Finding Truth Through Character - Featuring Actress | Writer & Producer Chuti Tiu

In this compelling episode of Château Bow Wow, host Geraldo sits down with actress, writer, and producer Chuti Tiu for a deeply human conversation about storytelling, identity, and the power of connection—both on and off the screen.

From her standout role in Hot Summer Night to her work across major television shows, Chuti shares what it truly means to step into complex characters and bring authenticity to every performance. This episode goes beyond acting—it dives into the emotional truth behind storytelling, the courage it takes to be vulnerable, and the responsibility artists carry to reflect real human experiences.

The conversation explores themes of isolation, cultural identity, collaboration, and resilience in the entertainment industry. Chuti also opens up about working alongside her husband in a creative partnership, navigating the business side of filmmaking, and the discipline required to keep moving forward in an ever-evolving industry. 

If you’re an actor, filmmaker, or creative looking to sharpen your craft and stay grounded in purpose, this episode delivers both inspiration and real-world insight.

Key Takeaways:
• Why authentic human connection is at the heart of powerful performances
• The importance of collaboration and trust in creative partnerships
• How resilience and mindset shape long-term success in entertainment

To learn more about Chuti Visit:  Chuti Tiu

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hola mi gente, how are you? Welcome to the latest episode of Chateau Bow Wow. I am your host, Heraldo Joseos Kateggi. My friends call me Jerry. And speaking of friends, I'm here with a new friend, uh kind of a friend-in-law, I guess, now.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Since uh Friend in law? I like that.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

This is uh she uh truly is a super, super talented actress. Um we made an acquaintance, obviously, in LA, and I met her through her very talented husband, Oscar Torre, um, also an actor and director. And we've all been hitting it off, and we've all been trying to uh work together at some point. And um they were kind enough to come in and fly from LA in this mess of uh of uh you know federal shutdown. And um, I'm super thankful for them for coming. But um, that's enough from me. Chudie, introduce yourself, say hello.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Um hello everyone, thanks so much for joining me and Jerry today. Uh my name is Chudie too. I am a half Filipina, half Chinese, 100% American uh actress, writer, producer, maybe someday director, um, cat mom, awesome. I like to say wife, daughter, auntie, friend. The list goes on. Yeah. Occasional meditator when I remember to do so.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

So isn't it important though? I started meditating probably, I don't know, like 20 years ago. I'm not flexible. I'm built like a fire hydrant, so I don't bend very well, but I I am able to get my mind in a good space.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

That is awesome to hear. And isn't it the truth? Like meditation does something where it makes me realize that what seems real is totally impermanent. And I make up a lot of shit in my mind. And I think it's real, and it's really not. And let's face it, just wait five minutes, five years, five decades, things change.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

It'll pass.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

It'll pass. Yeah, and that's that's that's an amazing thing. And again, you know, um, we're off to a different start than I thought. And it's awesome because it's just conversation, right? Totally. I love it. I always worry about just diving into it. I'm always doubting about just getting to business. You know, I I'm super, super pro-Latino and I want to, you know, again, and super brown people moving up, you know, brown brown of all sorts, you know. Right. Um, I don't think we get a fair shot when it comes to Hollywood and, you know, and letting things time, uh, getting shows and TV and movies time to develop. So anything that when I see anything that's that's you know minority driven, it's strong and I love it, you know? I do too. I love it. I love it. Um and if it has nothing to do with with, you know, again, the drug, you know, drug dealers and stuff like that, that's fine, you know, for in its time, but that's not all the stories we have. Absolutely. So um it's a weird way to segue for meditation. But um that's true.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

Meditation drugs. No, I'm just yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

I mean, they're not necessarily, you know, again, sometimes they can be related.

