Tia Carrere

0:03Matt? How are you? I'm very well. Where are you right now? I'm in Los Angeles. Oh, yeah. What are you up to? I just came back from Hawaii last night. Last night? Yeah, late. I'm a little discombobulated. What were you doing there? You're not living there, right? No, I wish. Oh, God. I just got back late last night from Hawaii where me and my musical partner Daniel Ho were doing a concert at the University of Hawaii and a Q&A afterwards talking about our music. And now you're a Grammy winner as well. I know I'm a multi-grammy winner. Multi-grammy winner. It's crazy. It's crazy. Yeah, I have to pinch myself.

0:48I'm really, really fortunate. It's unfortunate in that they just, they sort of called through the categories. So I have the dubious distinction of being the last best Hawaiian album Grammy winner. Hey, there you go. It's too bad that it's cut though. But congratulations on the list. Thank you. Thank you. When do you want to make another record? Do you want to continue making records every few years? Yeah, yeah. I like to branch out and incorporate some of the Hawaiian and some of the exotic into some English language pieces. That's my next step. Probably putting together a band and, you know, I don't even know. I mean, I have a few different references. It's, you know, trying to create a new, another, you know, level to the music that I started out doing.

1:33But I'd like to, you know, get more of, I think it makes it more universal when you sing in English. Oh, for sure. As beautiful as Hawaiian music is, if they don't understand you, sometimes people tune out. So I'd like to sort of bring what I've created in the Hawaiian language world and bring it into English language and make that more available to, you know, more listeners. And then go on the road and tour it. Like, do you want to be a full out musician? I would love to because that's always been my, you know, my love but Mr. Thon the side. It's hard going back and forth and trying to, because you have to commit to a tour schedule, which means that you're off the market for acting and things like that.

2:21So, you know, it's a delicate balancing act. And each time that I've done it, it's like I've got a TV show and it goes up against the wall. I'm like, I got to go. This is my drop dead date. And I have to jump on a plane at the last minute and go and do a music gig, you know. It's always that way, always that way. Besides, I guess you singing in Wayne's world and maybe people don't even know that you were actually singing your own songs there. You started out as a singer? Yeah, I started out as a singer. I was actually, my partner and I, when we were, let's see, growing up in Hawaii, we performed the Hawaii Kiki show when I was like 14 years old. Yeah. So, it was awesome.

3:06You know, it was awesome. That's what I thought I wanted to do with my life. And here I am like performing for thousands of people when I'm 14 years old. And then I get discovered in a grocery store in Waikiki and that's how I got my first movie. I heard about that discovery story. Were you looking to get into the business or did it just happen and it just has worked out ever since? It was, I had never done any acting prior to this. And I was just coming home from a modeling job. And you know, so it's like, I was discovered in a grocery store, but I had a full face of makeup, a garland of flowers around my head called a hoku headband. And, you know, I think I was wearing like a t-shirt and bikini bottoms.

3:54So, you know, I was like, I was a little conspicuous in the grocery store. Yeah, bikini flowers on your head, full makeup, you know, coming from a modeling photo shoot. You know, I probably hedged my bets. But I produced his mother and father approached me and said, hey, Donnie, you're gorgeous. My son's doing a movie here. You'd be perfect for the female lead. And I was like, what? Really? And so I guess they, did I call her? Anyway, I went and I read for the casting director who was the casting director for Karate Kid and other, you know, big films, Caro Jones. And I guess she's passed away by now. But I went in and he's read for this role and got it. Did you get the bug right away? Did you fall in love with acting? Um, I thought it was pretty cool. Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool. I mean, it's fun. It's basically playing make-believe for a living.

4:42That's what you do, you know? How different is that from singing? How many jobs I've ever had? Let's put it that way. Well, I'm singing now, too. Yeah, I'm singing now, too. So what are you doing at the Comic Expo? You're in Calgary June 17th through 19th for the Calgary Comic Expo, I guess. Yes, yes. And all the characters you played for your life? They get the comedy movies. The Wayne's role, I guess, is why I'm there. And while I'm in Relicontore, I would think it would fit in with that crowd, wouldn't it? Yeah, it was kind of comic in tone. Yeah, I loved that show. Relicontore was awesome. We did like 66 episodes over the course of three years. I was in Toronto. Yes, so you're in Honorary Canadian now? I actually have. I was married to a Canadian guy and always English and also has a Canadian passport.

