Typically when you think of the star of a hit TV show, you think of an actor who has worked his whole life for such an opportunity. Someone who has gone on endless auditions and done several smaller roles to reach this point in his career. But that wasn't exactly the case for young star Hudson Yang. As the hilarious main character on ABC's "Fresh Off The Boat," the 12-year-old actor was fortunate to land this major role at just the start of his career, and it was his upbeat personality and likable attitude that the producers and casting director just couldn't turn down.
At a very young age, Yang realized he wanted to be an actor, and it's all thanks to Sandra Bullock's net worth.
"When I was a little kid I was watching TV - it was a Sandra Bullock interview - and I was like, 'Sandra Bullock makes $80 million? I wanna make that much money!'" Yang told HNGN in an exclusive interview. After he convinced his father that he was in fact serious about getting into the business, his dad made a few calls and landed Yang an audition for the main Asian character in the movie "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete," Yang said. But after several call backs, they told him he did not have enough experience to play the main role but that they saw potential in him. And from there, the star of "Fresh Off The Boat" was born.
Yang plays the role of a young Eddie Hauag, who is known today for being a famous chef, food personality and restaurant owner. Eddie is just trying to find his place in this world as an Asian-American kid who has just moved from Chinatown of Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Fla. As a diehard hip-hop and rap fan, and someone who loves basketball beyond belief, Eddie, who is the oldest of three brothers, continues to drive his mother Jessica (Constance Wu) crazy as she struggles to keep their family culture alive in a community that doesn't have a large Asian population. As someone who is often teased for his culture, especially for the food he brings for lunch, it's interesting to see as Eddie adjusts to fit in. His father Louis (Randall Park), on the other hand, is embracing this "American Dream" while trying to keep his Western steakhouse restaurant alive and popular.
Yang's personality really shines through his character, and it's his rebellious attitude, humor and natural ability to act that sets him apart from the rest of the young, talented actors today. With the second season of "Fresh Off The Boat" currently airing, we decided it was time to catch up with Yang and find out what it's really like being the star of a show at such a young age.
How did it feel to have your first major gig be as the main star in "Fresh Off The Boat"?
It was really exciting, and I didn't really think of that happening. So when it happened, I was really surprised, and I was really energetic. I was running around set, eating a ton of food and going crazy.
That reflects your character a lot, they must have loved that. Do you find you can relate to Eddie in real life?
Yeah, I do! There's a lot of different aspects of him similar to mine, and there's also a lot of things that changed since the show. When I first started, there were a few different things that were actually similar, but now there's a lot more. I'm getting into rap music a lot more now, and that's why I got that swagga. And, the character has also morphed more like me in the things he does, the way he reacts - that's also a lot of similarities to how I act and stuff.
So you weren't really into rap music until you started on the show?
I mean, I was a little bit into it. Like I'd listen to it every so often, but now I'm listening to it a lot. It's the music I prefer.
What do you love most about the character?
I think my favorite part of being Eddie is the things he gets to do and that whole experience. Like, he gets to dance, eventually he's going to get to cook, and you get to do so many things. Things like that - I get to live my life again, and be two people at once, and I get to have two new brothers and different parents and everything. I get to see what that's like. Not that I don't like my parents, but still, it's fun.
How do you get along with your co-stars?
I get along really well with them. Both of the brothers have become like real brothers to me, and we hang out after work, we go to dinner and lunch and play games. And with the parents, they actually teach us life lessons that we need to know, and they talk to us about things. They act like real parents, and they protect us and make sure that we are safe. They actually care for us.
Do you find you can relate to Eddie in the sense that he's bullied sometimes on the show for his culture, or do you think that's something in the past?
I feel that's behind us now. I've never actually had to experience getting bullied. I've never gotten teased because of something I ate.
What are your thoughts on season two compared to season one?
I think the first season, the beginning was just like testing it out to see how people would like it. Now in the second season, I feel like they're developing a lot more because they know that people liked certain things. I think that's a lot of fun. Like I got to sing, I got to learn new dance moves like the body worm and the wop.
This season has been really fun. What was it like having Shaq on the show?
He was really fun...he's really big. All of the brothers on the show, we decided to challenge him to a wrestling match, and he's so big and strong he lifted us all up and just slowly piled us on his back. It was really funny.
Who would you say is your biggest role model?
On set, it would be Randall because I think he's really funny and he's a great actor. He's been doing it for like 20 years. He's done so much stuff and he has so much experience. I can learn a lot from him. He's so nice to everybody, he's like a great guy. He's always happy and smiling and he's also - I feel like I'm repeating myself - but he's just an amazing actor and I can't stop saying that because he's just so great at portraying what the character is really like.
Is there anything else you're currently working on?
Not really. I've been doing a few auditions but haven't been able to do much because I'm so busy with "Fresh Off The Boat." Even if I did get a show, I wouldn't really be able to be there much. I've done some guest stars for some shows, though. I recently had a tiny part in "Family Guy."
Any other plans for the future?
I think I'm going to keep trying to do this show for as long as I can. And when it ends, I'll figure something out.
Watch Yang in "Fresh Off The Boat" Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
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