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Sometimes they can can be induced, yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Achieving a different plane, I guess, you know. Yes. Um, but you're awesome, you're an awesome, awesome actress, and I've seen you now on several things. Um uh tell me about a hot summer night, which was an intense, intense movie that I thought, but it was cool the way you guys did it. Um, your husband, Oscar uh Tori, uh directed, right? Yes. And um, and you are so comfortable, you are so natural. It's again, it's it's it's a kind of risque film, a little bit, right? A little bit. But you guys are so cool when you made it part like just for conversation. You know, like it wasn't like it didn't seem taboo to me.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

I'm and it's awesome. I'm so glad. Well, and that was not our aim in terms of you know, focusing on the taboo or the sexuality, so to speak. Right. But really, it it was the brainchild of Oscar Torrey, who I am blessed to call my husband and life partner, but extremely talented actor, writer, director, producer. And uh when he came to me with this story and said, How would you like to play the lead role, Summer? I my mouth just about hit the floor. I was like, Heck yeah. Oh my gosh, like who wouldn't love to just dive into this, take a big bite and dig, dig, dig deep? And what's so great about a story like this and a role like this is that while some of the details might be completely different to what I have been exposed to or experienced uh in my real life, it's very universal in terms of the self-doubt, the judgment, the fear, the isolation. So uh I just jumped in with both feet and I had a blast doing it. I have to say, you know, it's weird when an artist you hear them say, it was so much fun going through all of that pain and despair. It seems like, what are you talking about? But what the reason why it's so much fun is I think I as an actor and many artists, we get to tell other people that they're not alone. Like you have in in my case, Summer, my character, uh, my mother in the story has cancer. Who hasn't had a friend or maybe even yourself or a uh family member encounter health problems that are extremely challenging, and how do you deal with those? And that's just you know, one sliver of the pie of a hot summer night.

SPEAKER_01 5:41

Yeah. It was uh, and again, I I had chatted about this with Oscar before. It really got into the the need for human interaction, and it really got into like and I don't know if you guys intended it. He said that you know, it was kind of part of the package where you acted all that acted also as a therapist. And that was super impressive because people see it and people see skin, people see, you know, like you said, you know, uh whoever it is that they want to see. You said they judge it, no, it's it's a she's a stripper or she's a performer. But then you you got into how people just need to talk to each other. And it was during COVID, right? So people were especially lonely.

SPEAKER_02 6:14

Oh, you hit the nail on the head. I I I feel like COVID was such a petri dish that really shined a severe light on the human experience of needing connection. And hey, we're not in lockdown anymore, but I would dare say that with all of the polarization, not just in the US but around the world, that we are isolating ourselves even further because people tend to be like, okay, I I I don't want to listen to other people. I'm right, I'm scared, I'm fearful, uh, I might lash out. It it's it's it's a strange form of isolation, and I think it's really important that we look at how we can possibly connect and see how we can understand each other if at all possible.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

You know, I think that you're incredibly brave, I gotta say. Yeah, you know, you're very comfortable on screen, and I I you know, again, I'm not. Um but you're super brave and it's just the roles you take on it, you're fearless, you know. Well, you're always that that free and that open to just say, I'm gonna do this, and I I I'm just gonna dive into it and without fear of anything.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Okay, so I will say yes, unless I have to hit a ball with a bat or a racket. That is my yes. And my husband Oscar will tell you when it comes to uh sports and a ball, and especially if there is a bat or a club or a racket or something, I I must not have been blessed with that gene because I kind of suddenly shut down and get really, really nervous. Seriously. I I would I yeah, I if I have to do a role as a baseball player, which let's face it, probably won't ever happen. But I mean, I would I would I would be challenged by it. I wouldn't say no, but I would say that would be more challenging than anything I've ever done before. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

All right. Well, listen, I've seen you in several TV programs. What would you say is your favorite? Uh you've co-starred, I mean, I'm um sorry, uh guest starred several times, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:27

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

Um what would you say is is probably the the most fun you had being a guest star and like the most pivotal role?

SPEAKER_02 8:34

So there have been several. I I have been blessed to play a lot of professional roles, like a judge on how to get away with murder, a a reporter on Yellowstone, uh lawyer on Nashville, you know, those these professionals, physicians, nurses, things of that nature. Uh I like to go back to one a long, long time ago, uh, which was uh LA Dragnet when I played a Filipino Muslim immigrant. And I think it it really spoke to how we tend to stereotype uh other people. And a key theme in that story was that just because I'm Muslim doesn't mean I'm going to be a terrorist or I have terrorist leanings. So in the story, I was, you know, a suspect for a kidnapping, and it turns out it wasn't me. But uh yeah, I I I am very much drawn to projects that have a an undercurrent of justice. So uh a film that I uh that recently came out uh that I was really privileged to be a part of uh um it was called Lily, starring Patricia Clarkson, and she it's a biopic about Lily Ledbetter. Lily Ledbetter, the Lily Ledbetter Act was the first bill signed by President Obama, and basically it was in response to all of the injustices in the workplace that Lily Ledbetter encountered. And it wow, for me to be in that story, I got to play her husband's oncologist, and that that's part of a uh the B storyline that not only was she fighting for justice in the workplace and looking for major legal change, she was also dealing with challenges at home, which so many of us you know encounter also in our our own lives. Uh but it's so great to be part of stories like that. You know what I mean? That where you're like, this is this has made monumental change in history. And how great to be one of the mouthpieces to share the story.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