5:27So I've got my permanent residency and all that stuff like that. Yeah, I just came from Toronto working on another show last week. I was in Toronto, came to LA for 24 hours and then went to Hawaii. It was crazy. But it was snowing on my head in Toronto working on this TV show called the Hot Zone. That will be on ABC starting up there. It'll be on Shaw. Shaw starting June 15th and my episode is the third episode. What is the Hot Zone? It is about a combat hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Yeah, really cool. Amazing actors. You know, Ellie's Cateus from Montreal and Deborah Cara Unger.

6:13I think she's from Toronto and she lives there. And Michelle Boorth. But yeah, all these great Canadian film actors. How did they get you? How come you got involved in that project? Well, to play a photojournalist, Hatty-Tatty photojournalist, I'll put it a loop maybe, who plays one of the surgeons. So we had a fun little interlude. That sounds cool. Yeah, well look out for it. So the Hot Zone on Shaw TV in June. Yeah, June 15th it starts. And you were going to do film two. You may not kiss the bride. What's that about? You may not kiss the bride, which is a light romantic comedy. I shot that in Hawaii. She's like, oh my gosh, you're a Toronto or Hawaii. Not a bad combination, please. Not bad. Yeah, because I'm freezing my butt off in Toronto, like getting snowed on.

7:00Sorry, we have to cut. There's snow falling on your head in Kandahar. And then the guy fly to Hawaii and it's like 85 degrees. But yeah, so you may not kiss the bride. I was with like Rob Schneider, Catherine McPhee, Minna Suvarie, David Annabel from Brothers and Sisters, really, really funny cast. And I play a native girl that helps Dave Annabel find Catherine McPhee again. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, but it's supposed to be, it's like Hawaii was doubling for Tahiti. I just premiered over at the Sonoma Film Festival, so it should be coming up pretty soon. Oh, wine country, nice. Wine country. What was curb like working without a script?

7:46How was that for you? Because I would think that would be different for you. Curb, your enthusiasm was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. Because when you're hired on that show, you don't even know what your character is. You don't know what the setup is until you arrive on set. So I get there and it's okay, you're Richard Lewis' girlfriend and you're working for Larry's friend and you're sitting outside of the bathroom. And when he comes out, you notice how fast or how fast it is that he comes back out. You comment on it and you just keep talking. That's it. That's all you know. How many takes were you comfortable doing like that? I guess I'm pretty talkative. So it worked out pretty well.

8:31It worked out pretty well. Yeah. I did. They said, okay, whatever you're saying about carpooling or whatever, just go with that. Go more with that. Okay, cool. So you're just watching. The first take, you just lay it down and you just keep talking. And then they come up to you, the writers say, hey, I really liked this thread and that thread. So just go with more of that. And then they come up with, you know, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I like what you said about carpooling together. You riff on that. Don't let them walk away. I mean, that's the kind of direction you get. But it's all verbal diarrhea in my part. Yeah, no, that's cool. Is it made you want to do more improv or sketch comedy, that kind of thing? Yeah, sure. Absolutely. I actually even got to back a few years ago now.

9:18I did a film up in Montreal. Montreal is trying to figure out if it was Toronto, my role. But I did a film and I got to improv with Marlon Brando. No way. Way. What was that like? Look at us quoting Wayne's role. No, no, it's entered popular vernacular. That's true. No way, way. You know, I only do one scene with him and I was playing an insurance adjuster and he was trying to pull a scam. And I was there to question him about feeling the proper paperwork out so that I could cut him, so I could give him this check. But we were missing a few key pieces and I was, you know, investigating.

10:03But he completely, I mean, that was not supposed to be improvised. It was a written scene and what we filmed had nothing to do with what was written. It was kind of hilarious. Yeah. Ithimano was directing and he handled it so well because he was like, oh my God. Okay. How do we get him back to where we need him? But yeah, he started like, he started off with, oh, are you Polynesian? You look like you're from the island. I love the island. Oh my God. Oh my God. Who are you going? Okay. Well, Mr. Whatever character name was, you know, that's, that's, I think you very much. I appreciate that, but that's not what we here for. There are some few key pieces of paperwork that we're missing before I can give you this check. And he snatches a check out of my hand and like, it was actually kind of funny, but yeah, I had nothing to do with what was grouped in.

10:54That was holding on for dear life, basically, that, that bit of improvisation. Oh, yeah. I would think so. Yeah. Is he the best you worked with? Oh God. I don't, the best. I mean, I really love what I did in, you know, Caribbean enthusiasm. I was completely lost. I had no idea what I was saying, but it all works together. It all works out somehow. It was crazy. And we did, we only did a few takes of that bathroom scene. And it's just, it's golden. It's awesome. You know, I guess if you hire the right people, if you have the right people, to keep pieces of information, you know, the threads of, of improv that you like, you sort of selectively emphasize those things. And then, you know, editing it together and it, it all works.

