queensugardaily:

You currently play Trinh Phan on the critical hit show, Queen Sugar. What does this opportunity mean to you on a professional and personal level?

Oh gosh. Being on Queen Sugar has so much meaning to me, in so so many ways. I still cannot believe that my first big kid acting job is for a project that aligns so wholly with my entire soul. It’s political, intersectional, female-led. It’s this stunning love letter to Black families in the South. It paints such beautiful portraits of wonderfully complex yet deeply flawed Black men and women. I just love how human all the main characters feel on the show, something that still feels rare for characters of color. They have agency over their lives and aren’t disposable accessories for white people. I mean, I had to stop for a moment my first day on set to take in how diverse the crew was.

Queen Sugar is executive produced by these two amazing queens who are the leading voices in this ongoing public conversation concerning diversity and representation in media. I’m working on an Oprah show, y’all, OPRAH. I grew up seeing her on TV and now I get to say that she’s kind of my boss — isn’t that so cool? And Ava is, hands down, one of my top 3 living heroes. It’s insane. Sometime last fall, I told myself I wanted to be a part of the “Ava Tribe,” as I dubbed it.  But it was one of those bucket list items that I hoped would happen 10 or 20 years down the line. I didn’t think I’d be sitting here now, half a year later, having met her and playing a significant role on one of her “children,” as she likes to call her projects.

I still wake up and cry in sheer awe some days. I’ve had a rough roller coaster of a journey since I started acting over a decade ago, and this job has invigorated my spirit. I’ve never felt more inspired. Being surrounded by all these female directors and producers on set, many of whom were POC and/or queer was so good for me. I feel like I’m part of this family of amazing women and people of color who will be an amazing source of support and potential mentorship as I start taking the steps to produce and direct in the future. I’ve gotten to know these two amazing Viet Am actors and got to create a familial dynamic with them on screen —a dream of mine I wasn’t sure could be realized unless I self-produced.

As far as what this role has done for me professionally as an actor — it’s definitely opening doors. I still have a long way to go before I can fully thrive off acting and filmmaking, but more agencies, casting directors and filmmakers are taking an interest in me than before. Overall, Queen Sugar has had and will continue to have a positive impact on my life professionally and personally.

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