I I I enjoy Yellowstone quite a bit, you know. Um it it's it's uh it seems to be uh uh uh something that really caught on. I don't know if you saw the um, what do you call it? The uh the uh all the all the spin-offs. Did you see that?

SPEAKER_02 10:59

Oh, okay. So Oscar and I are catching up on all of the spin-offs. I mean, and it's so great because in a way, self-realization, actualization, making your dreams come true, making your mark on the world, staking your claim, not giving up, you know, all of these themes. Love them.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

Yeah, yeah. But with I think the 1883 is the one with the with the uh settlers, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:23

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Uh Helen Miran and Harrison Ford, I believe those oh they really I believe that's the one they're in.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Yeah. Well, Marshall's is the new one, I believe. Marshall's is the new one, right? Yes, yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

And one show that we've really gotten into lately is Landman with Billy Bob Thornton, Allie Larry. Oh my gosh, Demi Moore, oh my gosh, John Hammond. Incredible. Yeah, so much fun.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Landman reminds me a lot of the other one, uh Goliath. Yes. So it's very similar. He's a very similar character. He gets his ass kicked all the time, you know? But he's so he's so he's such a good actor that you buy it every time.

SPEAKER_02 11:56

Fantastic. Would love to work with him someday. Let me just put that out there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah. That'd be nice, right? Yeah. I hope to, you know, again, and I I I shared a lot of uh topics, the same thing with uh with uh with Oscar, is you know, obviously I'm in Film America as well, and uh, our film is now f uh streaming on Amazon.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

Flux, yes, congratulations on that. I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

And now we're we're we're a distributor, brother and sister now. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

I feel like we're kindred spirits, yes, with indie rights. You know, shout out to Indie Indie Rights.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

Yeah, big shout out to Linda Nelson and the crew.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

And Michael Madison, yeah, fantastic team.

SPEAKER_01 12:29

Yeah, really good. Um, you know, I I picked them because it was they're so trustworthy. You know, they have such a stellar reputation. And how do you feel about, you know, getting to into that kind of uh uh when you go to that table because there's so many people that are unscrupulous in this business, and then you get somebody who, again, everybody, everyone, every room I went to, every question is like, what do you think I should do for distribution? Because we had several offers. I mean, eight times out of ten, you know, probably indie rights is where to go. They're so honest, they're so transparent. And, you know, so that's why I chose them. And um, what has been your experience with that?

SPEAKER_02 13:02

Bingo, exactly what you just said. I feel like holding up a mirror. Transparency is so important. I mean, legalese, contracts, all of that, you know what comes in, what their cut is. There, there are no smoke in mirrors or anything like that. And so uh it also gives us the not just encouragement, but the confidence to continue working with them and continue our filmmaking journey with them.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

Yeah. What is probably something or or I would just say what is, but who is, I don't know if you could name names. So we don't want to do that. We don't want to get sued. Okay. True, true, true, true. So we can but uh a terrible experience with the distributor. Have you had that? Because I have not yet, obviously, as my first time.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

Right, right, right, right. You know, uh actually we I am thankful um that we can say we haven't encountered a direct nightmare experience with the distributor. Have seen um either presented to us or to colleagues of ours contracts where you're like, what? You want what you you know, contracts where basically if you read between the lines, you're giving away your film for free, and you're saying that uh, you know, they can recoup costs for how many decades or what have you. I'm kind of exaggerating, but these are clauses that you want to look at. Comb through with a fine comb uh and make sure that basically you don't get taken advantage of. Now, here's something I would like to say. I think it's important um to not necessarily think, oh gosh, there are so many jerks and sharks out there and whatever. What it is is everyone is trying to make a living, trying to make ends meet. How can we, or I, you know, Mr. Ms. Distributor, uh uh make this a viable income source. And so that's what people do sometimes, you know, these weird contracts. And instead of taking it personally, just being like, okay, you know what, you do you, that's not gonna work for me. These are the terms that are I'm looking for. And you need to be really upfront about that.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

