It’s quietly become one of her best skills.
For Hsu, it wasThe Practicethat caught her eye.
“I really fought being an actor for a very long time.”
Custom image by Zanda Rice; photography by Corinne Louie
Hsu, however, has an unconventional flick that immediately catches my attention.
Comedy can so often rely only on language and pop culture references or wordplay, limiting its accessibility.
You’ll spend more time explaining the joke to someone than laughing at it.
Image via Walt Disney Pictures
She got to experience that dialogue in person when she wascast as a supporting character inThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
It was a role that Hsu played from its 2015 world premiere until the Broadway show in 2019.
Despite the grueling schedule, Hsu has nothing but praise for the project.
Image via Prime Video
I miss that show so much.
I miss working on that show."
Stephanie Hsu’s first Oscar nomination is a sign of a promising career.
InMaisel, Hsu played the character Mei Lin.
Now, on paper, Mei Lin feels a bit like a stereotype.
Everybody thinks it’s you,'" Hsu remembers.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
“I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can shoot a show right now.
Hsu plays her as slightly sarcastic, definitely sassy, and extremely confident.
I want to tell stories that I understand the humanity of the characters.
Image via A24
Yes, sometimes it can be racially centered, but also, we’re human.
“I immediately started projectile crying in the intro credits because I could tell.
I was like, ‘This is huge for us.
Everyone is so hot!'”
You know what I mean?”
Jobu Tapaki also known as an alternate version of her daughter Joy Wang, played by Hsu.
For Hsu, though, the largest change in her life between pre and post-Everything Everywherewas deeply internal.
Am I going to be in this industry, or am I not?
Maybe this is not for me.’
Maybe I was a renegade because I felt like an outsider."
And it’s true that, in the beginning,Everything Everywherewas the little engine that could.
As a bizarre hodge-podge of different genres,Everything Everywheredidn’tlooklike a classic Best Picture winner.
At that point, none of the cast had an Oscar or a nomination.
In many ways, this career found me, and I want to honor that.
Hsu praises the collaborative atmosphere of the set.
But then the film did make millions, and it did win Oscars.
Hsu herself scored a nomination before losing to co-starJamie Lee Curtis.But life afterEverything Everywherechanged Hsu’s outlook.
Ultimately,Everything Everywhere’s success helped Hsu gain the confidence she needed to stop questioning herself.
Sometimes, you don’t always get a say in that.
She credits showrunners,Nahnatchka KhanandSally Bradford McKenna, along with producerJen Carreras, for embracing that collaborative spirit.
Take big swings, take random swings, just surrender into the process and trust.
“I think dating is really hard, and people are on the apps.
Am I missing something?'”
Growing up, I always wondered how Hollywood might change and evolve with time.
Would I ever get to see someone like me on the screen?
Would that person ever have the nuances and weirdness that felt so unique to just me?
Laidis streaming now on Peacock.
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