ACTRESS Jamie Choi stops by on Close-up Culture for a quick chat about her role in Netflix’s The After Party, her favourite TV shows, fitness and more.
Q: What can you tell us about The After Party? It looks like it would have been a fun shoot.
A: Netflix describes the film as follows: “When an aspiring rapper goes viral for all the wrong reasons, he thinks his career is over. But when his best friend gets them into a wild NYC after party, he gets one more chance to make the impossible happen.”
The cast features artists DJ Khaled, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa, Pusha T, Jadakiss, Young MA, Designer and more. We filmed in New York City and it was a ton of fun, especially the hot tub scene. You can catch all the action on Netflix now!
Q: I believe yoga and fitness are a big part of your lifestyle. Can you tell us about your routine and what they bring to your life?
A: ABSOLUTELY. Fitness has been a large part of my life from an early age. I was a former competitive Equestrian, Triathlete, Marathon runner, trained in Kickboxing, Krav Maga, Tae Kwon Do, and Muay Thai in Thailand.
Fitness and Yoga bring strength and balance to my life on both a physical and mental level – something I need daily.
Q: You have been part of campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world. Is there a campaign or ad that sticks out to you? Perhaps a story you could share.
A: I had the opportunity to travel to Budapest, Hungary for a Downy Commercial Campaign.
The charming city boasts a rich history that has a luscious blend of cultural influences. We shot the commercial in the city centre, surrounded by picturesque neoclassical and gothic revival architecture. The set designer created a man-made ice-skating rink in the middle of the park. I had no figure skating experience and despite having a former Olympic figure skater train me on set, I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to learn the routine in time.
After countless falls and getting back up; after trying just one more time over and over again, the performance turned out to be a winner. The lesson learned was that no matter how many times you have to get back up, just do it! Never give up.
On a slightly random note, if you’re ever in Budapest’s city centre, you must checkout the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world!
Q: 30 Rock and Gotham are just a few of the television shows you have appeared on. Is there a show you would love to be a part of in the future?
A: CURRENTLY, I am a big fan of Westworld, Stranger Things, and Game Of Thrones. I would be thrilled to be a part of any of those storylines. Playing unique, intelligent, heartfelt characters is what I am most excited about. I do not want to be typecast as the stereotypical Asian. Rather, I’d like to see myself and other minorities alike, play more characters like Jessica (in The After Party): smart and sassy with confidence and influence.
Q: Crazy Rich Asians will be coming out soon and you will star in Evan Jackson Leong’s film Snakehead later this year. Are we finally starting to see more stories and characters written for Asian Americans?
A: CRAZY Rich Asians is the first major Hollywood movie since The Joy Luck Club to feature an all-Asian cast and its success should create more opportunities for minorities. At the end of the day, if you strip everything away, we are all just human beings. In a perfect world, we should all have equal chances at life’s opportunities.
Q: What is next for you? What do you want to achieve in your career?
A: I would love to be involved in a high-budgeted Science Fiction, Historical or Novel-Based movie. The joy of acting for me is all in the story-telling. As a young girl, I was inspired by movies like Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, Braveheart, Forest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption and The Pursuit of Happiness. These films have given me hope when I was lost and often turned my frown upside down.
Dreams do come true and if I can inspire others to follow their heart and their passions, that is what I’d like to achieve not only in my career, but in my lifetime.