Right. I I didn't know a lot about this business. I've been writing for a long time, and you know, again, but it's my first time actually. I love your writing. Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah, I I tend to write people, like uh it helps me to to to uh to have faces and teeth and hair and all kinds of stuff to give the character, you know. Yeah. So when I got to meet you, we had dinner in LA uh a couple, I think two years ago now. Yeah. Yeah. Um, you know, and I was like, I see her. You know, and I I seen you on TV, obviously, several times. Um and uh yeah, it was just like I see you, and I can see you doing this, I can see you doing that. And I, you know, I've written you a few parts already. You have, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_02 15:57

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 15:57

And I again I it's just I I I want to set the table for what we want to do in the future.

SPEAKER_02 16:02

Absolutely. I look forward to it. And I I really love our collaborative conversations where sometimes our ideas piggyback on one another, or like you'll give me something that'll inspire me, or vice versa. And yeah, it's it's great to see how we artists work and collaborate because this has probably happened to you as well. But things that I've collaborated with, or just even just had uh simple off-the-cuff conversations with people, it turns out 10 years later, it's finally coming to fruition, just like Oscar and his, you know, the thing that he's going to be working on soon. Um, and then I have I have a script that I am working on, a pitch deck. I'm also working on another script with a co-writer. I think it's really important that we artists keep on moving the needle in whatever way we can.

SPEAKER_01 16:52

Yeah, I how do I how do I put it? Again, I'm kind of new in town, right? I don't know about that. When it comes when it comes to to showbiz, I guess I'm kind of new in town. But I I try to keep a positive attitude and like people come to me and say, Yeah, you know, I want to do this, want to do that. And I'm like, sure, let's go. What can I do to facilitate that? You know? And it's not about, you know, again, you know, just kind of because that's also uh what I've seen is a lot of people hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and say, Oh, I can help you do this, I can help you get distribution, I can help you do this. And I go, okay, well, what have you done for your own project? And they they have nothing. So if you can't get your own project, how are you gonna help me? And I think that's that's part of the business being predatory, but even people that are, you know, uh, not even the gatekeepers, the people that uh that just want to lock onto your project and say they want to help you, but honestly, they're looking at latch on, you know. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 17:40

I I do know what you mean. And you and actually that part, it uh I think it's a challenge to not be exhausted because though by by that kind of leak of energy. It's true. It's like, okay, let's let's get back to the work at hand. Let me get back to my path, not these other side conversations.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Yeah, yeah, no, that's that's so important. Um, you know, you and Oscar have a really kind of a power couple thing and a strong team going, you know, it's it's really impressive because because you're both uh uber talented. And um, again, I watch you guys work and I'm like, wow, these, you know, again, then you guys go home afterward. That's the cool part. So you got you know, how the conversation is like, well, I was thinking about this for this part. So how does that go at night?

SPEAKER_02 18:21

Oh, I love that you ask that because to me, that's one of the I'm just gonna call it a gem or a facet of the gem of the relationship I have with Oscar. And by the way, when I say that, I this is not to say that we never fight or we never argue. Because let me tell you, he is Cuban. I have a hot temper just by birth. It's genetic. And so we know how to butt heads. Let me just say that. Uh, but in terms of we bounce off, I like to call it creation work, where we're creating a role, inhabiting a world, see putting on this character and becoming it. So I don't talk about a character like her and she, it's more like I. And and Oscar does the same. And we will talk about these roles like journeys or paths or worlds, and bounce ideas off one another and uh give each other ideas. It's it's it's it's almost like a you know, a chemical magic, I think.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Welcome to Chateau Bow Wow. This is where culture speaks loud, where Latino excellence takes center stage, where stories are raw, unfiltered, and undeniable. Hosted by acclaimed writer, director, and creator of the international sci-fi hit Flux, Heraldo J. Uscateghi brings you powerful conversations with the artists, filmmakers, performers, and visionaries redefining entertainment worldwide. This is heritage, this is hustle, this is impact. Chateau Bow Wow, where powerful voices shape the future. Tell me about Prisoner's Daughter.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

Oh, yes. So, directed by the fantastic Catherine Hardwick, and it is a very heartwarming story. Uh, that is uh it was with Brian Cox and Kate Beckinsale. I almost you know how sometimes you blank and I'm like, I see her face, what's her name again? Um, stars Kate Beckinsale, and it's it's definitely it's a drama and it's a very redemptive story. Uh I read this script and I I was blown away. So I was very happy to to be a part of this story. I am the significant other, the the feisty sidekick of Ernie Hudson. So and Ernie is uh the best friend of Brian Cox. And it was wonderful to work with with all of these people. The biggest challenge of this particular film is we shot on location in Las Vegas and it was 120 degrees.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

But it's a dry heat.

