Latest / Besties Do Verticals / Episode 13 - Interview with Andrew Tong

Transcript

Episode 13 - Interview with Andrew Tong · Besties Do Verticals

• Aleta: Hello and welcome to Besties Do Verticals with your besties, Alita and Lucy. Hi, I'm Alita. Lucy: And I'm Lucy. Andrew Tong: And I'm Andrew. Lucy: So excited, besties. ⁓ we are more pumped than we've ever been pumped before. we have a very special guest with us today, as you can Andrew Tong: Boo. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Lucy: tell, Mr. Tong, who was so ⁓ sweet to come and speak with us. did discuss with you all that periodically. ⁓ We would ask some folks from the queer vertical space if they would kind of like to come hang out with us on the podcast. And Andrew was so sweet and he was one of the first ones to say yes. So you are so adored. Thank you, thank you, thank you. ⁓ You have idea. Aleta: Ha ha ha Andrew Tong: ⁓ thank you guys for having me. I'm I'm so happy to be here. Lucy: ⁓ and this is even more special because Pride just started. So to be able to yep. Andrew Tong: Yes it did. Lucy: To be able to kick off a great interview like this with Andrew is fairly special. And yeah, do you want to introduce Mr. Andrew Alita? Aleta: Well, I mean he introduced himself, but yeah, we're so so happy to have you here, Andrew. I don't think anyone who's listening to this won't know who you are, but if there is, ⁓ Andrew is a wonderful actor who has been in eight verticals so far. ⁓ most notably for us The Prince's First Love ⁓ and Daughter of Zeus, ⁓ which is not LGBTQ vertical, such an amazing performance ⁓ That costume. Wow. the rest of the verticals will be listed in the description box on YouTube. So welcome Andrew. We are so honored. Would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself? Andrew Tong: ⁓ yeah, absolutely. Thank you guys so much for having me. Happy Pride Month. My name is Andrew. My name is Andrew Tong. I'm an actor born and raised well, not technically born, raised in North Dakota. Went got my degree, my BFA in acting down in Arizona, moved out to Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in a dream. ⁓ And ⁓ Aleta: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: about a year and a half ago I started ⁓ getting involved in the space. And since then I have had some incredible opportunities, ⁓ acting wise, some incredible opportunities to meet some incredible people, ⁓ as ⁓ showcased ⁓ from everyone here today. And ⁓ some some incredible opportunities just in general, in ⁓ meeting some some wonderful actors, creatives and getting to hopefully tell stories that lift people up and empower them in one way or another. Lucy: I love it. I love it. So we know you've addressed this before, but it's a great leading question. can you talk about what inspired you to pursue acting in the first place? Andrew Tong: Yeah. I ⁓ so I originally got involved in acting in through like Christmas pageants. Do you guys remember those? Like in church. ⁓ I grew up in the church and ⁓ every usually twice a year, usually Christmas and Easter, we had Christmas pageants and ⁓ at our school we had them too. And so ⁓ I would get to go up with my friends, we would, you know, sing songs, do a little dance. ⁓ as I got older, there started to be like narratives to them. And so I started to be able to have roles and parts and wear costumes and things of that nature. And it was something I always looked forward to every year. And I did that for a while ⁓ until I kinda aged out of it. And then ⁓ in high school I started to get involved in I had been involved in Band and Choir. But I started to be involved in drama with our high school production of Annie. ⁓ And I was just ⁓ when I auditioned, I was cast as ensemble and like one of the cabinet members until the week before. the our FDR failed to tell us that he was going on vacation with his family the week of the performances. And so we were like ten days out or something, two weeks out, and my director was like, Hey, could you do this? And I said, Yes. ⁓ And Aleta: Ha ha. Andrew Tong: it was kind of a lot, ⁓ trying to learn all that in a short amount of time, but ⁓ it kinda gave me the bug and I stopped since. Lucy: I love that. ⁓ my gosh, that did you ever do the best Christmas pageant ever? Andrew Tong: No, but I have read the book and seen the movie. Like there wasn't there like an eighties movie? Like it was like eighties or nineties of it? Yeah. Yeah. I've def yeah. Lucy: I think so. Think so. I only know it because it's one of the first ones my kid ever did. And she's such a diva. She was like, I'm not Claude. I'm Claudia. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Okay, Lucy: ⁓ And I let her because she was like seven. So ⁓ I was like, you can't away with forever. ⁓ Andrew Tong: okay. ⁓ Aleta: Ha ha. Lucy: I was too with ⁓ what you were talking about with where you grew up. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Lucy: ⁓ how has the experience been for you moving to a place like LA after being in North Dakota? They're completely different worlds. Andrew Tong: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I mean, as I've been out here, it's it's shown me ⁓ the the best and the worst about both places, if that makes sense. You know, with them being so different. When I go back to visit and then I come back, I'm really able to, you know, analyze the differences between them. growing up in essentially what was like a boom town, so ⁓ Originally my hometown had like I'm gonna get the numbers wrong, but I think around like fourteen thousand people, circa like two thousand seven. That grew to almost like forty thousand six years later. And so that doesn't like a lot, but for a community that doesn't have housing for that many people, you know, we had people in the oil field making ⁓ six figures that were sleeping in cars, sleeping in tents, sleeping in the parks. Aleta: ⁓ wow. Mm. Andrew Tong: Just because there was like physically nowhere to live. and so it was definitely crazy. And I think, you know, some of the some of the craziness ⁓ helped prepare me for just the the oddities of life that is living in Los Angeles sometimes. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: But ⁓ you know, the everything is so fast things are changing all the time. ⁓ Los Angeles, like my hometown, is a very transient city. And so people are always coming from somewhere, they've come to do something. people are always coming and going. And so that that aspect of it is very familiar. But It's crazy now to have access to stuff, you know? ⁓ coming from a small town, if you couldn't get it at Walmart, ⁓ you either had to drive, you know, two hours to go to the mall or get it on Amazon and wait for a week, week and a half. And so being able to just like drive down the street and have access to everything that I was once like, ⁓ wow, ⁓ a Best Buy, Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: ⁓ a Trader Joe's. ⁓ Aleta: ⁓ Andrew Tong: You know, ⁓ is it's very nice. And the the ⁓ I think the biggest thing is that It it's not good or bad one way or the other, but I've realized that I I just crave a lot of like energy. I I thrive in places that have a lot going on. It just helps like soothe my brain somehow. For some people it's really chaotic and it's really overstimulating, but for me I actually enjoy the the hustle and bustle of everything. And so living in Los Angeles, yeah. ⁓ Yeah. ⁓ Lucy: The Libra. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: a lot of a lot of input at all times. So that way I can ⁓ discern what what I like and what I like. And it's been it's been really great living here. I think growing up ⁓ in a smaller town gave me an interesting perspective on things, but I definitely am very appreciative of coming out here, getting to be a part of an incredible community and more of my people, you know. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Yeah, it's yeah, have you guys lived in larger cities cities like pretty much like the time? No. Yeah, so so then guys know. guys know like it's ⁓ Aleta: No. Lucy: I have Andrew Tong: it it's different it's different ways of life, know? And very ⁓ I don't it it's not it's not good or bad one way or the other. It's just different, you know? Lucy: Yeah. I don't do big cities very well anymore. I've been in them, but the one I will always do forever is Boston. I've got a I have a love affair with Boston. You have to go. It's amazing. ⁓ full of history. It's gorgeous, it's beautiful. If you go to the harbor, it smells like fish. Just do it. Andrew Tong: Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm, I've never been. Yeah. ⁓ Lucy: ⁓ Andrew Tong: Okay. A harbor that smells like fish, I am there. Aleta: Way to sell it. Lucy: It is I know it's so stinky, but I love it. I love it. Okay. Andrew Tong: Booking my booking my ticket right now. Although I think I s I think I saw on TikTok, can you do like a ⁓ Boston Tea Party experience where you like go through the history and then I think I saw on TikTok people were like throwing these like plastic crates of tea into the sea as like a reenactment. I'm sure I'm I'm sure. I don't know. Aleta: I would not be surprised. Lucy: Surprised too. ⁓ my gosh, I love it. Aleta: If there isn't, it's a missed tourism opportunity for sure. Andrew Tong: Yeah. I think I think there is. I think there is. I'll I'll put it on my bucket list. Throw tea into the Boston Harbor. There we go. Lucy: I know I love it. This is great already. ⁓ my gosh. Okay. Aleta: Ha ha ha. ⁓ you were talking about your university program. Is there anything that you learned in your university program that has been particularly helpful in your vertical career? Andrew Tong: Yeah, I mean I think a lot of what I learned in my university career, my university program that prepared me for where I am now are more soft skills, if that makes sense, less technique in things and more determination, problem solving, teamwork, creative collaboration. Things of that nature. Because I mean ⁓ it was really helpful for my professors to open my eyes to different acting methods and different you know, eras of theater history and things of that nature, and to get to sink my teeth into different types of artistic literature. But it the things that I use the most are are creative problem solving on my feet now. You know, when something goes wrong in a show and you have to keep it going. Someone goes up on a line, sa set piece doesn't move, ⁓ you don't have a prop that was supposed to be preset in your costume, what are you gonna do? You know? Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: The like you're ⁓ I know. There ⁓ with it's a little bit different because you don't have to like on the fly like that. But ⁓ on the day if you have a ⁓ if you have a line ⁓ that just makes no sense And you're like, I we're filming this and it's gonna be in the role and they're probably gonna use it. How am I gonna justify this? I don't know. You know? It's ⁓ like what can I do with this that makes it make sense, even if ⁓ you know, there no sense to it necessarily. ⁓ yeah, same thing the the creative collaboration thing. You know, like ⁓ I've been very blessed on a lot of the verticals that I've been on that the sets been very And I've gotten to bring things to my characters, to the scene, to the not necessarily the direction, but the ⁓ just just how things play out. Giving my input, I guess. And in collaborating with other people, it's especially in my program, it's less about what I want and more what I think could elevate the story. And being able to determine those things and having practice determining those things was really helpful in in my programme. Lucy: Love that. Andrew Tong: And I mean, it's it's funny, our sound guys on set can ⁓ this is a tangent, but w when when I'm on set, the sound guys can usually tell if you've done theater because we're trained in voice and movement, like we're trained to project and use our our whole ⁓ body for our ⁓ And ⁓ usually can if you've done theater or not. And they'll they'll ask you You're a you're a theater actor, right? And you're like, Yeah. And they're like, Yeah. Lucy: Hehehehe Aleta: Yeah. ⁓ Andrew Tong: I could tell. I could tell. Lucy: ⁓ my gosh, that's such a cool little Behind the scenes. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Yeah. And there's yeah, there's so many great soft skills that I learned at university that help me now, you know. But it's not like I'm not doing Shakespeare, I'm not doing a play, you know. It's it's different in that way, you know, in terms of breaking stuff down ⁓ from the logistical standpoint. But the soft skills were have been helpful, definitely. Aleta: Is there a piece of acting advice that you've received from someone that has been ⁓ really stuck with you? Andrew Tong: Mm. I think the best pieces of acting advice are are the ones that you hear five times and then on the sixth time it just clicks. Like ⁓ i there's so many things that you just hear over and over again that that never really settle until you have that moment of inspiration. Like ⁓ not to not to like Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: Not to try and just be, if that makes sense. Like acting is at its best when you as the actor are just channeling what you're feeling through the text and you're not trying you're trying to affect the other person, but you're not trying to be perceived in a certain way. You're not trying to, you know, direct your own performance, so to speak. You're just being in the moment. You're interacting with another person. And until you have that moment that clicks and it happens, you're like, ⁓ I get it now. It's just, it just sounds like acting mumbo jumbo. You're like, okay, well, how do I be? You know? Like, what does that mean, you guys? Like, I'm paying how much for this class? But it there are so many little pieces of advice like that that just That you know and you know that that's what you're going for, but until you feel it and you you you're able to clock it when it happens in the moment, it just kinda sits out there. So I don't know that I have like ⁓ like hard and fast advice per se. But being is it it seems very esoteric and weird, but That's some of the some of the best acting I've done is when I'm just being. I'm not trying, I just am. If that makes sense. Lucy: I like it. It does. No, that's so true. ⁓ what has been the most physically or mentally challenging scene that you've ever had to shoot? And actually it doesn't even have to be scene, it could be something in theater too. Andrew Tong: Mm. You know, I think. And I was actually just thinking about this today. I did a production of Romeo and Juliet ⁓ in my college program. Actually, Tess, ⁓ funny enough, do you guys know Tess? Tess Amelia Dinistine? She she also does verticals. ⁓ incredible actor, incredible actor. ⁓ but we were in the same BFA program, and she was year ahead of me. But we did a production of Romeo and Juliet. I was Lord Capulet, she was she was the Lady Capulet to my Lord Capulet. Lucy: The I think so, yes. Yes, yes. Andrew Tong: And Act Two of that show is just a bummer. Like it is fr like y you start with Tibble's death and then Juliet finding out that Tibble's dead and then the nurse trying to make it all okay and then the friar hatching the plan and then the and then she's like, ⁓ no, Romeo's dead, but then Romeo's not dead, and then re And then we have the funeral and then she's not dead. Aleta: Hmm. Hmm. Ha ha ha Andrew Tong: And then she actually dies, and then we're like mourning her again. It's a whole thing. And being able to keep that up, keep that energy up emotionally over the course of however many shows, I think, is challenging. That's probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done. Because it's you you get to the start of the show and you know that it's gonna be a like three hours and fifteen plus intermission. And so you're like, okay. Time to strap in for this roller coaster. I know where it's gonna go, and I know where I need to be emotionally in order to make this happen. And so let's do it. Let's do it, guys. but it was always it it's it's one thing to have to do that. It's another thing when the moment when nurse comes in and finds Juliet, right before you know you're about to find your daughter dead. on the thing and you're like trying to prepare for that in the moment you're like how am I going to like react to this in in a truthful way and the moment that nurse comes in, the audience starts laughing. Aleta: Yeah. Andrew Tong: And then the family comes in and they start laughing more. And you're trying to be in this emotional place where you're you're like, my my child has died. Like that is a lot to carry. And and then the I mean, cause it is the way that it's played, it is funny. Like, I don't blame them. And I I was asking my my co-star for my next my next ⁓ show this morning, because Aleta: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: There was also another production of Romeo and Juliet where the same thing happened. And I'm like, what is this? What is this with these audiences? But I think it is it is, you know, humorous, definitely, but from an acting perspective, it's difficult to keep yourself there and keep going in that vein while people are when it's not trying to be played for melodrama, if that makes sense. And it's just the Aleta: That's why the nurse is there, isn't she? Like she's a comic relief. Like what is it Dogberry and Muchadoo? Like the same sort of vibe? Yeah. Andrew Tong: Yes, absolutely. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I think her finding her first makes it sets the tone a little bit, maybe. And so maybe that's where it comes from. But yeah. That that that whole combination of things, you know, that and then the laughs every night and then having to do that over the course of, you know, a two or three week run from an acting perspective is just like yeah. A lot. Aleta: The laughs pull you out of the place where you're trying to be, right? Yeah. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Well, 'cause theater's this very meta thing, you know, and I'm sure I'm sure you guys have felt this where like there there is a a a fourth wall where the actors are doing their thing and we as the audience are watching, the actors do their thing. But then when there's interaction, like in a production of Rocky Horror, when that that fourth wall's being broken, you're very aware of it. You're like they're doing their thing, but then there are also people up there and then they're you know, there's this back and forth that's a little bit strange. But Aleta: Mm. Yeah, yeah. Andrew Tong: When that fourth wall breaks and you don't mean it to, it's it's a little bit It's like what do I do with that? Once again, thinking on your feet. Yeah, like this is where we are. This is where we are, this is the moment I am in, and we're just gonna go from here. It's all you can do. Aleta: Mm-hmm. That's right. Sure. How do you handle the demands of your crazy vertical filming schedule and taking care of yourself physically and mentally? Andrew Tong: Ugh, yeah. Yeah. You know, I try my best. I try my best. But it's it is just like anything else. It ⁓ there has to be a conscious effort there, you know, to take time after work, to try and feed yourself well, to get the proper amount of rest, to Aleta: Or do you? Lucy: We've heard rumors. Aleta: Ha ha. Andrew Tong: Have some like decompression time that isn't just scrolling mindlessly on your phone. You know, as as attractive as it is, it's not actual rest. And so yeah, I think it it's just it has to be a conscious effort to actually rest and take care of myself. Am I always the greatest at it? No. You know, I'm human just like anyone else. I'm not. Perfect at, you know, always being on my things like I'm going to go to bed at this. I'm going to get home here and then I'm going to ⁓ make dinner here and then I'm going to go to bed at this time. It's, you know. There there are some shoots where I have to be on it like that because I get home at, you know, midnight and then I need to be on set at 8 a.m. and then, you know, I have to be up an hour and a half before I don't get my full 12-hour turnaround. And so it's ⁓ It's a it's a grind sometimes, but when I'm not working, I think, is i it's a little bit easier to go out, take a breath, get outside, go for a walk, do stuff like that. You know, just little things that remind you that you're human when you're in the middle of it all. I don't know, do you guys have any tips? Lucy: Is it true? No we don't do what you I wa I was going to add Aleta: We are not the people to ask about that. Andrew Tong: Well you got you you both have busy lives, I you know. Lucy: We do, we actually do, but we are privileged. We will not lie, we work from home. So we have a totally different situation. Like you your schedule is insane. And I I had a follow up question. Is it true that all of you live off of Celsius? Andrew Tong: Okay. Valid. Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: I you know, I I ⁓ Greg does, Greg does. I don't know. I I I try to time it out. With Celsius specifically, I try to time it out because I know after I down that Celsius, I've got maybe like a hundred and twenty good minutes in me before I am before it's going downhill quick. And so I don't do you guys drink Celsius? Do you know? Aleta: Greg does. ⁓ Andrew Tong: Like it's there's something in it, I swear. Like there that I I think I was watching a video on it, some YouTube video, some explainer YouTube video. But the reason it's so like crazy is because there's there's obviously caffeine, but then there's like a I don't know if it's an inhibitor or something that binds to the caffeine receptors in your brain that actually causes the caffeine to circulate for longer. And so it it it's very ⁓ there's a reason why people use it as a pre workout, because it's very energizing and about twenty, thirty minutes after you've consumed one you feel on top of the world. But that only lasts for about hour and a half, two hours. And so if we're, you know, on hour eleven and I know that we're gonna be going till hour thirteen, it's like, okay, you know, gotta gotta keep it up for the last couple hours of the day. And I can usually time it pretty well. I can usually time it pretty well. But I have to I have to be conscious 'cause I know the it's a ticking it's a ticking time bomb once I once I down one of those before i ⁓ yeah. I I know my limits. Let's just let's just say that. Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: Ha ha ha ha. I love it. Aleta: Good. Can you walk us through your typical self tape routine? Is there a setup that you swear by? Andrew Tong: Yeah. Mm. You know, I think it really depends. I mean I'm sure you guys have seen the the blue actor backdrop, you know, in a lot of people's subtapes. Some people swear by it, some people say no, you need the gray backdrop. The blue backdrop is chooggy and it's out and it's not, you know, it's out of vogue. some people like have you guys seen the succession auditions? like ⁓ I forget her name. Aleta: ⁓ Andrew Tong: But she did her succession no, not succession, sorry. What is it? Was created by Ben Stiller, I think. It's the one about them in the in the office, but like they're like in the I'm explaining it really bad. It's on HBO. It's Mind bendy, they're working in the office and they're like separated from their bodies. It's gonna come to me eventually. It's not succession. Anyway. Lucy: It sounds amazing. I'll have to watch it. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: The it it yeah, it it is. It would be even better if I could remember the name of it. ⁓ but the main lead actress of that okay, hold on. It's gonna it's gonna bug me. But the the main lead actress of that ⁓ posted her self-tape. I don't know if they if she posted it or if HBO posted it, but it Lucy: Ha ha ha. It's okay, let's do it. Andrew Tong: is she did it in her bathroom, like on the floor, and did a bunch of different stuff and was like in a real environment. I've seen some people for ⁓ westerns go out into a field and like be on be on a horse, you know, for their audition. So there really is a spectrum to people's self tape setup. and it really just kind of depends on what Aleta: Wow. Andrew Tong: What works for you? I usually go blue backdrop. That's usually what I do. Because it's easiest to get the most ⁓ plain neutral backdrop so you can just focus on your face and your performance and stuff. But I do love an environmental self tape. I was I just did one the other day where I was like sprawled over my chair and I was having a grand old time. It was great. Aleta: Ha ha ha Lucy: I love it. Andrew Tong: But yeah, it it really is dependent actor to actor, I think. 'Cause I mean, you guys have seen, I'm sure on social media, people post their self tapes and it's there there's no right way to self tape as long as you can be seen and be heard. It's kinda at least the standard now. Aleta: I saw your TikTok where you went through a whole bunch of different costumes. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Yeah. That was a that was a heavy day. A heavy self saved day. But I mean that's the other thing is that we're you know, we're directing ourselves, we're doing lighting, we're setting everything up, we're editing, we're I mean obviously it's not heavy editing, but it's still putting slates and stuff together. ⁓ ye I ha just I was a professional caroler here in Los Angeles. Lucy: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: ⁓ and so that's where the the top hat and tails came from. But it works because I was able to use it in a self tape. Didn't book it, but gosh, was it fun. You know? And honestly, I think even more than a proper backdrop or anything else. I think if you're having fun with a self tape, that's kinda all that matters, you know? Because the odds of us book so many things have to go right for us to book. Aleta: Mm. Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: So many people have to say yes that even getting the audition is the win. And so past that, it's like, okay, I got the audition. I'm gonna obviously take into account the genre, the casting director, the show I'm going in for, the network that it's on. But past that, if you're not having fun with it, what are you doing? You know? Self taping is half the job. It's most of the job, actually, the acting is the reward. Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: and so you gotta figure out ways to make make the work enjoyable, if that makes sense. So if that's a blue backdrop for you, great. If that's out in a field with a horse, you know, go for it. Aleta: Whatever works. Lucy: Ha ha ha. I love it, I love it. Did you have any luck? Did you find the name? Andrew Tong: I'm still I I I cannot believe that I can't ⁓ what what is his name? He ⁓ was he in Parks and Rec Adam Nah. ⁓ it's gonna it's gonna bug me, you guys. I'm so sorry. ⁓ let's see. HBO office show. I'm gonna be ⁓ people are gonna they're probably yelling at right now. Lucy: It's so okay. It's okay. Ha ha ha. ⁓ we don't know it either, so you're not alone. Andrew Tong: Let's see not Severance There it is. Yes. Lucy: I've told to watch that like many times. Andrew Tong: Yes. It is so good. I don't know why I couldn't think of the name of it. but Britt Lauer, that's her name. She ⁓ you guys can go look up the audition after this, but it's so so well done and it's just in her bathroom. And it's pretty much shot for shot what ended up being in the final show in terms of performance and stuff. But Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: ⁓ I'm gonna do that. Aleta: ⁓ wow. Mm-hmm. Lucy: That is so cool. ⁓ my gosh, I love that. I love it. ⁓ okay. So we understand that in the vertical world, you have to think on your feet. ⁓ you have extremely short prep time, it sounds like a lot of the times between booking and shooting. We've heard scripts can just change on the fly. How do you make sure that you are prepared, both in terms of character development? You can tell Alita wrote this, and just learning. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Lucy: your lines and scenes. So kinda what is your process when you're basically just like, ⁓ here you go, you gotta change this whole thing. Andrew Tong: Yeah. And I I think that's where the the theater background comes in is you practice so that way you can do it on the day, if that makes sense. You go to class, you do like for example, I'm in a cold read class, which is pretty much a a cold read is just when you get your script ⁓ right at the beginning of class or right before you go into an audition and you haven't had time to prepare it, and then you get it up on its feet and see where it goes. As actors we we spend a lot of time preparing so that way in the moment we can do things like that. And so I think the preparation is a lot of where that comes from. Usually I would say script changes aren't happening like right before we go up, which is helpful. But if we do have script changes, usually the night before I'll look at them and try and figure out, okay, how does this differ from what we originally had? Usually it's like we're changing a line or we're changing something that was dependent on location and we don't have that anymore. And so I just c try to visualize it and say, okay, what is the difference here? How does that change my performance? Is there really a change or is it just a different line? You know? And 'cause most of the time it's not crazy changes. I I'll knock on wood on that one so I don't get surprised on on set one day. But Aleta: Mm. Ha ha Andrew Tong: Usually it's not crazy character changes, so in terms of character development it usually stays a a lot of the same, but it's you know, if if in the script there's a long winding staircase and on the location it's a single level mansion, you know, things are gonna and you're pushing someone down the stairs. Which, you know, is a is a trope in a lot of these. That that's more of I guess a directing thing than it is an acting thing, but could could impact performance, I guess. Aleta: That made me think of Straight Until He Kissed Me when they said it's on the seventeenth floor and then they get in the elevator and there's only three floors. Why did they not change that line when they got to the building and saw that it only had three floors? Lucy: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: ⁓ Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and honestly, I think usually with stuff like that, it's that might have already been shot. You know? I mean, in the location scout, usually the AD or someone would hopefully point it out, but there's a lot of things going on. And so if someone doesn't have the script memorized off the top of their head, they're probably like, ⁓ yeah, this this location's great and then they shoot the scene before where they're like, It's on the seventeenth floor, and then they shoot the elevator after. They can't go back. I mean I guess they could in ADR if they have an angle of someone saying it from behind. but they can't really go back and change it and so you're just left with you know I guess you could like try and Photoshop in or I guess after effects for video editing a a seventeen on the three. So it goes one, two, seventeen. You know? Or put like a sticky note. They could have put a sticky note over it that just said seventeen. But Lucy: Ha ha ha ha Andrew Tong: You know, it's ⁓ stuff like that is is what a ⁓ a script supervisor is for, usually. Lucy: I see. Aleta: So yeah, this is one I wrote. Getting back to your education as an actor, ⁓ I am curious whether you subscribe to either Stanislavsky or Meisner. Andrew Tong: Mm. You know, I was trained up in Stanislavsky in my program, and I think that it is helpful from a learning perspective for acting, just in terms of approaching literature, specifically plays, I think it's a lot more helpful than it is in film and TV. For this reason. I heard recently, and it kinda it's changed my view on film and TV acting versus theater acting. That