11:39And then that funny music that they put in over it. I'm like, bang zoom. There you go. That's how you make a TV show like that. We can't. We're very maverick and I was really happy to be a part of it. We can't let you go without talking about Waynes World a little bit. Are you sick of talking about Waynes World yet? Or is it something you still hold on to with, with, with dear memories? Waynes World is like, it was iconic. And it's, I am so blessed and fortunate to have been a part of that. It was, it's like the Rocky Horror Picture Show of our time, I think. You know, looking back on it, it was that iconic and it, it affected, I mean, still today, people come up to me and just go, oh my gosh, you know, whatever it was. It loomed large because it's one of those songs that people watched five, six, seven, ten times.

12:25And it made it, you know, it captured a time. And Mike Myers really, you know, famous Canadian really put some wind in myself at the auditions. Because it was a, it was quite a lengthy process to get the role. But I guess maybe there's a last time that I went in. He goes, you know what, I just want to tell you that you're my favorite and just whatever you're doing, it's fantastic. I'm rooting for you. And I can't tell you, just, I walked in and I just went for it. And, you know, it was awesome. It was awesome to be a part of that. And it was really just a small picture on the slate. Like, they, um, Paramount didn't know what they had.

13:10Nobody knew. It was one of those things where it just came together with the right people at the right time, with the right script. And they were like double fuchsia and double chartreuse revisions on that script. But it was, it was a magical, magical thing that came together. And this little tiny movie probably one of the lowest budget films that they did that year became the highest, but highest, the grossing film of the year. That's great. Well, it sounds like you do still. You have fond memories of it. Yeah, it was awesome. Oh, are you kidding me? I mean, it was hard because we had 30 days of principal photography. Oh, that's it? That's it, man. Wow. That's it. So we were running lean and mean. And, like I said, they didn't, you know, they didn't, I think it was like $12 million or whatever it was for the film.

14:00It was, that's minuscule for a studio picture. Yeah. You know, so, and it made like $200 million, whatever it was. But, you know, it was, nobody knew what's Wayne's world. You know, it didn't, you know, you can't explain those things like the, you know, the product placement. It was really visionary. Like when they did that little vignette about all the different things and they'd lift the Coca-Cola cam, Canada, the Midal, or the whatever and, you know, sort of doing little mini commercials, that's what they do now. Except it's, you know, really subtle and the lead, you know, drinks from a, from, you know, Pepsi or Coke and, and then, you know, that's, that's a little commercial in a movie. Right. Yeah. Kind of trippy. We do something on the show called Five Questions.

14:45Five quick questions, one more to answers. Uh-huh. Singing or acting? Both. Come on, you can't say both. I, I have to. I refuse. I mean, I, I make it, I like, I, I love both. Why must I choose? It's just the point of the game, but okay, we'll, we'll let you off. I'm all, I'm no fun. You can't say both again though. That's your one both. That's your, that's your mulligan. That's my one. That's my one. Landon or McCartney? Landon. Wain or Garth? Wain. Roll your most proud of. True life. Oh, you get to, have you ever played a bad guy since then? Um, have I played a bag? I think I have. Was that the most fun though? Cause I mean, you get to really act on, on a different scale at that level. I love playing, oh yeah, I played an evil witch and call the conqueror or co, whatever.

15:34Oh, I remember hearing about that film. Yeah. An evil witch. Evil, and they wanted me for the lead. They wanted me for the, you know, the princess gets saved and blah, blah, blah. I'm like, you know what? I really want to play the witch. I would have more fun playing the witch and like, okay, fine. We've had a few wrestlers on the show who always enjoy playing the bad guy more than the good guy. I guess it, it, you can, you can work more with it. I suppose. You have more latitude, you know, and also being such a polite, nice person. It's great to step outside of that and just be awful and enjoy it. It's liberating. It is. Think about it. Think about real life and how you have to be nice to people and not say bad things and, you know, all that sort of thing. That's must be why Larry does so well in curve. To be honest. Yeah, cause he's pretty quiet and, you know, kind of keeps himself and does this, you know,

16:22New York Times, you know, crossword puzzle. But, you know, on, on camera, he gets to say these insane things. Back to the five questions in one word. One word. Tia Carrera. Yes. I agree. Thank you.