Search for
This Site
The Web

Get a free search
engine for your sit





MUSIC HOME PAGE

SPECIAL FEATURE
Philip Ahn
Tia Carrere
Margaret Cho
Church of Rhythm
Michael Kang
Hiroshima
James Hong
Michael Kang
Bruce Lee
Jet Li
Keye Luke
YoYo Ma
Martial Law
Minoru Miki
Lea Salonga
Dalip Saund
George Takei
Kiana Tom
Tamilyn Tomita
Ming-Na Wen
Anna May Wong
Russell Wong
HOME

SECTIONS
Actors
Actresses
Athletics
Authors
Cartoonists
Dancers
Directors
Film Festivals
Musicians
Newscasters
Photographers
Television Shows

INDIE FILMS
Fish Sauce Breath
"Forbidden City"
Niche Films' Success
Quest for Length
Toyo Miyatake

APA 1ST W/E CLUB
November 11, 2002
November 15, 2002
December 7, 2002

COMMENTARY
Don Duong
Martial Arts Influence
Indo-American Films
Media Ownership Limits
Police Movies' Success
Reality Shows Provide Networks' Cheap Shows
Playing the Same Roles
Musicals
Sequels
TV Stereotypes
Unscripted TV Shows
Wanna Be a Star?

RESOURCES
Children Now's
FENNEC Database
Poop Sheet
Wanna Sell a Script?

 


Back to School Sweepstakes


 

Conversation with Lynn Chen

Discover this Upcoming Actress of Many Talents
In this in-depth interview with this hard-working NYC-based actress

Page 6 of 8

 

HER DREAMS IN THE ACTING FIELD

US ASIANS: What film role would you have loved to play, if given the opportunity?

LYNN CHEN: Reese Witherspoon’s role in “Election.”

US ASIANS: What attracts you to this role and why?

LYNN CHEN: Her character, Traci Flick, was super cute and super annoying while being super sexual and super academic.

US ASIANS: Which director(s) would you like to work with?

 
Spike Jonze
 
LYNN CHEN: Spike Jonze, Spike Jonze, Spike Jonze.

Also, Wes Anderson, Amy Heckerling, Richard Linklater, and Christopher Guest.

US ASIANS: What factors/elements attracted you to the talents of directors such as Spike Jonze?

LYNN CHEN: He is funny, unique, develops interesting characters, and makes great music videos.

US ASIANS: Would you like to be a director in the future?

LYNN CHEN: I don’t think so, I find that I don’t like telling people what to do.

US ASIANS: What things do you need from a director?

LYNN CHEN: I’ll tell you what I don’t need – negativity, pressure, and line readings.
       

US ASIANS: What are your favorite films?

LYNN CHEN: I have a couple, mostly films I’ve seen over and over again while I was growing up:

  • The Goonies
  • Amadeus
  • Dazed and Confused and
  • Vertigo.

US ASIANS: What qualities about these films that have attracted you to them?

LYNN CHEN: They all have great soundtracks and talented casts.

To purchase these films, just click on the titles on the right.

 

 

Amadeus
Dazed & Confused
   
Goonies
Vertigo
       

LIFE AS A SOAP OPERA ACTRESS

US ASIANS: How did you get the recurring role of “Regina” on the daytime drama “All My Children?"

LYNN CHEN: The audition was during a huge snowstorm, and I was thinking about skipping it since I’d have to travel quite a bit to get there. But I’m glad I went, obviously. I found out the same evening that I’d gotten the role.

US ASIANS: Are you receiving a lot of fan mail from college students, as the result of your profile in “AMC?”

LYNN CHEN: The people I've heard from are fans of "AMC" - I'm not sure whether they're college students or not.

US ASIANS: Have you attended the great number of “Soap Opera” events throughout the country for AMC?

LYNN CHEN: No, those are attended by contract roles, I believe. My part is recurring.

 
Lynn is walking . .
 
US ASIANS: What is a normal day on the set of "AMC?"

LYNN CHEN: I come in at my call time, which can be anytime throughout the day, and get my hair and make-up done for an hour. Then I get into wardrobe, and sit around waiting for my scene to be called onto set - I usually run lines with my scene partners, read, and play my Gameboy. Once we’re on set they block our scene, do a dress rehearsal, and then shoot it as many times as necessary, usually once.

US ASIANS: So is the studio very similar to what was portrayed in the film “Tootsie” and “Soap?”

LYNN CHEN: I haven’t seen those films in a while – I think the soaps in those movies were shot live, or with cue cards or something – which hasn’t been the case with “All My Children.”

US ASIANS: What are your most favorite time(s) and/or scene(s) on the set of "AMC?"

LYNN CHEN: The last couple of scenes (June 2003) I’ve had with Elizabeth Hendrickson (“Maggie”) were pretty fun, because we’d be perfectly nice to one another off camera, but turn on the nastiness once we started shooting.

US ASIANS: How many pages of script do you have to memorize (typically) in a week?

LYNN CHEN: It varies week to week. Sometimes as little as 5, sometimes I don’t even have lines, and sometimes I have 30 pages.

g
 
Ivan Shaw

US ASIANS: Since your character interacts with Ivan Shaw’s character of “Henry” – could you share your thoughts and experiences of working with another Asian Pacific American actor on a very popular soap opera?

LYNN CHEN: Ivan seems like a cool guy; I don’t know him very well though. Only recently have our characters been interacting one-on-one.

US ASIANS: How does it feel to play your scheming character? Do you feel that, as an actress, that it is more “fun” to play this type of role – as opposed to a character who is “always good?”

LYNN CHEN: It’s always fun to play someone that isn’t really like me. But I always have a hard time watching myself as “Regina.” I want to slap myself sometimes cause I say the cattiest things on that show.

US ASIANS: What is like working with Susan Lucci? Would you mind working on a soap opera for an extended period of time?

LYNN CHEN: I have never been in a scene with Susan Lucci…I’ve seen her around the studio and said hi but that is about it. She seems pretty friendly and is always looking fabulous, as expected. I would not mind working on a soap for the rest of my life – never mind an extended period of time - it seems like a great gig that allows you to have time for a family as well.

US ASIANS: So would you be content with being the Asian “Susan Lucci” or “Genie Francis?”

LYNN CHEN: Sure, why not?

 
 
Click HERE to continue
   
 
Read about Lynn's views on other subjects by clicking on the subjects listed below
 
  Part 1: Background Information (Family and Personal)
  Part 2: Training as an Actress and a Singer, YPOK2 and Linklater
  Part 3: Eric Lin's "Fortune," Priorities, Entertainment Role Models, Contact Info, Print and Commercial Work
  Part 4: Film and Television Work, Her Dance Career and Theater Life
  Part 5: Past Theater Roles, Industrial Films, Actor Role Models and Father's "Kunqu Society"
  Part 6: Fav Films & Directors, Life on "All My Children" and Ivan Shaw
  Part 7: Her views on diversity and the status of "Asian American Cinema"
  Part 8: Fav Asian Pacific American directors and films - along with her overall aspirations

 

 

Any questions regarding the content, contact Asian American Artistry
site design by Asian American Artistry

Copyright © 1996-2003 - Asian American Artistry - All Rights Reserved.