SPEAKER_02 21:04

That's what I hear. But it's a dry heat. Oh my gosh. We literally we had to make sure that people didn't pass out from the heat. It was it was up and and uh I played a boxing trainer in in a gym and it was a lot of fun. Um yeah. I uh training these professional boxers, there were times holding the heavy bag where I was like, oh my gosh, you don't need to hit that hard.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

You know, it's funny, I was actually a scene partner unintentionally with Ernie Hudson on the set of blue bloods. Um my gosh. Yeah, I was like a I think a hysterical like assistant principal or something, I forgot. Um, you know, again, they just took about they took us out of holding, be like, yeah, yeah, well, the actual volunteers are like, anybody want to be in a scene? I was like, yeah, I'll go. So I'm sitting there, I go, I walk around, you know, to the shot in Green Point in Brooklyn. And um, you know, so I walk over, he's like, okay, you're gonna stand here, and there, boom, face to face with Ernie Hall. And I'm like, oh shit, it's a Ghostbuster, right? Totally. So Mike ties a little skewer. He's such a nice guy. He's like, yeah, hey, how you doing? You know, talk to me. He's like, yeah, you should tie it a little, whatever. So I said, actually, uh, Ernie, I I kind of kept it like this, so I could kind of make it pop out a little bit. And he was like, hey, whatever you want to do with your time. And I was like, I'll fix it. You know? So I'm in the scene, uh, Donnie Warburg comes out and uh a teacher gets assaulted, and he's the principal of the school.

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Yeah, so then I uh the minute Donnie walks into the pro, I just I walk off. Like, oh, I'm gonna walk away while you guys have your scene, you know. You know, I won't look at the camera and be like, yeah, you know, but totally but he was such a nice man, like I said, you know. Again, you know, again, I'm here I am. I'm a I'm in the background. He was like, can we fix your tie for you? Awesome dude.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

Well, isn't he incredible? In fact, I love that, okay, we happen to be talking about him because, or yeah. Um, I'm just remembering that on the set of prisoner's daughter, he and I started talking about a book uh by Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic, which is a phenomenal book for artists of every ilk. And just keeping the faith and doing it for the right reasons, not for the the whatever, the the gravy that can come, um, the awards, the income, whatever, but more for the gratification and for finding and expressing truth. Uh, we particularly talked about one chapter called Um Shit Sandwich. And what that was about, I know, was um in the book. Elizabeth Gilbert uh talked, you know, she's a writer, and she was talking about one of her colleagues who had her colleague had initial success, but didn't like the shit sandwich that came with having to keep at being a writer. And she was like, no, no, no, no, bring me that shit sandwich. I will eat all the shit sandwiches I need to to succeed as a writer. And and that idea of just as an actor, as an artist, I will eat the shit sandwich. I will do what is necessary.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

