Camille Mana is Smart People

Camille Mana is taking the box office by storm this month! You may remember her from the sitcom “One on One”. Asiance even did an interview with the Filipino-Chinese American sensation awhile back, as we knew she would become a star. Now she is in the movies! This month she is in Smart People starring Sarah Jessica Parker and College, a hit new teen comedy. Both come out April 11th!! Camille Mana is taking the box office by storm this month! You may remember her from the sitcom “One on One”. Asiance even did an interview with the Filipino-Chinese American sensation a while back, as we knew she would become a star. Now she is in the movies! This month she is in “Smart People” starring Sarah Jessica Parker and “College”, a hit new teen comedy. Both come out April 11th!!

At only 24 she is also a producer. Her projects include “Equal Opportunity”, which was shown at a major comedy festival, and “The Things We Carry”, about a Korean American family. In the future she will star in “Samurai of Strongville, Ohio” which she describes as one of the most challenging acting experiences of her life.

Camille was so amazing to interview. She has an enthusiastic, lighthearted demeanor and is so excited about everything she is involved in, from her first feature film to role as producer. It can be absolutely insane when a beautiful young woman rises to fame, especially an Asian American woman. But Camille has managed to stay super calm through all of it. She talks about what she does on the weekends and how she remains laid back, close to her true friends, and definitely a social butterfly though not so “Hollywood.” In the interview, she tells me she is sitting outside in the L.A. sunshine with a latte, just trying to enjoy a “normal” Thursday afternoon. Sure, normal for a rising superstar…

ASIANCE: What was it like filming “Smart People”?

Camille: It was probably one of the most exciting and worthwhile experiences of my life. And I’m not saying it in some cheesy way. I was coming off “One on One”, my long running sitcom and when that show got cancelled, I was kind of heartbroken because I knew I was one of the only Asian-American actresses who had an opportunity to be on a series, and I was in the main cast.

Everyone wondered what would be the next step for me- I got this huge movie with an amazing cast and script that had been circulating around Hollywood in this really high level for years. I knew of the project because previously Robert Redford was supposed to direct it and it was developed at Focus Features. I would walk into random offices, even now in regards to producing stuff, and people would be like, “Oh wow, Smart People”- it was a movie everyone knew about even before it had gone into production. So, it being my first big feature is pretty much a dream come true- getting to fly out to Pittsburg and work with Dennis Quaid and just be among such a great cast. Seriously I never could have dreamt that my first big movie would be with Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church and Ellen Page, right when she was up for the Oscar. So I’m so grateful and it was pretty much phenomenal.

ASIANCE: So is Sarah Jessica Parker a bit like Carrie Bradshaw in real life?

Camille: (Laughter) I can’t really speak to that; I met her at Sundance. She is really sweet and people do seem to associate main characters as that personality but she didn’t seem at all like that, she was just really sweet and nice. Especially since I’m not that familiar with Sex and the City that much, I’ve seen it a lot, but she’s not such a hyper “fashionista” as Carrie. And my filming didn’t really overlap with hers, but I met her at Sundance and she could not have been more gracious and complimentary. I don’t really know how much she’s like the character. She’s just really awesome.

ASIANCE: I read a description of a scene in “Smart People” where you are kissing Ashton in your “pink bra and panties”- do you get shy with this type of scene?

Camille: (Laughter!) It was definitely true! Actually, yeah, I had kissing scenes before on “One on One” but they were like, broad comedy kisses.

I was in Pittsburg at my sitting {for “Smart People”} and I asked the wardrobe people, “What am I wearing in that make-out scene with Ashton in the bedroom?” Because basically the script said James and Nicky, our character names, “make out on the dorm bunk” or something like that. So we’d be like, coming back from school taking our backpacks off and, whatever, making out on the dorm bed. So they’re like, “um, some of us our debating if we want you in your underwear, or if we want you naked.”

Click to watch the “Smart People” trailer. Can you spot Camille?

So I’m like “naked??!!” That’s something that’s, in your contract, and I was not aware of that and did not have comfort with it at that point in my career a year and a half ago. I actually did do another scene that was scantily clad in “College” but “Smart People” was my first one. It was scary. It was just a crew of guys, of course, and they had a closed set. But even on a closed set everyone is like, in the other room watching you, so it was definitely bizarre.

