CHANTAL THUY [BLACK LIGHTNING] — A BOOK OF MAGAZINE

WORDS BY PHIL LIMPRASERTWONG

Canadian actress Chantal Thuy stars as Grace Choi on Black Lightning. So far fans have only seen her as Anissa Pierce/Thunder’s love interest who happens to be hiding a very suspicious secret. The Black Lightning star shares that there will be more development with her character when the season returns and we couldn’t be more excited to see how her story will unfold.

Will she become a hero or villain? Nowadays, TV and Film have a tendency to stray away from books and comics to keep it unexpected so you never know how they’re going to portray a character. Hopefully a hero because her and Thunder would make an awesome power couple!

Get to know more about Chantal in our exclusive interview and find out what she has to say about what it’s like to be an Asian-American actress in the industry.

Hi, Chantal! Tell us a little about your story. Who is Chantal Thuy?

Hi guys, Chantal apparently means “singing rock” and Thuy means “azure”, but more than that I am a Vietnamese Canadian artist, human being & activist, who is dedicated to storytelling as a means of fostering empathy in the world and deepening understanding of the human condition.

When it comes to acting, what is your favorite part about playing someone else?

My favorite part of playing someone else is that I get to walk in another person’s shoes and put myself in their circumstances. It makes me stretch my heart out and express myself, and it also helps me to learn more about myself. In some ways, acting is like a form of traveling, except it doesn’t take place outside of yourself, the journey is internal and in your imagination.

HAIR: LAUREN MCKEEVER, MAKEUP: ERIK TORPPE

So far we’ve only seen your character appear on Black Lightning a handful of times and everyone is dying to find out her “secret.” Can we expect to see more from Grace Choi this season and possibly kicking ass with Thunder soon?

Yes, you will definitely learn more about Grace when the show returns on Monday, January 21st. I can’t wait for the development coming up, it’s all very exciting!

Grace & Anissa have really great on-screen chemistry. What’s it like working with Nafessa Williams? What do you guys bond over when you’re not working?

When you’re working with a talented actress like Nafessa, it’s really easy to form a working relationship and chemistry. She’s extremely hard working, emotionally accessible and kind. We’ve had some nice conversations about spirituality and I like having that as shared common ground with someone.

What’s your take on the emergence of female superheroes in film and TV?

It’s about time! We make up half the population, why shouldn’t we be reflected and represented in our own media and entertainment?

With so many superhero TV shows out there today. What do you think makes Black Lightning so special and different from the rest?

First, because of the diversity in representation, which is maybe the most obvious. It’s groundbreaking that it was the first African American superhero family on Network TV. And beyond that, the tone, themes, real life issues and the amazing soundtrack of the show makes it a distinct series from any other.

2018 was a great year for Asian representation in TV & Film regarding the success of To All The Boy’s I’ve Loved & Crazy Rich Asians. What are some of the struggles that you’ve had to face as an Asian actress in Hollywood and how did you overcome them?

I think for Asian actresses in general, the problem is that there are still fewer roles than there are talent out there (ex. less than 3% of roles go to Asian American talent), and many of the roles available are not that interesting or are stereotyped. I think this is becoming less true as I progress and have access to more opportunities, but I know that I felt very strongly about that when I started.

What’s your dream role or project?

I have the book options for a Vietnamese Canadian story that I am excited to get off the ground! And I feel incredibly lucky to be portraying Grace Choi on Black Lightning, that is a dream role. Also, I’m currently in a play called Linda Vista, written by Tracy Letts, and I am loving my character, Minnie Tran, who is a fun, rockabilly, smart ass (we open January 16th at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Come see us!). I hope for more stereotype defying acting roles with dimension, flaws and humanity in the character, which is more reflective of me and women in my life.

If you were a book, what type of book would you be?

I’d be a mash up of a spiritual book full of quotes, Still Life with Woodpecker and art/ performance art books.

If you had the chance to help any specific charity / organization, which one would it be and why?

Inner-City Arts in Los Angeles, a women’s shelter and orphanages in Vietnam. All these things are dear to my heart.

See Chantal as Grace Choi on Black Lighting returning January 21st!