theater acting is ritual. It's ritual-based. That's a lot of what I learned about in theater history. You know, our roots go back to telling stories around campfires that then ⁓ go into rituals in the Roman Empire and then or Greek, Roman Ancient Greece, and then Aleta: Hm. Andrew Tong: Evolving and becoming dramatic literature that's less tied to ritual, I guess. And so it's it it is a a ritual experience where the actors are leading the audience through this story and this emotional arc to try and change them and move them in some way. Film and TV comes out of photography. You know? ⁓ most movies are shot at 24 frames a second, and so every second is 24 moving pictures. And so the acting style and the acting in general is going to be like I said before, more based in in just being than it is in trying to convey to an audience what is happening. In theater, there's a lot more ⁓ technique, I would say, that's needed from a physical perspective in terms of knowing what Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: What is going to sell ⁓ physically on stage, you know, in terms of emotional states and things of that nature, being able to project to the back of the house if you're not mic'd. and Stanislavski within that is also helpful because it's beats intentions, objectives, helps you put together a performance over the course of two hours where You get one shot. I mean, obviously you're probably doing it over the course of nights or weeks or whatever it is, but for that evening, it's all the way through. There's no stopping, there's no going back and redoing a scene if we didn't like to take. It's it's a workout of how do I structure this so that way I can go through this and have a high level performance every time. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: That was helpful in theater for me. But I think for me it was limiting because it kept me from exploring in the moment. I was so focused on okay, what is my intention here? What is my beat? What should this be? Rather than thinking about what it could be and leaving room in the moment. And that's where my cold read class that I'm in right now has really opened my eyes to. The fact that scenes can really be anything. Anything can bubble up, you know, and it's so i it's so connected to where we are as people coming to the work. And when we're fully connected to our instrument and fully connected to our emotion and our states of being, we can discover some incredible things in the moment. And if it's on camera, you know, it's all captured. It can be edited together and spliced together to create a performance. So yeah, I was I was trained in Stanislavsky to answer your question. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: And I think it definitely is helpful, but as I've grown as an actor, I have found other methods that work and other methods to put in my toolbox. some from Meisner, some from the method, some from Adler, some from you know, Hogan. that are all part of my toolbox. I can pull them out when I need them. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Lucy: I love that. ⁓ that's really good to know. ⁓ how do you stay grounded and maintain a sense of self in an industry that can be very image focused? Andrew Tong: Mm. It's a great question. And I'm real good at that one. No. No, I think I mean for anyone listening, I think it's it's difficult, especially in today's day and age. I mean, I don't know how you guys feel, but I grew up in the age of social media. And so even before I started acting professionally, ⁓ I was seeing Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: not only my peers on social media, but also everything, marketing wise, actors, performers, the ideals of what the tastemakers thought that things should be. And I mean it's always kind of been that way. You know, magazines and T V advertisements and billboards and things have always I guess since the modern advertising industry has become a thing. But it's difficult. It's difficult in today's day and age, you know, for anyone, not just actors, because we're we're competing not only with the thoughts in our own head, but also everyone else's opinions, because we can all comment on people's stuff. Our thoughts of what people's opinions are, more in our own head, and then the opinions of other people based on what they post, based on what they think things should be. and their version of themselves that they're trying to portray to the world. And so I think the greatest The greatest thing I've found to be grounded is to just like be off my phone, take a nice walk, be in nature, meditate if I can. get more in tune with myself and where I'm at. Because it can be it can be a lot. It can be a lot on the brain. I don't know if you guys feel that or if you see that in in your own lives and the people around you. But it it's a crazy world and it's really hard to be grounded. Especially now. Lucy: No, it is. That's really good to kind of hear your perspective because it's true. I mean, I have a kiddo who she's asking for all the stuff. You know, she wants all the social media and I'm fighting it every step of the way. I know yeah, I know what it does. So I you're amazing for navigating it. So that was actually one of our questions we did have at one point was Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Good on you. Right. Lucy: How do you keep up on social media? Is it something that you try to balance well because it's intense? Andrew Tong: Yeah, it is intense. I mean, I think ⁓ like to your point, you kinda have to have safeguards around it, you know? 'Cause it's even though I'm an adult, it's still made to be addicting. And so I I have to kinda build those safeguards or those boundaries around my my social media time, I guess, ⁓ engagement based on just where where I'm at, you know? And being taking taking time for myself and kinda checking in where I'm at is helpful for that. But yeah, it's it's not it's not an easy thing, especially when everything is vying for our attention nowadays. You know? And everyone has access to it as at all times, whether it's through text, email, FaceTime, social media, DMs, whatever it is. You know? We we've yeah. Lucy: Yep. It's a very overwhelming. Aleta: Ha ha Andrew Tong: Yeah, we're more connected than ever before, but at what cost? Lucy: That's very true. That is very true. Alita Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: None of that existed when I was growing up, so Andrew Tong: Yeah. And and I am I am jealous. I am I am jealous. You know, I think the internet's given us a lot of incredible things, but there's also some drawbacks that come with that flood of information. Cause like what what would you guys have done? Like there's no there's no time for wonder anymore. Sorry, this is a tangent, but like Lucy: Lucky girl. That's how it's do it. Andrew Tong: Like when you were when you guys were like in your in your teens, right? And you had a question about something, and you didn't have smartphones in your pockets, you didn't have like Google. Like you just had to wonder. Lucy: So we had library so we had a library index search and I remember I don't even know how to do it anymore, but they had like a whole class on how to teach you to Aleta: Library. Andrew Tong: Right. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Aleta: W the cards? Yeah. Lucy: They were hard. But that's what we had. That in encyclopedias, I remember. That was all we had. And every family had that, like, what was it? Did you you must have had it, Alita. It was like a whole, like 12. Yes, every family had them on their bookshelf because that's what you needed to look up anything. You didn't have anything. You didn't have a computer, nothing. I mean Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: The world book. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Yeah. And if it wasn't in there, if your answer wasn't in there, you had to wonder. And your yeah, your brain had to imagine and create an answer in your mind of of what you thought it might be, you know, ⁓ presupposed on the information that you already had on whatever subject. And now it's just instant gratification. Like if have a question, it's approximately like point five seconds between me and an answer. Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: You just wonder. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm. Lucy: True. Yeah, it's true. I've got a lot of feelings on it. I I am more addicted than I I should be to it, so that's why I'm so afraid for it to pass on to anyone in my family. Alita, I was going to say we for time's sake, we should pick some of our favorites to ask him. So you're gonna go next. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: Yeah, yeah. Well, what what do you want where? Lucy: You can ask him working in a highly competitive industry. Aleta: ⁓ okay, just the next question I thought you were wanting me to skip. Lucy: You well maybe. We're professional, we promise. Aleta: We're so professional. we kind of I think we kind of asked this already though. ⁓ you're working in a highly competitive industry that requires long hours, tight deadlines, and uncertainty. What coping strategies have you found effective for stress? Andrew Tong: Well, I think we just talked about one of them. Is it healthy? Probably not. no, I ⁓ I do love to to cook and bake. That's one of my biggest ones. and it's been a lot of fun to be able to share that with with you guys and with with the community, because it's yeah, I have so much fun doing it. And Lucy: ⁓ boy. Aleta: Yeah. Ha ha ha. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Yeah, it it's very it's very therapeutic. I've talked to people who who just absolutely abhor cooking and they they find it a bore and a chore and all of the things. But for me it's ⁓ yeah, it's edible art. I think I've said that before. But that's one one way. ⁓ getting out outside, I know I've mentioned that one a lot, but just like feeling the sunshine on your skin. Aleta: Mm. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: breathing just fresh air as much as you can get in Los Angeles, which is dependent on the day. doing something like physical in your body, walking, going to the gym, going on a hike, something that can get the energy out of your brain and into your bot out of your body rather. is really helpful. Lucy: Ha ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: And I think having a good support system around you helps a lot. You know, whether it be friends, partners, groups, other activities, other hobbies, stuff like that. ⁓ kinda help mitigate the the the craziness of it all. Lucy: Absolutely. ⁓ I was really excited to ask you this one because you mentioned it once on a live. So we know that you enjoy singing and you're part of a choir. Can you talk about like what you enjoy most about singing in this choir if you're still doing the choir? Andrew Tong: Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, so it's a it's a vocal jazz like swing band group. it's called the Swingtones, ⁓ here in Los Angeles. And we are a seven voice six-piece band ensemble. And it was something that happened just on on a whimspur of the moment, someone that I knew connected with the leader of the group and was like Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Hey, I need someone. And they were like, okay, great, I know someone. And then I got connected with them through that. It was a crazy onboarding because I had to learn 13. 13. It was 11. It felt like 13. Vocal jazz arrangements in the course of I think like a month, month and a half, something like that. Which I don't know if you guys know vocal jazz at all, but they are crunchy harmonies. It is not Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: You know, every you have seven singers all singing their own part and so you kinda gotta know your stuff. But I did a lot of that in high school. I sang in choir all through high school and did musical theater in college and stuff. And music and singing specifically is something that just brings me a lot of joy. And so I've been very blessed to be able to be a part of that group and ⁓ sing some fun tunes and meet some really cool people. Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: And I think what I enjoy most about it is Getting to be a part of a group where everyone is just phenomenal, but then when you all come together, you're able to make something that none of you could do on your own. That's like the best feeling. When those harmonies hit and you we're all in tune and it's crunchy, but it's ⁓ so good. Like I I do you guys sing? Have you guys sang? ⁓ please. Aleta: Ha ha. Lucy: Badly. Aleta: Not in public. Lucy: My daughter is super good, but I am a bad one. Andrew Tong: Well, I doubt that very much. But ⁓ I or if you play an instrument or are involved in music in whatever way, but that moment when when you're in an ensemble and you come together and you're able to make something greater than the sum of its parts, it's just like Ugh, such a good feeling. It's like yeah, it's like in ⁓ did you guys see Soul? That that Disney movie. I think it came out during the pandemic. Maybe. Maybe it was straight to Disney Plus. Lucy: Side. Yeah. Andrew Tong: but it's like it's about like creativity and where that comes from and all those things. But it's like you're entered into a space essentially when you're in an artistic flow, in a creative flow. And that's the feeling that I get when I get to sing with other people. So that's that's my favorite part about it. And the people that I sing with are mind blowingly talented. Like just incredible, incredible voices. And so I feel I feel very fortunate to be a part of it. Lucy: Do you guys ever film it so we could see? Andrew Tong: We I think there's probably clips online. We do I won't be there, but the group some of the group will be at Downtown Disney actually on July fourth. but we do I think I think there's clips. It's the original swing tones on social media. Lucy: Okay, okay, I'll check that out. You have me so intrigued because the minute we asked that you lit up. And that's why I wanted to ask it so much because we've we've seen you get really excited. And ⁓ it's probably in one of our later questions, but we both really felt like your last baking live was just a delight. I I okay, I was busy doing like podcast stuff, but I just I put it here and I was just listening to you jam and sing and I was Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Aleta: So good. Andrew Tong: ⁓ Lucy: This I was like, this is the best live he's ever done. Like Yeah, just hearing you sing and just have so much fun. Like it we weren't the only ones who said it, so you just made everyone egg like thrilled. So I don't know, if you feel like singing every live, please do. Andrew Tong: It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun. Aleta: Everybody. Andrew Tong: Great. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: Noted. Noted. Lucy: Goodness. ⁓ Alright, Alita, we really do gotta go to favorites for this poor man. So you you go. Aleta: Well, okay, so but all of mine are further down. Andrew Tong: I'm here for y'all. Yeah. If if the people will listen, I will I will contribute. Lucy: Are you sure? 'Cause we don't wanna put too much pressure on you. I know okay, well we'll Aleta: Ha ha. Lucy: They will listen. They will they are they have no idea what's coming. Like this is we are holding this in so hard right now. And and Andrew Tong: Is it isn't it fun and also just the worst thing ever to keep a secret? I'm so bad like I love I love surprising people, but I hate keeping secrets. And it's the worst feeling ever because as soon as I get like a gift for someone, I'm like, I need to tell them. I need and they're they're gonna love they're they're gonna love it so much, and I can't wait to see the reaction. And yeah, I have to like fight every fiber of my being not to be like, guess what? I got you. Aleta: It's really hard not to say anything too. Lucy: It is ⁓ you want to dance? Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: ⁓ my gosh. Andrew Tong: And to just like Christmas is terrible. Christmas is terrible. 'Cause I have to walk around for weeks knowing what I got them and knowing that they're gonna love it, and then being like, Well, you know. Lucy: I know so many people like you, so many people like that in my family, and I'm actually the opposite. I will take a secret to the grave if I have to, just in terms of like the positive, like I want to see their face. Like, I'm really good at doing surprise parties and surprises. So, ⁓ but I'm surrounded by people who are very much like you. Like, they're like, no, I can't hold this in any longer, and it just consumes them. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Really? Yeah. Mm. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah. Lucy: I love it. Okay, well if you really are okay, Andrew, we're gonna keep Moseon. All right, all right, you go, Alita, you do your thing. I'm so sorry. we are at ⁓ ooh, the Gregel's question. Let's do this. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Let's do it. Aleta: Where were we? ⁓ yes. D continuing from that from ⁓ the music question, do you have any aspirations to pursue singing and songwriting professionally like Greg does? Andrew Tong: I wouldn't consider myself much of a songwriter right now. But musical theater has always been a passion of mine. It's where I got my start, obviously as we talked about earlier. And so if the right show came along, I would totally be down. I would love to. Yeah, it's just ⁓ theater is hard because it's it's a large time commitment and it unfortunately there's not a lot of money in it. And so, you know, it's it's hard to give up six weeks of my life for Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: A $300 stipend. You know? Which I mean, for the love of it, yes. Like if I could make it work, absolutely. But it it makes it a little bit more difficult to say yes to things. But I don't know. I think music is something that I've had in my life since I was very young. And something that I think will probably always be in my life. It brings me a lot of joy. And so whether Lucy: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Aleta: Yeah. Andrew Tong: I do it professionally through the group that I'm in, through musical theater, through caroling, through you know, however that manifests. Great. And if it's just a thing for me, also great. You know? But music is definitely one of those things that I will be keeping in my life. You know, even if it's just singing to Britney Spears on life. And that works too. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: Ha ha ha Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: So much. we are curious. ⁓ this one. I'm excited to ask this one. So we're curious what your thoughts are on on-screen chemistry now that you've done some romantic leads. ⁓ so as an actor who's had to do romantic roles, is it really just fine? Like, so when you're basically in your final chem read, is it is that it basically with the casting directors? They're like, they have to have it here. Andrew Tong: Mm, mm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Lucy: Or do sometimes they choose to still cast people? And do you find if that happens, or if it has, that the on screen chemistry can be improved once you get on set? Andrew Tong: Hmm, that's a great question. ⁓ there's a there's a lot of factors that go into casting beyond just talent and drive and all of those things. You know, obviously socials are a big driver of a lot of casting decisions, both in invert land and also just in the industry writ large, I think, as we've seen lately. But to your point, I think, yeah, if it's not happening in the chem read, it's probably not gonna happen on set. It might, you know, you might surprise yourself, the other person, ⁓ the director, with a little bit more time to be acquainted and know each other and feel more comfortable. But I think that's also where Like I was talking about before, the the practice and the preparation comes in. That like as actors, what we do is weird. Like what w like objectively what we do is weird. You know? We're going and and hallucinating things with other people in an attempt to be like, you believed it, right? That was believable? Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: You know? But as actors, we train really hard to be able to get to that spot where we are emotionally vulnerable with people and where we are in the moment with that other person and we're not worried about like, does this look good? You know, we're not worried about anything else but what's right in front of us and having an experience with the person that's right in front of us. So I think it it really depends. I think the people with the best chemistry usually will book the job, but there's always things that go into that. Sometimes things get better, sometimes things get worse as personalities interact. As, you know, many notorious stories of interesting, you know, BTS relationships and ⁓ chemistries have have been told over the years. But it's ⁓ Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: Yeah. Andrew Tong: Yeah, the the chem read if you're in the chem read, the the producers and the director like what you're doing. So that's already a a good spot to be. But yeah, I don't know. I don't know if you know I don't know if it's not there that a casting director can trust that it will be. You know, especially when ⁓ no you go. Lucy: Yeah. Yeah. Well what's No no please. Andrew Tong: ⁓ yeah, well, especially when, you know, there's money on the line, there's deadlines, things of that nature. You know, a casting director is also paid and knows what they're doing most of the time. They are experts in their field, you know, like I I do what I do, they do what they do, and they can detect sometimes that maybe you're just nervous in the room, maybe that there's something else there that they know is there but that they just weren't seeing on the day. And so that's also their expertise coming into it. But yeah, if it's if it's if you're just not feeling it in the in the chem read, then what are you gonna do? But that's why usually in chem reads, it's at least in a lot that I've been in, it's been like three actors on either side for each role. And y we're in a zoom waiting room and then they'll do different pairings and see who whose chemistry is, you know, most on fire at that point, who has the most interesting dynamic, you know? And sometimes that's not always it's not always our not fault, but like if if you put me and Declan together, for example, versus me and Evan, versus me and Sky versus me and Greg versus me and Tristan, like It's all gonna be different. It's all gonna play different. Even if it's the same lines and the same scenes, the way that we interact with each other is going to be different. And so what we also don't see is the other people that have been cast and the story that the director has in their head for what they're trying to tell. And so as an actor, even as frustrating as it may be, you just have to trust that what you do, if you are there and present in the moment, what you do is enough and it's not necessarily on you whether or not it happens or not. Lucy: ⁓ that's really interesting. because obviously one of the reasons Alita and I love verticals is a lot of them are so romantic. And that's what we want to see. We won't deny that. I do have to say, with all the ones that I've seen, and again, I watch mainly queer, I do watch straight ones, but it's it's minor. ⁓ but I'm impressed even in the Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Lucy: straight and queer space, they the casting directors do a good job. Like I haven't seen in verticals anyone with bad chemistry. So that's been I I it's nice because you feel like you can trust that. But in traditional film I have. Traditional shows I have and it kills me and it's always killed me. So maybe this is another reason I love the vertical space. I don't know. Yeah. Andrew Tong: They do. Mm-hmm. Yeah. There you go. They've got the verts of got the the secret sauce, you know? Lucy: That's right. That's right. Keeping it romance. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: So I'm jumping ahead here. ⁓ because I have ones that I really want to ask. So all of the fans would love to see you play a vampire, which we've said many times, or a fae, which we've talked about. And I know you love fantasy. I remember that you said that when you were at university you got certified in a number of ⁓ ty different types of sword play. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Mm. Would love. Mm-hmm. Aleta: Would you like to be cast in historical dramas? Andrew Tong: ⁓ yes. Absolutely. ⁓ if I could do I okay. Time for me to nerd out. The Pirates of the Caribbean original trilogy. Like the the one, two, three, Black Pearl Dead Man's Chest at World's End. Mm. Peak, peak like film, peak cinema. Because it ⁓ the story, so good. Aleta: We love it. Ha ha. Andrew Tong: The like the fact that they were able to build ships, sail them on the ocean, and do sword fights on them? Like, do you know how incredible of a job that would be? Like, yes. I yeah. So y short answer to your question, yes, absolutely. I anyone that is willing to put a weapon in my hand and allow me Aleta: Yeah. Ha ha. Andrew Tong: To go do ⁓ go play pretend is mad person, but I would love it. I would love it. But yeah, I got certified in ⁓ in hand to hand rapier and dagger and broadsword. I don't believe I think I would have to up my my certification, but there's a lot of great fight gyms in LA that ⁓ do a lot of that type of stuff. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Ha ha. Lucy: I love just seeing you light up. This is great. My cheeks hurt. I love this. Andrew Tong: I I am very I am very passionate about the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Just and the the score is so good. Like the CGI is also just incredible. Like yeah, I can't I can't rave enough about it. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Ha ha Lucy: I love it. Noted. Get this Andrew Tong: It's not quite Lord of the Rings level, I'll give it that. I'll give it that. Lucy: It's still epic, we agree. Andrew Tong: But it yes. Yeah. And I think just from a I I think it goes back to my childhood and back when there were DVDs. Ooh, physical media. I did have a VHS as a child, so I'm not, you know. ⁓ but back when there were DVDs with like the the bonus features and the extended whatever, and there was always the the BTS reel. Lucy: They're coming back. Andrew Tong: Like the blooper reel of everything. Something something in those I think triggered a deep desire for me as a child to want to be there, to be on set. And so I I do attribute those also with part of my part of my love for cinema and not just the acting side of it, but also just the entire medium of it. Because I think it's so cool. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: what we're able to do. Like if if you saw how some of these sets were glued together, you would say, Good Lord W ⁓ there we're shooting where? We're shooting with what? Okay. but the way that we're able to make it look like like a whole other world is it it's it's special. It's special what we get to do. Aleta: Ha ha ⁓ Lucy: I love that. Aleta: I had a little tangent when I was writing these questions too, because I thought of something that I that I would really love. ⁓ I would love to see an Arthurian BL based on like Mary and Zimmer Bradley's version where Lancelot was queer and there's a lot of scope for fighting and for the BL in that. It would be amazing. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Mm. Mm. Aleta: with like Guinevere and Morgane as the villains. Somebody needs to write this for me. Andrew Tong: Yes. absolutely. Well just think about it's not just like yearning at that point. Like you can actually like the the conflict can be sword play. And then it's it's not just like they're the boys are fighting, but but the boys are fighting, you know? Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm hmm. ⁓ Lucy: Ha ha Andrew Tong: Didn't they just I mean it's not it's not authorium, but it's didn't wasn't there a Boila fencing one that just came out? Am I hallucinating that? Aleta: It's been announced. Lucy: So so it just got announced and we were like, Andrew would be so good in this, but you know, we weren't gonna ask you anything. ⁓ But it was in our mind. Andrew Tong: Okay. Thank you. Aleta: Ha ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: Well, I I am not currently a part of it, but I I did see it see it announced and I said, ⁓ okay. I'm excited to see it. Lucy: Okay. Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: You would be really good. Yeah. we'd be excited for well, I mean I'm assuming it's coming out, right, Alita? I I took it as weren't they gonna cast it? It Aleta: I I don't know, I just saw the I don't know. Andrew Tong: I d yeah, the the announcement that I saw about it was I it was on Instagram. I d I I couldn't tell if it was like a casting call or if it was like an announcement for the vert. So Aleta: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Lucy: Yeah, and I think it's real short, so I don't know, I feel like they would probably it must be coming out. Yeah. On point. Andrew Tong: Okay. I would imagine so. They're usually pretty yeah. I if it's announced it's probably already edited and in the can. Lucy: Okay. Okay. Well, can you discuss any collaborations or partnerships with other actors or creatives? We know you've done some that have been particularly rewarding for you. Andrew Tong: ⁓ I think just the community that I've been able to find through doing the BL ⁓ verts ⁓ has been so incredible. I found so many incredible friends, so many incredible other other fans of the BLs. Like I love I love the fact that in a in emerging medium we're already there there's still a long way to go in terms of representation, don't get me wrong, especially ⁓ For all of our POC friends. However, the fact that we are able to start the medium with queer representation is huge. We need more of it. But the fact that it's there, I think, is huge. And as more young people are finding these, just knowing the people that are making them, I I have a Just a very I I I feel very honored to be able to make media that young me would have died to see. You know? And I think that's that's very, very special. And so I think just in general being a part of the the Boy Love community is Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Very, very special, very awesome. The the support has been overwhelmingly positive. And we can't thank you guys enough for that. and I think one one thing that that was a lot of fun was it just came out today, but it's the ⁓ I can't remember what they ended up naming it. But it's on real talk. Love whispers. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: Love whispers. Yeah. We're so excited for you to talk about this. Aleta: Love whispers. ⁓ Andrew Tong: It yes, it was a lovely day shoot out in Malibu. We all we all wish that that Evan, our our fifth member of the real short boy love community, could have been there. But the I was really impressed with how that turned out. And yes, Nikki, the the producer ⁓ of Real Talk had a vision and ⁓ made it happen and made it gorgeous. Aleta: It's beautiful. Andrew Tong: And what was also special was that we were able to bring our own experiences and our own like once again we were able to ⁓ collaborate creatively on it and add our own inputs and shift our our dialogue and our voiceovers and stuff that influenced the way that it all turned out. And it was ⁓ it was really, really special, really cool. And it was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Aleta: Not long enough. Lucy: Yeah, we wanted more. Andrew Tong: Yeah. I think I'm really excited because it's a new direction for real talk specifically. And I r I would love for them to keep going in that direction. Obviously with more boy love content, with more boy love voice. But just in general, it was a it was a great creative collaboration. Aleta: Yeah. Yeah. Lucy: Please. all right, ⁓ let's ⁓ mosey. Can talk about, and it's okay if you can't. But you have an upcoming vertical where we heard you might be playing a villain, which is a different role than we've seen from you before. So is there a difference in how you prepared for that one? Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yeah. think it all comes from the same place, but it's there's a little bit more like morbid fun within it, I guess, because it is something so separated from yourself. You step into this person's shoes and it's almost freeing in a way, because you're able to just kind of do whatever within it. You're able to make really bold character choices. And our director ⁓ allowed us to make really bold character choices. From we the worst family you've ever met. Like Lucy: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: It's a lot. but I was I was really able to go to the the I was able to go to Snark City, I would say. and just have a a grand old time. I think they ⁓ especially in the Vert space, some of the villains, i if it's something you're doing consistently, can really start to weigh on you. You know, because there is a lot of ⁓ simulated violence, violence against women specifically, just some crazy stuff that goes on. and so if that's happening consistently, it's you know, it can kind of have a hover a cloud over you when you're when you're going in because it's like, okay, who really it's part of the story, yes, is it needed? Debatable. But Yeah, I think you approach a villain like any other character from a point of justification. Like there has to be justification for the reason why you're doing what you're doing. Otherwise, we're like, why are like I don't believe that. But if you're just like if you believe everything that you do and there's a reason for everything that you do, it's you know, that that that that is my job as an actor. It's not to judge the character, it's to justify everything that I do. And Lucy: Ha ha. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Andrew Tong: Sometimes there's just more fun ways of doing that than others. Lucy: ⁓ I'm so excited to see this whenever it releases. Yeah. Andrew Tong: I am too. I'm I'm very interested to see how it all came out. yeah, it was a d definitely a different role than than what I've done before. But it was ⁓ it it was it was a lot of fun. Aleta: Yeah. Lucy: Yeah. We'll keep an eye. We'll keep an eye and we'll share it. Alita, if you if there's not a question you really want to ask him, we should go to the lighter ones, the more chill ones. We're making him dig deep, so Okay, okay. Aleta: Mm. Well, I wanna ask this one, so I I remember asking you what was your favorite Shakespeare play and I think you said it was one of the Henry's. But do you have a favorite play or role that you would like to perform that is not Shakespeare? Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm. So many Aleta: Yeah. Andrew Tong: For fun, anything in we were just talking about this earlier, kinky booth would be so much fun. Even just being in the ensemble, such a feel-good show, so much fun. in terms of stuff that I would love to dig into, there's a play called Sweat by Lynn Notage that essentially follows this this group of people. Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: in Reading, Pennsylvania, before and after the ⁓ financial crisis in two thousand eight. And the it's challenging not only from from the the subject material in terms of ⁓ how do people react when when the well runs dry, like, you know, where Where do our loyalties go when we can't put food on the table? But also from an acting perspective, there's a time jump. And so the scenes jump from in the past when things are going down to the present, I guess I would have to look at the script like 2007 to like 2012, something like that. and these characters have aged, they're not in a good place, and so being able to go back and forth between that in the course of a show, keep that straight in your mind. Having to keep the same character but portray them at two separate points in their life when they're in very s different circumstances, I think would be a such a great challenge as an actor. And Lynn Nottage is a playwright, just like, ⁓ I don't know if you've ever read any of her plays. she writes some hard hitters. definitely some more heavy stuff, but it is So good. ⁓ intimate apparel, incredible play, sweat, ruined. yeah, I would love to love to get my sink my actor teeth into into her writing. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: Gonna manifest that for you. That's awesome. ⁓ my gosh, this I wanna see it now. ⁓ Aleta: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: It's yeah, it's ⁓ yeah. ⁓ also anything at the national. Anything like if I could do a show at the national one day. ⁓ just I w I would love to. There's ⁓ you yeah, you guys know you guys know the national. Lucy: Not me. That's why I was like, ⁓ tell me, tell me. Aleta: Mm mm. Andrew Tong: ⁓ okay. So the National The National Theatre in in London. It's the it's the performing ⁓ i I believe it's state sponsored, but it some of the like penultimate theater productions, like leading cutting edge minds in direction, in design, in acting, all Aleta: Canadian. Andrew Tong: come together to create these these incredible, incredible performances. Like even though I didn't experience it in person, there was a a production, it was a an update of ⁓ Strindberg's Miss Julie that was just called Julie. And the way that they adapted the the language to be a little bit more modern, they set it in like a a brutalist modern, modern day house with a ⁓ daughter who is a raver and the driver who is doing his own things. And Just it it's on it's on the National Theater online. Just go go watch this production of Julie because it's like it it changed it changed my my my view on my view on theater. It it found me at a time when I was stuck and it it expanded my mind. And so anything there's so many great productions. There's a there's a production I believe it's Yerma? I believe it's here, but with Billy Piper at the National. Same. Same. And ⁓ there's a wonderful production of with I think Jody Foster and or Jody Whitaker, no. Jody Whitaker. And Christopher Eccleston. Of Aleta: Hmm. Hmm. Lucy: a Doctor Who fan, so Aleta: Mm. Lucy: Shoty Whitaker? Andrew Tong: ⁓ Antigone. I think it's Antigone. I think it's Antigone. Maybe it's an ⁓ it might not be Antigone. Anyway. They do incredible productions and would love to work on anything there. ⁓ Emce, cabaret, dreamroll. it is Shakespeare, but Hamlet would be incredible role to play. ⁓ To be able to originate something would be really cool. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: those those processes are so collaborative and exploratory and the the ⁓ play is kind of finding its feat and you get to be a part of that. And I think that would be really cool as well. I c I could nerd about the nerd out about theater all day. Like legitimately. Lucy: This is the best. I'm so excited. No, this is the best. Andrew Tong: But no, seriously, check out the National Theater. The National Theater Online. I think it's like a subscription service technically, but a lot of libraries offer it. So if you have like a local library around you, a lot of places offer a subscription, like included in your in your library membership. But life changing, life changing theater. Aleta: Just Mm. Lucy: I'm gonna check it out. Aleta: I just need to clarify. I thought it was an American national theater that you were talking about, which is why I was like, ⁓ I don't know what you're talking about. Andrew Tong: ⁓ we we can only wish. We can only wish. I mean, there is the the n National Endowment for the Arts that that funds stuff, but that was defunded. Thank you to our commander-in-chief for that one. and sometimes the Kennedy Center also does stuff. But I mean, the US is so big that it's hard to Aleta: Mm. Mm. Lucy: Mm. Aleta: The Yeah. Andrew Tong: come together in one place for for theater. Aleta: Side tangent on the Doctor Who thing. Have you seen the production of ⁓ Much Ado with David Tennant and Catherine Tate set in the eighties? It's on YouTube. ⁓ Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. I have. Yes. I I love those two so much. I wish I wish she would have had another I mean I guess she did have another season, but technically, yeah. but it just it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same and ⁓ yeah. I I love her so much. Aleta: So much fun. Lucy: A little bit, yeah. Aleta: Mm. Mm. Lucy: Who's your favourite doctor? This is important. Andrew Tong: ⁓ Lord. ⁓ I I would say probably Smith. Probably Smith. That that's when that's when I found Doctor Who. Like I found the show as Kenneth was regenerating into Smith. And then I like caught up in the middle of ⁓ like right towards the end of Amy Amy and Rory. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: Okay. I called I see it. Andrew Tong: And then kinda continued on for there, ⁓ from there. And so it's my first the the doctor that kind of introduced me to it all and the one that I remember the most. But Capaldi has some great moments. Tenant obviously, you know, just like come on, you know. Lucy: We're tenant girlies, like most people. I for me it was always tenant, then Smith. But like you said, there were so many things I loved about Capaldi. And I remember when he first changed to Capaldi, a lot of us were like, What is happening? And then he came into it in his second season, and I was just like, I'm so in love. Everything he's doing is amazing. And what kills me, let's go on another tangent. ⁓ you know, because I'm assuming you've seen all of Doctor Who, right? Aleta: Yeah. Andrew Tong: The Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Aleta: Yeah, no. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Lucy: At this point, Andrew? Andrew Tong: I I have not ⁓ I've caught up up to the Christmas specials. Like the the ones with Yes. Mm-hmm. Lucy: Okay, okay. Did you do Jody's? Okay, you did Jody's. Okay. That was my like little soapbox I was gonna do. Is she was a freaking delight, but I don't know what happened with the writing. I was like, why did you trash this? And like they gave her like three companions as if her as a woman couldn't hold it down. And I'm like, she is so talented. And it just breaks my heart. That's my little mini tangent because I love Jody. Yeah. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was th yeah, there there was a there was a bump. There was a bump in the road. But weren't they they were switching out riders at that point, weren't they? Like Russell T. Davies was kind of taking a step back. Lucy: It really was. They did. So it was it was yep. No, t Davies was gone. It yep, it was Moffat. Moffitt moved and then it was Chris Chibnell who took over. And ⁓ I think he just wanted to take it in a different direction and it just didn't go well. And so I was happy when Davies came back. And did you get to see Sudy's season? Got what? Aleta: Mm. Andrew Tong: Or Stephen, Davies was gone. Was Maha still there? Okay. Mm. Okay. No. Not yet. I've seen clips and I think it's so much fun. I saw his regener when they split into them, but I haven't I didn't ⁓ continue past them. Yes. And w wasn't Jinx in one of them as well? Jinx Monsoon? Was the the maestra? Lucy: When you get a chance ⁓ Aleta: Mm. Yeah. Lucy: Yes. Aleta: With Neil Patrick Harris. That was fun. ⁓ Lucy: Yes ⁓ my gosh. ⁓ I think so. Yes. Yes. That is a hundred percent the case. Yep. Aleta: ⁓ yeah. Andrew Tong: Yeah, it was like 'cause there were there were three there were there were there were three Christmas specials, I think. Or three specials around like Christmas, New Year's and whatever else. Lucy: Yep, I know you're talking about. Yes. ⁓ this is so good. I'm glad we're going off the Doctor Two tangent. I love Doctor Who. ⁓ you won Brownie points here. okay, we are definitely gonna go to some lighter questions for you and we're gonna wrap up soon. so yes, I'm gonna just pick a couple favorites. You two, Alita. ⁓ we'll do one last kind of fun, serious one. If you could give 10-year-old Andrew any advice or encouragement about Aleta: Yeah. Andrew Tong: Yeah. I yeah. So good. Aleta: Ha ha ha Andrew Tong: Beautiful. Lucy: His future. What what you know now, what would it be? Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. ⁓ Probably that it's it it sounds cliche, but that it's gonna be okay. That you can be your your beautifully weird, silly, emotional, ⁓ quirky self and that that's okay. You know? You don't have to try and fit into a box because other people think that you should. And Yeah, it's it's it's gonna be okay. Don't don't lose your spark. That would be what I would say. Lucy: I love that. ⁓ That's something I'm trying to teach my kiddo, because ⁓ she just approached middle school and she's a hundred percent a theater kid. She has so much shine, so much joy, and I've taught her to love herself and everything around her is just trying to kill the spark. And so that's such beautiful advice because I do try so hard to tell her that too, because for so many of us, we let it die around that time and it's so hard to get it back. Andrew Tong: Mm Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And it's it's hard because your peers are, you know, your peers are saying a lot. You want to fit in, you know, and so it's yeah, I I totally get the struggle. but yeah, finding finding your people who celebrate you for you is is yeah, the best the best outcome of that. Lucy: That's right. Aleta: Okay, where to go? well I'm gonna jump. ⁓ we talked about how we all loved seeing you sing on the live. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Aleta: When Princess First Love hits thirty million views and you do your your live with Greg, what are the odds of you two singing together? ⁓ Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Lucy: Please, please, please. Andrew Tong: Hmm. It's an interesting proposition. I n I may have to ⁓ send a few texts, make a make a few phone calls and ⁓ see see what would Aleta: People would really, really appreciate that. Yeah. Andrew Tong: I'll keep it in mind. I'll keep it in mind. Lucy: gosh, I love it. That makes me so happy. Andrew Tong: You know, anything anything can happen in the Royal Kitchens, that's all I'll say. Aleta: Ha ha ha. Lucy: I love that. ⁓ Aleta: We're trying to get it there. Lucy: We are working. I'm telling you, there's like there's like the whole fandom has battle plans. Like I don't I don't even know if you really know. Like, I think Greg knows because we talk about it often in his chat, but like no Andrew Tong: ⁓ my lord. Mm. I know I know just what people people post on their stories I see sometimes. I'm like, yes, besties, like thank you for the support. But I I I have a feeling I don't know the the whole story here. Lucy: It's it's insane. It's it it it is insane. It's it's been really fun though. It's been a rcause it's we're going on nine months, I think, of Alita and I being have like more heavily involved and b that's when out Sneak Me came out and Succum came out and so we just it's been a ride, it's been weird, it's been a weird evolution, but it's the really amazing group of people for an amazing group of BL actors like you guys. So we're just ⁓ this is the best. Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Thank you. Lucy: actually this segues into a really good question. ⁓ what does having such a supportive fan base mean to you? Andrew Tong: ⁓ it means everything. Like genuinely. You know, because we we do what we do and we love what we do. And that's the reason that we do it, obviously. But to have it mean something to other people is just over the moon incredible. It to get DMs from people who have felt more confident in themselves. ⁓ in their identity just from something that we were able to put out into the world like means so so much and i I feel very honored to be able to hold that role currently and to be a part of that. You know, and even like what we do on my lives, to be able to create a a space where we're all supportive of people, we're able to have a good time, chat, catch up with each other. Yeah, it it means a lot to be able to kind of help foster community. You know, 'cause I think we all we all talk about needing more community in our world right now. And then the question is, okay, well then how do we do it? And it's one one live at a time, one group chat at a time, one, you know, ⁓ one vertical at a time that you know, hopefully means something to people and brings people together. So Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: It means a lot. It really does. And the supports like there there is so much hate online, just generally, you know, whether it's bots or not, who knows. ⁓ but the fact that the response from the boy lift community specifically has been so overwhelmingly positive. Just it means the world as an actor. It really does. So thank you guys. Thank you to everyone listening, watching. we couldn't do it without you. Genuinely. Lucy: Makes me emotional. It's gonna make so many people happy to hear that. ⁓ it was actually a question given to us by a fan, so a secret fan I can't say, so she's gonna be and I did it! She's gonna be so mad, but it's okay. ⁓ Alita, why don't you take us out with the final question we're excited to ask him about? Aleta: Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: ⁓ okay. Aleta: She told you not to say? So as you ask us in the lives each week, what are you grateful for this week? Andrew Tong: Mm-hmm. what am I grateful for? I think right now I'm grateful for being in a period of my life that is very growth oriented for being able to to feel like I am working on myself. I am growing in my craft and in my relationships and in just my myself as a person coming into my own. I'm very grateful for that. Very grateful for I ha I had a moment when I was walking down the street to my anniversary dinner ⁓ this week where I was hand in hand with my person in a city that I've always dreamed of, knowing that I'm you know, working working in a field that I love so much. And it was it was a very healing inner child moment. It's one of those moments where, you know, you you look at a picture of your younger self and you you tell them that it'll be okay, that it'll work itself out one way or another. And that was a moment in the moment that I was very, very grateful for and that what I was very consciously aware of. Yeah, I I'm very grateful for the community. I am. You know, it's it's June, it's Pride Month. We're showing up and showing out. Doing a podcast with the besties. you know, and we're we're celebrating the the magnificence that is being yourself, sitting in your identity. And I think that is the yeah, it's all you can ask for. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: Ha ha ha. Andrew Tong: You know. Lucy: Getting me emotional here. Like the last couple questions. ⁓ I love it. ⁓ my goodness. All right, Alita. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Gosh. Andrew, it has been such a pleasure as always. We have loved having you with us today. It's been such a fun time. And we were one do you want to ask this on camera or after, Lucy? Okay. Andrew Tong: Likewise. Lucy: We can ask it. I can cut it out if he says no. Okay, okay. is this the question that the recap? Was that the question? ⁓ yes, I'm so excited. Okay. If you enjoyed I I know it's been a long podcast with us, I'm so sorry, but when we recap, they're usually not that long unless it's Stable Boy, and ⁓ it's usually like thirty to forty-five minutes. ⁓ Andrew Tong: Yeah. Aleta: Yes, Ha ha ha. Okay. Andrew Tong: Yeah. Yeah. Lucy: But if you did enjoy yourself today, would you ever have an interest in coming back on and recapping with us? Yeah. Andrew Tong: ⁓ absolutely. Well I would love I would love to do a recap where we're able to like give behind the scenes tidbits or obviously like to what to what we can say, you know. But memories from set, stuff like that, you know, where we we yeah, recap the not only the vertical but the the memories behind it. You know? Add Lucy: That's what we want! Aleta: Yes. Lucy: Yeah. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Mm. Lucy: I want that so badly. Yes. Yes. Andrew Tong: add some context. And I mean some of it some of it does end up on our socials. you know, here there and everywhere. But ⁓ yeah, I think that'd be a lot of fun. Aleta: Mm-hmm. Lucy: Okay, okay, well when your new one releases your new BL, because we're a queer only. So ⁓ it would be really awesome to have you do that. And we'll just keep our notes, because the notes take a long time, very condensed. So we have plenty of time for BTS. It could be. I just I'm thinking of you, good sir, okay? Because you were a trooper today. Aleta: Love it. Andrew Tong: None of it. Beautiful. Or the episode could be longer. Aleta: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Andrew Tong: Ha ha. the pleasure was all mine. Lucy: Hehehehe Aleta: Of our listeners, thank you for coming and joining us on this very special episode. We hope that you'll be back next time. Bye, besties! Lucy: Bye besties. Andrew Tong: Bye besties. Lucy: Yeah, yeah. Andrew Tong: Hooray.