Ashton and I had met the night before- it was the first time we met and they had wanted us to at least say hi in person before we had to sit in our underwear and make out. Luckily they did let me wear underwear because they had wanted us to not wear anything. So, yeah, I have a good lawyer! I was lucky just to wear underwear, a blessing. So it was definitely scary, but I’m getting over it and for the second time in College there’s more than one person in the bed with me (laughter), which is even scarier- so it {the process} gets less frightening. I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody (Laughter throughout).

ASIANCE: Was filming “College” much different from “Smart People”?

Camille: Yeah, they are completely different movies and everyone asks, “Why did you pick College right after Smart People?” It’s because “Smart People” is a high “dramedy” with producers who have done award-winning films. Like, one of the producers worked on “Sideways” and “The Illusionist”, one with “Brokeback Mountain” and “American Gangster”; the kind of people who are involved in it are just very high level. “College” is a hilarious comedy: a very different kind of movie. We were on location in New Orleans with a young cast- everyone was age 17-27, I think. So doing a movie with a bunch of kids out of state where every scene is a party scene and when you’re not shooting you’re partying too, was fun, and we were all sort of young, inexperienced or up-and-coming actors.

This is versus “Smart People”, which was really intimidating as my first big movie and I am the only sort of, unknown person in the movie. I am just so grateful my first two movies are such big movies, but very different, I guess.

ASIANCE: I read your first real role was when you were in Oklahoma when you were pretty young. You said you were the only Asian American actress; how does this uniqueness feel today?

Camille: You’ve done your homework wow, how did you find all this information? I’m grateful. It’s definitely changing. There are more of us that are Asian-American and people of color who are getting to be in projects. I am very fortunate. A lot of actresses in my category do guest starring on TV or small roles, and maybe sort of stereotypical characters. But the roles I’ve been able to get- I was on a series for a year and I’m in a movie with amazing actors and another movie that could be the teen hit and, on “One on One” I was the token Asian girl on a black show- it’s exciting to get to push boundaries.

You know, I’m used to it. I grew up in Orange County and although my high school was very largely Asian in its demographic in all the plays I was like, the Asian girl in “The Crucible”. But obviously on screen that doesn’t make sense, so all the roles I’ve played have been college students and that’s fine; I think it’s ok for people to see an Asian girl in a college scene because it is a depiction of real life and I feel the characters I’ve played have not been stereotypical. I’ve been grateful for that at this point and I hope I can continue doing it; I’d like to support the community well and, you know, help movie it forward.

ASIANCE: Has your family been very supportive?

Camille: My family has been increasingly supportive as the years go on. When I first decided I wanted to do this I was 13 years old and you look at your 13 year old daughter who says she wants to be an actress and you kind of giggle or you’re mad, but my parents did not respond that way at all. For years I kept it a secret and tried to pretend that I wasn’t completely gung-ho about it even though I was researching exactly how to be a professional actor. Even when I was 13 they kind of turned a blind eye to it. But as time went on I was acting while in school and going back and forth auditioning even when I was at Berkeley.

When I started doing my first jobs in commercials and TV I think they were like, “Oh wow she’s serious and she’s also getting through college really fast.” I graduated early on top of pretending I still lived in L.A. {for auditions} and trying to start my acting career and all that so I think I kind of proved myself to them, It wasn’t until I got “One on One” when they really got behind me. They were like, “Oh my daughter’s on Monday nights at 8” and that was exciting for them. I feel like, to any friend or relative being able to say that-you cannot deny the validity of the fact that I’d kind of broken through especially as an Asian American performer.

It’s exciting, my aunts and uncles will take the Filipino newspapers back to the Philippines and show them (laughter). My older brother has been my number one fan and support through my career, I don’t think I would still be hanging in here if it wasn’t for him. I’m so grateful to have had such a supportive person since I was a kid until now. I know it’s like people say. “Oh wow your film’s coming out!” but it’s still hard every day to get the next job and wonder if you’re ever going to work again no matter how far you get. So, it’s perfect {the support}.

