Charlyne Yi Interview (Paper Heart)

This is an interview I did with actress/comedian Charlyne Yi about her new movie Paper Heart, how she got cast in Knocked Up, and various other things. To check it out just click READ MORE.














- Your new movie Paper Heart just came out. This is an interesting movie because you play yourself, but a fictionalized version of yourself. How did you come up with the idea and did you initially plan on all of the fictionalized parts or did that come later?

Initially, I just wanted to make traditional documentary as to document and capture true love stories. I had no intention on being onscreen at all. I was just really intrigued by other people’s stories. I wanted to share that with people. The hope that I found within these tales and experiences.

I was a bit doubtful about love. My own love. Not other people’s. I was questioning how people know and how I would. And if someone is in a relationship for 8 years and it ends, if that was really love, or was it not true because it didn’t last. In the film it’s exaggerated. It’s said that I don’t believe in love at all

I knew that each answer would be different from the strangers I’d interview but that was the point. I liked hear the diverse ideas.

I told Nick about this and he said it’d be nice if the documentary was more than an hour and a half of just love stories. The ideally, that if we had the time, and if it was possible to capture, we would have me on camera and I would experience love first hand. So that there’d be an arch to the film. A journey. To see all the love stories through my eyes. We didn’t have the time to film and see if that would happen, nor was I interested in filming my personal life and start dating for the film. I also think it’s impossible to capture love occurring. I think in order to love, you can’t have a big ole crew watching you. There has to be some sort of intimacy.

Anyways, where was I? Oh yeah. So because of all that, Nick came up with the idea of treating it more like a combo. A fictional film AND a documentary. Combining both worlds of we liked.


- You've started building a lot of buzz as an actress with roles in movies like Knocked Up and now Paper Hearts. A lot of people may not know that you play a lot of music as well. What came first an interest in acting or music? Musically what are you influenced by and where can people check some stuff out?

As a kid I used to put on plays with my older sister that my parents would have to watch. We did Jack & Jill on my stairs as the hill. I played Jack. I wore a crown because the nursery rhyme said he broke his “crown.” I really fell down the stairs and at the bottom I landed on our bean bags. My parents looked terrified that I was really hurting and did actually fall down the stairs. I guess I was a method actor, pulling my own stunts off back then. Pretty badass.

Music…. I tried teaching myself guitar & keyboard but I didn’t really get anywhere till High School. I love both. Music is a beautiful thing. Where your soul sings through an instrument. Wow, I sound really lame huh? I was totally being sincere too. Um.

Musically what am I influenced by? I don’t know. I don’t know where music comes from. Sometimes how I’m feelings. Sometimes it comes from absolutely no where. Just the imagination. I could be bored out my mind and write the saddest song and have no idea where it came from because I wouldn’t even be sad. At all. I guess music is a mystery. Who knows where it truly comes from?

I have a few bands I dabble with. I have myspaces with some of the songs up.
www.myspace.com/oldlumps
www.myspace.com/theglassbeef
www.myspace.com/chandelierteeth
www.myspace.com/themusicscientist

I am hoping to make a solo record soon and maybe have some friend accompany me. That is my next thing away from the film type stuff.


- Aside from music and acting you also do stand-up. Stand-up is a tough thing to do but I've heard it can be one of the most fun things to do. What's the best heckler story you have?

Oh I love performing live. Whether it’s magic, stories, or what have you. Hecklers? Hmm.. once a lady heckled me really bad and so I said very sadly, “Fine…. I’ll just skip-it….” and walked with my head hanging low off the stage. And then jumped back on stage with that old toy, SKIP IT. Which you put on one foot, and swing this thing around that you skip over. And I thought that was funny. Because the heckler thought she had won. But she didn’t!


- Judd Apatow movies are the place to be these days, it seems like every actor aspires to be in one of his comedies. How did you get cast in Knocked Up?

I actually had never seen any of Judd’s work before Knocked Up. I don’t actually think I saw anything till maybe the year after we shot. My friend bought me ‘Freaks & Geeks’ which he produced. And it’s amazing.

I got the job in Knocked Up because I would perform, and eventually through performing I got a manager who asked me if I’d like to audition to act. I said sure. I was dreadful. But luckily, I was auditioning for one the nicest ladies ever, Allison Jones. And she gave me so many chances, and I think she just liked me. And eventually she brought me to audition for Judd, Evan, Seth, and Shauna. Evan & Seth had seen me perform before and told me I was funny when I walked into the audition. I got more nervous because of this. I didn’t want them to think I sucked. Too bad so sad. I sucked so bad at this audition. When I read, it sounded so stiff like I was reading. I wasn’t aware that I was supposed to act stoned. Eventually, they had me improvise with Seth and that went poorly too. Seth’s back was facing the other folks in the room so no one could see how uncomfortable he looked from the painful things I was saying. Finally, I said one funny thing and I got out of there on a good note. It’s crazy to think they gave me so many shots. Usually from my experience of auditions they don’t give you many chances. They would just say, “Thank you” after the first or second time. I’m really lucky they gave me several chances.


- I saw you on late night television a few nights ago and you talked about your SNL audition and did a Saturday Night Live impression. Would you ever be up to host SNL if you got the chance?

Oh yeah that audition was just a joke. I was bored so I made a bad audition tape online to see what people would comment on it. I heard that they used to have folks do their own opening bits on the old Saturday Night Live. It was more of a variety show. Like Andy Kaufman got to do his own opening bit that he came up with as a guest. That sounds like fun. But I’m not interested in really auditioning, being a full time cast member of SNL sounds like a lot of responsibility. I like being free. I think it’s a 15 year contract. So my ADD would make have freak out if I didn’t have free time. I like doing more than one thing. Also, I must say I have a lot of respect for those who are in SNL, it sounds like a lot of hard work. Sounds like fun. But not for me.

- What do you think is the biggest misconception about you?

Well, I think no one knows who I am. So anyone who is a stranger, and isn’t my friend or family…. they have it wrong about me.

This is a section I always like to do called Random Questions here are yours:

- Money the root of all evil or just to crinkled to fit into the coke machine?

Root of evil comes from a strange place within a person. Not the object. But the beholder and their personal importance they’ve given value to the thing. Wow. We just got real.

- The most unfunny thing someone has ever said to you (so unfunny it became funny)?

Someone once told me “I’m your stalker” - It never became funny. Just really scary.

- The movie The Breakfast Club or breakfast at a club?

The Breakfast Club



Thanks so much for the interview