How did you get your start in acting?
I was born into a performing arts family. My dad is a concert promoter and my mom is a singer, so my sisters and I spent our childhood backstage. There is something so thrilling about the energy of a live show and connecting with an audience. I was smitten with the power of performance and the ability to communicate on an emotional level at a very early age. I explored a lot of music, theater and dance all the way through high school and got my first tv gig just out of senior year.
You’ve done all kinds of films and a variety of TV shows. What type of characters are you drawn to most of the time?
I will forever be enamored with strong women – warriors for their family, their love, their country. I love characters with a ferocity of spirit. I have so many female heroes that I look to every day for inspiration and support, I want to surround myself with them in my “play” life too.
This is a business that can wear on you over time. How do you stay inspired as continue on this journey?
It’s important to have a supportive community. I call mine my “village”. It’s filled with friends and family that I know love me for all my flaws (and because of them) and are what my dad calls “foxhole buddies.” They’re the people you want in the foxhole with you when things start to get scary and intense. I also find that seeing a great live performance, be it a solo performer in a dive bar or her highness Beyoncé, gets me connected again. Seeing an artist at work makes me happy and reminds me why I’m in this crazy business in the first place.
Which artist’s work do you admire and which ones would you like to work with, if given the opportunity?
Beyoncé! Haha. Everything she does blows me away. I feel like working with her would give me a secret power. I love Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance, Meryl Streep, Jessica Lange, Marion Cotillard, Idris Elba…there are so many! I also love Maya Rudolph and Julia Louis Dreyfus. It’s been incredible working with Lily Tomlin in Grace and Frankie. I would also love to work with Ellen Burstyn again.
You’re in the upcoming film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. How were you first introduced to the film and why did you want to do it?
I’ve been a fan of the turtles since I was a kid. I grew up on the early 90’s movies and wore out the Secret of the Ooze VHS. To have the opportunity to play in their world is a dream!! I was also excited to play a villain. I never get cast in those roles.
You play the role of Karai. What you can tell us about her and what we can expect to see in the film?
Karai is a deadly warrior who is fiercely loyal to her Foot Clan family. She is driven by respect and honor and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. We break Master Shredder out of prison and then decide to take over the world. It’s a big movie with lots of great ninja action.
There usually are fight scenes and different types of action in the Ninja Turtle series. How intense was the production on set?
Training was pretty intense for the fight scenes. We had an incredible stunt team, 87Eleven, who added so much to the story with their fight choreography. I was able to do a lot of my own stunts, but the stunt men and women we had on set did all of the crazy stuff. They are super human.
If you weren’t working as an actress, what type of work would you do?
I’d probably have a cozy bakery or run an event planning business. I love hosting parties and I love organizing things, haha.
When it comes to fashion, who are some of your favorite fashion designers and styles?
I love Kaufman Franco, Zuhair Murad, Cushnie et Ochs, Naeem Khan, Victoria Beckham…but my daily wardrobe is a lot of Everlane! I tend to gravitate toward chic and simple staples that feel a little luxurious.
We look forward to seeing you in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. What other projects do you have coming up?
I am writing a project with my sisters inspired by our growing up in an Asian American showbiz family. It’s hilarious and I hope you get to see it soon!
Twitter: @BrittIshibashi
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Photo Credit: The Riker Brothers