ASIANCE: What does it take to get through all the pressure in the business?

Camille: Most of my friends are not actors, mostly musicians or kids who like art and music and are not into Hollywood and I think that helps me stay sane. I have my regular life and then I have a career. For me, I mean, you can always figure out what works for you personally, but when they are the exact same thing it is not conducive to staying happy because I need to have balance between the Camille who just is hanging out being a dork, and Camille who’s like, going to an audition with some big director.

My career’s just such a big part of my life that I can’t let it be the only thing in my life. I think being with friends and doing things you want to do are just more important. Like right now I’m standing in the sunshine and trying to appreciate a regular Thursday afternoon. Just yesterday I was venting to a really good and successful actress friend who’s even farther along than me and we’re just like complaining about things but then we just step back and realize, ok, it’s another day, things didn’t go well or whatever. But I’ve come this far from nothing. And that’s what it’s like with many of my ethnic actor friends because we didn’t know anybody in town; we didn’t have family in the business. It’s definitely an uphill battle to try to convince people to cast you in roles that are not written for a minority. It’s tough. But I just have to keep strong.

ASIANCE: Do you go out in Hollywood often, or what do you do when you go out?

Camille: The parties I go to, I try to steer clear of Hollywood. My party life is like the Silver Lake Eastside hipster scene, where if you’re based in New York it’s equivalent to the Williamsburg/ Lower East Side scene. I try to steer clear of the Hollywood scene. I don’t want to sound like a brat, but it makes me squeamish. I am a very social person and I do party a lot but I really avoid Hollywood related parties. If I go to them it’s strictly because I have to. Well, ok, one of the things I had a really great time at and didn’t expect was a 50 Cent concert and that isn’t the music I listen to but I ended up having an amazing time. It was kind of funny because that night I felt totally like I was in Hollywood because Paris Hilton had been at three of the same events that night, and I just felt gross. The fact that I’d seen Paris Hilton three different places in two days made me feel like I was in the wrong place. I felt like, I must be going to the wrong parties if she is always there. I like to keep it real. I like to be normal. (Laughter).

I see a lot of bands play, mostly Indie Pop. A normal Saturday would be: I go to an art opening in Echo Park then move to a house party in Silver Lake and then maybe another loft party in downtown L.A., and then go to some dive-y hipster bar back in Echo Park. My nights are spent on the East side. If I’m in Hollywood on a Saturday night it’s got to be someone’s birthday who I love because, I’m sort of an elitist about hanging out with the artsy crowd, I guess I’m like, a “jerk”- (laughter) just not so into “Hollywood, Hollywood, Hollywood.” Everyone I know is kind of into the same music and the scene based around that. I guess.

ASIANCE: What actors and actresses do you admire today?

Camille: I couldn’t leave the house for a couple weeks and I pretty much had a Daniel Day Lewis marathon and watched almost every movie he’s ever made. Which, you can pretty much do in the course of four days because he only makes a movie every three or four years, he “retires” after every movie (laughter). I think Daniel Day Lewis is the best actor on earth! He is incredible. And other actors I like, all boys, I don’t know why I don’t have any female, are Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling, Ben Foster. They’re all awesome awesome, awesome. The four best actors. Phenomenal. As far as comedians, I love Amy Poehler and Will Arnett they’re the cutest comedy couple ever and everybody who’s ever done a Judd Apatow project, mostly the Freaks and Geeks cast.

ASIANCE: What did you think of the Oscars this year? Is the show inspiring?

Camille: Thank god the strike had ended; the writers only had a week to write the show and so I thought Jon Stewart did a great job in holding it together under what little time they had to write it. I think the montage sequences were really cool because, I’m such a little sap and I cry at everything and it just got me excited and inspired to be an actor. Because, some days you’re just like, God, what am I doing in this town, why am I auditioning, there are these stupid stereotypes, and the feeling of am I ever going to get through a bad day, but then watching the Oscars with the montages of all the magic that has happened in Hollywood history makes you feel like you’re part of something bigger and you are. It’s a really amazing feeling, this electric thing that I felt- in this town who really gets to do it {be in movies}, it’s like every kid’s dream and it was mine and I’m living it.