It's so funny that you say that, especially that term shit sandwich, because um when I put uh our first film together, Flux, um I was having this conversation. Um and in the comment, you know, in the film it's Guy Le Mounier, uh get very like a like a brother to me, um, Manny Cabo, Everett Lauser, Tony. It's it's a great cast. Um my friend Tiffany Phillips, who you know in LA. Tiffany's great. Yeah. Tiffany's great. Um, but Guy and I, because Guy was on us also, he came out as a producer towards the end, and he was like, I said, listen, we're gonna eat a shit sandwich for this. You know, I said, you know, this is our first film. I gotta be honest, it's my first film. I I I'm gonna make mistakes, you know, and we wanna get this in a can. So if people are gonna, you know, again, there's gonna be different problems with casting, and there was, and people could make it this day, and then some uh then uh I had an actress who could was gonna do it, then didn't do it last minute. It was just scheduling stuff, and I knew that we were gonna have kind of a nightmare with with with travel and and uh and uh you know uh what's called accommodations and hotels and flights and stuff. So I'm some tempest flare, this is true. Um uh my producers in my yeah, he's like in temper's flare. Oh, yes. I think an idiot. I am known sometimes to have a bad temper. And um, yeah, but it but it was again, it was it was coming on the same day. You know, we didn't take it to bed with us. But um uh anyway, I had told Guy, I said, we are gonna eat a shit sandwich twice, but we'll know what? We're gonna get this movie in a can, no matter what it takes. We're gonna eat the shit. We're gonna, you know, we're gonna wipe, you know what I mean? And we're gonna we're gonna get this film in a can, and this film is gonna open doors for us. So we're gonna eat that shit sandwich, and we're gonna wash it down, and probably next day have another one, but we're gonna get this film in the can. And that's what we did. And you know, from that I've gotten some from that film, I've got obviously we're streaming now, and um, obviously I gotten some some really nice contracts after that. So that's really that's really groovy. Right, right. But I it's funny you said that because this wasn't planned. You said shit sandwich. I was like, shit sandwich. I said exact that to guy. We don't always have to eat it, right? Right. But for this, we're gonna we're gonna get this done, we're gonna eat it, we're gonna, and we're gonna keep going.

SPEAKER_02 26:19

And you know what? We have to be willing to eat it, right? You know what I mean? It's not always gonna be there, but basically, are we willing to do what it takes?

SPEAKER_01 26:27

Yeah, and I'm not good at that because my entire life, you know, I didn't get my shit together till I was like 45 and thing, I think, or 43. So I won't brag. Like, I don't know. You're 46. So yeah, you're very nice. Um But no, I mean, it I always had a problem with that, and that's why a lot of my relationship relationships failed because I was like, I'm not taking no shit from nobody. I don't care, I'm that guy. So it's almost like I did it. If somebody gave me something that I had to do or whatever, I just completely shut it down. I'm not doing that, I'm not taking your shit. But as I got older, I realized, you know what, sometimes you gotta take a little shit because I'm sure I give people shit. So, how's the dynamic on set? Like, is there ever any tension on set when you like you there and then maybe take it home later and argue about it? Or do you guys seem to mesh seamlessly on set? Like, is there any any kind of tension in that moment?

SPEAKER_02 27:12

Okay, so Oscar has this quote. He always likes to pull out of his pocket that onset is the only time I listen to him. That's good. Now, I will say that's not really quite true, almost, because I like to think I'm right outside of the set. Right. But we we both wear a lot of different hats, you know, writer, producer, actor, in his case, director. Uh, when we are both producers, let's say we're in post or what have you, or even on set, if there are things that need to be discussed, we we definitely listen to one another. It's very, very collaborative. But when he is the director and I am the actor, it is still collaborative, but I know that as the director, I'm not going to step on his toes. It's uh that'd be ridiculous. You know, I I know that he is helming the ship. I might have suggestions or what have you. So in that case, there really aren't um tensions. I will say though, there are times where I'm big on tone. See, I'm a wife, okay, and I'm also sensitive. So um I suddenly feel like I'm channeling Allie Larder's character in Landman, where it's like, you know, I did not like the way you talk to me. So I need to pull back, and I might tell him later at home in the kitchen or in the living room, like, honey, when you gave me that direction, you sounded really mean. And I just want to bring that up. My feelings were a little hurt, but we we let it dissipate. We don't, you know, why hold on to it? You know, we we get that in the heat of the moment, sometimes you just bark out something.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Yeah. Very nice. Very nice. Now, with a hot summer night streaming now.

unknown 29:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

And it's on, it's on again, Tubi and Amazon, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:03

And Google Play.

SPEAKER_01 29:04

And Google Play now as well. Yes. Congratulations, very nice. I we're heading in that direction as well. Um, what do you have upcoming now?

