Audrey Magazine got a chance to play its hand at the First Annual Celebrity Poker Tournament hosted by Coalition for Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) at the W Hotel in Hollywood, benefitting the foundation’s educational programming. CAPE advances diversity and cross-cultural awareness by educating and promoting Asian Pacific Americans for key artistic and leadership roles in the entertainment industry.

We chatted with some celebs and asked about their upcoming projects, poker strategies and thoughts on CAPE’s mission.

Lou Diamond Phillips (Numb3rs)

Audrey Magazine: So I hear you’re a great poker player — don’t lie. But are you nervous about your game being televised by Mnet?

Lou Diamond Phillips: Unfortunately I played poker on TV a number of times, so I guess my reputation proceeds me. But, you know, everyone gets unlucky. And fortunately I’m used to cameras so that doesn’t scare me.

AM: What does scare you?

LDP: Asians scare me the most at the poker table. They’re just good. They’re damn good.

AM: Is it all in the poker face?

LDP: [Laughing] I know it’s a bit of stereotype, but the inscrutable Asian has one expression. [Making a stern unmoving face] “I win.” “I loss.” “I fold.” “All in.”

 

Kelly Hu (White Frog)

Audrey Magazine: When is the last time you saw a cassette player? [We interviewed with a cassette recorder circa 1980s].

Kelly Hu: I have cassette tapes! I just sold my car that only had a cassette player in it and not even a CD player.

AM: That’s awesome! We know you’re going to be in the upcoming film White Frog? Can you tell us a bit about that?

KH: It’s an awesome cast — Harry Shum, Booboo Stewart, BD Wong and Joan Chen to name a few members. It was so much fun.

AM: Were there pranks played on set?

KH: It was a set with a lot of young guys so there were some little pranks. Gregg Sulkin got me a couple of times. We were playing games like Tic-Tac-Toe and Hangman. And I was just an idiot I couldn’t get his Hangman word and it was White Frog!

AM: Do you know what you want to be for Halloween yet?

KH: I don’t know yet!

AM: We think you should go with a bumblebee.

KH: Really? [Laughing]. I’m going to be walking around saying, “I was told this was going to be good! This is supposed to be the ‘in’ costume!”

 

 

Archie Kao (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)

Audrey Magazine: So what have you been up to lately?

Archie Kao: Well, I’ve been spending a lot of time in China. Last year I was working on Snow Flower and the Secret Fan for four months and that was my first venture into the country. And this year I went back and hosted the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong in March. Also, one of my really close friends just got married at The Great Wall. I’ve never been to The Great Wall and always wanted to, so now I can cross that one off my life to-do list.

AM: Do you think you’re going to be spending more time in China?

AK: Well, I hope so. In fact, I’m planning to take an immersion course where you go live in the countryside and you have to take a vow of Mandarin.

AM: How’s your Mandarin now?

AK: Right now it’s like a kid’s. I can say basic things like “I have to go to the bathroom, I’m hungry, [and] I’m tired.” So now I just have to expand upon I’m hungry and tired. [Laughing].

AM: Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

AK: I do. But none I can tell you about. But I can tell you it’s in film.

 

Photo by Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup

 

 

Jack Yang (Cashmere Mafia)

Audrey Magazine: What projects have you been working on?

Jack Yang: I actually just shot for the sitcom New Girl with Zooey Deschanel.

AM: How was it like working with her? We hear she loves to sing?

JY: She’s actually kind of kooky. And she does love to sing. [Laughing] She sings the whole time. Everyday. Out of nowhere.

AM: Do you sing? If so, do you sing in public or in the shower?

JY: I like the acoustics of the shower but I don’t know how much my neighbors like it. But if I did sing, I’d sing old Sinatra songs.

AM: Speaking of Sinatra, who do you look up to in Hollywood?

JY: The actors that I look up to have passed like Sinatra and Cary Grant. They’ve inspired me and that’s definitely why I got into acting and support CAPE. To inspire others and especially if another actor says “Hey I’m an Asian guy and he’s an Asian guy making it. If he’s doing it, maybe I can do it too.” The more of us out there the better.

AM: What do you think of the current acting landscape for Asian male actors?

JY: It’s difficult. First off, there aren’t enough roles. If there were more roles then the industry could show more diversity in the Asian community instead of just one aspect. I’ve always played a gangster, a lab technician, a doctor or the gay boyfriend. My dream goal is to be an Asian leading man where I’m in a movie kissing a beautiful non-Asian girl and no kung-fu is involved. Really, I just want to spread love and joy.

AM: And puppies!

JY: And puppies!

Jamie Chung (The Hangover 2)

Audrey Magazine: What shoes are you wearing tonight? They look fabulous!

Jamie Chung: They’re Miu Miu!

AM: What are you going to be for Halloween?

JC: I want to be Babydoll from Sucker Punch. She’s awesome!

 

 

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Tags: archie kao, cape, charity, coalition for asian pacifics in entertainment, jack yang, jamie change, kelly hu, lou diamond phillips, poker

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