ASIANCE: Do you feel like you’re involved in the Asian American community?

Camille: Absolutely. I’m producing a feature right now called “The Things We Carry”. We’re about to go into production. It revolves around a Korean American family and I didn’t realize how many people I’ve known in the community over the years until I started producing. Because, you know, you’re choosing them for every favor you can and trying to get people behind your film and, especially making an independent feature. Asian American story themes are really tough to get financed in Hollywood. There are so many supportive and creative people I’ve encountered in the community. I just did an Asian-American feature called Why Am I Doing This? It revolves around an Asian-American and African-American actor who are struggling in L.A. It’s a comedy that includes Lynn Chen, Clyde Kusatsu, Sheetal Sheth, Dion Basco (I play his girlfriend).

The writer/director is Tom Huang, he’s actually in it as well, and we met because he was one of the only Asian American writers in sitcoms when I was one of the only Asian American actors in sitcoms. So we sort of connected and he asked me to a supporting role in that and I absolutely feel I’m behind the cause and all that, helping it move forward. I’m doing what I can behind the scene to give more voices to the community and luckily I’m fortunate to be working in the mainstream too. I think it will be carrying on that way.

ASIANCE: Do you enjoy Asiance as a social network and magazine?

Camille: I do! I think it’s one of the best Asian American sites up there right now. Yes; I love it and I think it provides really fresh coverage of all things Asian-American.

ASIANCE: Can you talk about some more work that you’re proud of?

Camille: My short film “Equal Opportunity” won the development deal with NBC and went to the biggest comedy festival in the world, The HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.

We were rumored to be one of the top two shorts there and the short that won was starring celebrities, produced by award-winning comedy film directors who had already had huge movies. So for my first producing project it just snowballed into this whole career that I’ve now embarked on, because after that we produced a digital series based on the short for NBC, and now I’m producing a movie, and after it wraps in May, I am going to be writing and producing a movie that I will also be in! It’s really exciting. What else can I plug? (Laughter) Another film I did was Samurai of Strongsville, Ohio. I was the lead. That whole character was maybe the most challenging acting experience I’ve ever had. It’s an Asian-American teenager in a small town in Ohio metaphorically finding her inner warrior.

ASIANCE: How do your roles as producer and actress differ?

Camille: It’s two different parts of your brain. I feel like when I’m juggling between coming from my producer meetings and going to an audition it feels like it turns on two different kinds of Camille. Especially since I’m young and I look even younger and producer people don’t take me seriously sometimes; they talk to me on the phone or email me and then meet in person and look right past me trying to find my boss or something.

When I went to Aspen to represent “Equal Opportunity” I had stood in a Q & A, these people thought I was somebody’s assistant. It happens a lot. I’ll go to the Red Carpet and they start taking pictures of my publicist. They always assume I’m someone’s young Asian assistant, which is just funny that’s peoples’ perceptions. But as a producer it’s the organized go-getter in me who takes charge and asserts my ability, and what I know. As an actor, it’s a lot more fun and light. It’s tough to be an actor but walking into the room is about connecting with people, winning people over and getting to be creative, showing different sides of you and bringing characters to life that hopefully affect an audience. I love both roles equally. Hopefully I’ll continue to be successful as an actress, and producing will evolve more from it as well.

ASIANCE: Do you have a boyfriend, what guys do you like?

Camille: I’m single now, I got over my first real deal relationship in life. I got out of it and it’s kind of fun and exciting to be single. What do I look for in a man? I’m so predictable I tend to be into artsy hipster boys with good taste in music. Every boy I like looks the same (laughter). I guess style is important and taste in art and music and culture and a sense of humor, I tend to like offbeat rocker boys. There’s no going around it. So, I am single!

ASIANCE: What’s your favorite drink?

Camille: Right now I’m drinking an Iced Chai Latte and that is definitely my favorite drink!

ASIANCE: Favorite Food?

Camille: Sweets!

For more information on Camille, please visit www.camillemana.com