FILMS APA 1ST W/E CLUB COMMENTARY RESOURCES
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Discover this Upcoming Actress of Many Talents
Page 1 of 8
LYNN CHEN: I’m someone who really enjoys the arts but I don’t really consider myself “a great artist.” I’ve had supportive parents and friends who’ve given me a lot of confidence about my abilities. US ASIANS: In what ways have your friends and family been supportive?
LYNN CHEN: The support from my folks and friends has been mostly verbal – though there have been many times that both my parents and my peers have helped out financially, with food, and setting me up with part-time jobs and whatnot. US ASIANS: What are the basic facts on your background (i.e. brothers, sisters, parents, etc.)? LYNN CHEN: My parents and my older brother, Morgan, are all musicians: my mom is an opera singer, my father got his PhD in ethnomusicology, and my brother is in a number of bands. US ASIANS: Did your family immigrate from either Taiwan/Hong Kong and/or Mainland China to the United States – and when? LYNN CHEN: Both my parents came from Taiwan in the late 60’s
.US ASIANS: Could you share some details on the achievements of your mom (as an opera singer) and your father in ethnomusicology (in Taiwan)? LYNN CHEN: My mother has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera House’s Ladies Chorus for over 25 years. My father was the founding president of The Kunqu Society, Inc., which is a New York-based company devoted to the to the preservation, study, and advancement of Kunqu, a genre of Chinese musical drama. US ASIANS: What bands has your brother been in and did he help you with your tracks that are on mp3.com? LYNN CHEN: No, I wrote and performed all those mp3.com songs on my own, though my husband helped me record them. My brother, Morgan, has been in various New Brunswick bands, and is currently the lead singer and guitarist for “Skyline Rodeo” that has just finised recording their c.d.
US ASIANS: What are the priorities in your personal life and why? LYNN CHEN: My health and happiness are important. I’m happy when my husband is happy, when my family is happy, when I’m performing, when I’m eating good food… so whatever helps me attain happiness is what I focus on.
US ASIANS: What are your favorite foods? LYNN CHEN: I like almost everything, from crap to gourmet, vegan to BBQ. I used to be a vegetarian in high school and college, but I just couldn’t limit myself anymore. One of my favorite foods is chunky peanut butter and strawberry jam between toasted Eggo waffles. You have to toast it to perfection though, and allow the peanut butter to melt a bit, or it’ll ruin the whole experience. US ASIANS: Who are your role models in your personal life? LYNN CHEN: I used to idolize certain people when I was growing up – musicians and actors and people in my life. I find that I don’t do that anymore; there are many people who I find inspiring, but I don’t try to emulate them like I used to. US ASIANS: Which people do you find inspiring? LYNN CHEN: People who are unafraid and determined, despite whatever difficulties life has given them. US ASIANS: Could you share how your husband has been supportive of your acting career? LYNN CHEN: He helps me memorize my lines, he edits my acting reel and tapes my auditions, he gives me constructive criticism, and he is as enthusiastic as I am about any success that I have. US ASIANS: What degrees did you receive from Wesleyan University and/or any other schools? LYNN CHEN: I got a BA in Music and Women’s Studies at Wesleyan. US ASIANS: Was it yours and/or your parents’ decision at 12 to concentrate on school? LYNN CHEN: It was my decision – I was missing a lot of school performing, and I wanted to be able to hang out with my classmates. US ASIANS: What prompted your decision to reenter the professional world of acting? LYNN CHEN: I was curious to see if I could do it. It’s one of the few things I can see myself being happy doing for the rest of my life. US ASIANS: What prompted your decision to reenter the professional world of acting? LYNN CHEN: I was curious to see if I could do it. It’s one of the few things I can see myself being happy doing for the rest of my life. It was a decision that I made on my own.
THE
"ALL" IN THE (LYNN'S) FAMILY LYNN CHEN: My parents have always been amazing about me pursuing the acting thing – they did the research and got an agent for me when I was a kid, drove me to and from auditions and performances on a daily basis….They were always telling me that I was talented and that they would support whatever decisions I made. My brother was cool about it, too – he never whined or complained that they were focusing too much on me. US ASIANS: Were they supportive of your endeavors that are not “in line” with what many Asian Pacific American parents would want their children to participate in? LYNN CHEN: When I went to Wesleyan, my parents told me that my second major had to be in something non-arts related, I suppose because they wanted me to have something else to fall back on in case acting or music didn’t work out. I chose women’s studies with my music major, a decision we were all happy with. US ASIANS: When you were young, did your parents place in you acting/dancing/music lessons? LYNN CHEN: I took ballet for a few years when I was about 7 started studying piano about that same time, until I graduated from college. No acting lessons, I guess that’s why I’m still not used to them. US ASIANS: Are they presently supporting your acting career? LYNN CHEN: My parents are terrific fans; I think they’d be disappointed if I decided to quit now.
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