SPEAKER_02 29:11

Well, Oscar and I actually have been uh collaborating and filming um another feature called Fragments of You. And it's it's rather experimental, um, along the lines of Terence Malik, and we're very excited about that. Um and the projects that Oscar and I do together, they're always going to be very diverse and representative of the worlds that we experience. So uh oftentimes, like you know, you've done the film festival circuit and stuff like that. But certain film festivals oftentimes they want a very strong, let's say in my case, Asian themed basis or Latino themed. And because of Oscars and my, shall we say, interracial personal and professional relationship, our themes tend to be more messy and not rule-defined or boundary-defined. Uh so it's we're we're excited about it. I like that. I like that. Right. It's it's it's more reflective of what I how I experience and we experience the world. Um, I'm also doing another film project with Roberto Sanchez called The Cafe He Has Written and he's going to be directing and starring in it. Uh, he was my uh co-star or co-lead, if you want to call it, in uh Just a Man and a Woman, uh a short that Oscar wrote and directed. And then he is he also plays my boyfriend in A Hot Summer Night. He plays Nico the Abusive, tricky boyfriend. Exactly. So it's, you know, as you know, it's just fun to work with people you know like and trust. Uh you get each other's artistry, you know you can throw things at each other and that you'll roll with it.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

What would you say is uh if you had a dream role, if you had something that you could do, something you want to nail down, kind of like you're, you know, your this is what I want to do my whole life, what would it be?

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Okay. There are oh my gosh, there are so many different ones and so many different people I'd love to work with, but there are two types of roles that I haven't gotten the chance to dig into yet. One would be like Carrie Russell's role on the diplomatic.

SPEAKER_01 31:31

Okay, that's a cool role.

SPEAKER_02 31:32

I used to work at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., and I love the world of diplomacy, and trying to get through the intricacies of disagreement and get us all to peace and agreement. So that, and then something else that's really quite related. Um, I actually started writing a script, I never finished it, about Ang San Su Chi, um uh Burmese freedom and peace fighter, if you will. Not not a fighter like that, but you know, through peace. Um, I would love to play her in a biopic. Yes. Uh it it's it's been uh they've had quite a tumultuous history, but I have been profoundly moved by what she stands for and how she strives to put the interests of her country and her people first but through peaceful means.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

That's a great answer. That's a great answer. Yeah, totally good. Um, we haven't worked together. We haven't worked together, but I really, really would love to. Uh again, I you know, I wrote a few things for for Oscar, uh, you know, with him in mind, and then once I met you, and again, I like I said, I saw you, I was like, Yeah, she she's gonna kick ass, you know. And obviously, I saw you in a few programs and a few, you know, cut a couple of shows and everything. And I said, wow, she brings it, you know. So my hope is to one day again work together, you know, to to you know, because I've written a few things which you've read. Yes, um, and it's always always about the funding and always about availability, and there's so many things that go into it, which I didn't know was part of, you know, that would be so complicated in filmmaking. Um But um I'm really happy that uh I met you guys, obviously. And I really I'm really happy that we've become friends, we've become now hopefully future collaborators. And um, it's an honor. It's an honor to know you guys, it's an honor to to to just you know share space with you guys and hear your ideas and you know, and just get to get to someday work together, you know? You know what I mean? Amen. To sit and be like somebody that I see on TV, somebody I see, wow, she's so good. And then I write something, and then I see you like you know, yet, you know, especially my words, it's like so cool.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Breathe life into it.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

Yeah, and I and again, we haven't done that together yet, but I really look forward to it. And um, and yeah, you know, that's that's I really thank you guys for coming here. Because sharing the space and sharing this, this, this platform with you guys is what it's about, you know, helping each other and and and and um you know it I think that uh, you know, I hope that uh uh you know we we'll do this in the future. I really hope.

SPEAKER_02 34:06

Definitely will. Putting it out there, it will happen sooner rather than later.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

Um uh I always give people the chance, final words, anything you want to plug, anything you want to say.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

Well, thank you so much for this opportunity, Jerry, and thank you for everyone who is watching. And please watch and rate a hot summer night on Amazon TV or Google Play and future uh streaming services that will come come through. Uh it is a project that is very near and dear to my heart, and I hope it touches you as much as it touched me playing it.

SPEAKER_01 34:39

That's awesome. Once again, Judy, I really appreciate you coming. Um, this is Chateau Bow Wow. Uh, we are coming to you live from Tampa. And I really, really they took the flight, you know, they came here from from LA in this in this in this headache of a time for you know, the world is upside down and on fire right now. But it really, you know, it just means a lot to me that you guys came out here. So thank you from all the listeners at Chateau Bow Wow and from uh from from me especially. Appreciate you guys so much. Have a good night. Thank you, Judy.

SPEAKER_02 35:10

Thank you, Jerry.

SPEAKER_01 35:11

Good night, guys. Stay blessed.