Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Young Mazino plays Steven Yeun’s younger brother in the Netflix rage series “BEEF.” And he has the starring role in the upcoming series “Good Boy.” In this interview, we talk about acting, reclaiming his identity as an American, and that name of his that isn’t quite Korean. “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask,” he said, laughing. “You’re officially the first.” Read the full story here.
“My first overseas performance as a musician was in Japan,” says singer-songwriter SHAUN. “It was a club performance during the time I was playing in a band. We performed at a small venue called Eggman. I have fond memories of the enjoyable time we had. Prior to that, I visited several European cities in England, France and the Netherlands.”
In Maurene Goo’s novel “Throwback” (Zando Young Readers, $16.99), teenage protagonist Samantha goes back to the ’90s, where she befriends her 17-year-old mother, Priscilla. Satirical, humorous and thoroughly engaging, Goo’s novel also reflects on how what was once accepted as the norm – casual racism played off as a joke – is problematic when viewed through our modern lens.
“I sailed the Atlantic on an ocean liner in 1964,” said musician Peter Case. “That was pretty exciting for a 10-year-old kid. We went on some incredibly high and rough seas for a few days. Most of the people onboard were sick and upset, but I was just a child. I didn’t know enough to be concerned. The ship was lurching all around. The Beatles had just come out that year. I was listening to their singles on a jukebox in the cafe.”
Last seen in the Apple TV+ series “Dear Edward,” Idris Debrand is at work on the streaming site’s upcoming series “Sinking Spring,” where he plays the younger version of a character played by Brian Tyree Henry. “Ray is a complex character and we see some of the choices he’s made as a teenager and how they affect him in the present day,” said the British actor. “So [without giving] too much away, I play the reason why Ray is the way he is.
Steven Krueger stars opposite Christina Ricci and Juliette Lewis in the Showtime series “Yellowjackets.” “I play coach Ben Scott, who’s the assistant soccer coach,” the actor said. “When our plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness on the way to the national championships, I wind up being the only adult and one of only a few males who are stranded with a group of high school girls.”
There are actors who sing and singers who act. Florence Dore is a professor who’s also an author and musician, and she’ll kick off her tour on March 21 to promote her latest album “Highways & Rocketships.” “My tour is a little unusual since in addition to the regular rock shows we are delivering, I am also trying to address the problem of how to bridge the divide between universities and the world beyond the so-called ivory tower,” said Dore, who teaches literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
When Alison Solis was growing up in Los Angeles, the Mexican-Cuban singer said she at times felt the sting of judgment from people who viewed her as too much of a minority, while some minorities said she presented as being too white. “I’ve definitely experienced the ‘go back to where you came from’ type of bullying as a kid,” said Solis, who simply goes by Alisun professionally.
“I am obsessed with Greece,” said “My Unorthodox Life” star Robert Brotherton. “The food, the vibe, the people – it is a beautiful place to visit and I always come home feeling refreshed, even after a debaucherous August jaunt to Mykonos!”
Currently co-starring as Père Renaud opposite Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in the Paramount+ series “1923,” Sebastian Roché – whose credits also include – “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Beowulf,” “We Love You, Sally Carmichael!” – talked to us about his unorthodox upbringing, making his theater debut with Al Pacino and filming “1923” in Montana.
At just 19, Jacob Buster’s resume includes playing a vampire on Showtime’s “Let the Right One In” and portraying the high school protagonist searching for his family in “Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out,” which had its premiere recently at the Sundance Film Festival.
At just 21 years old, actor, singer and content creator La’Ron Hines has won a NAACP Image Award, released a music video for his latest single “Web of Lies,” and has gone viral on TikTok for his “Are You Smarter Than a Preschooler?” videos filmed at his family’s Mississippi daycare center. His latest project is a Snapchat series called “La’Ron In a Million.”
“Skull Water” author Heinz Insu Fenkl recalled what it was like traveling around parts of the U.S. in the 1970s. “We weren’t allowed to enter diners in the South because we were taken for Native American,” he said. “It made my father furious that we would all have to sit in the station wagon to eat. It was also very hard for us to find motels that would allow a white man with a Korean wife and four mixed-race children to stay.”
“I am absolutely obsessed with Bermuda, which is just a short two-hour flight from the East Coast,” said HUGZ founder Lexi Hensler. “Growing up, I had heard about the Bermuda Triangle and did not think that I could ever travel there.”
“The Sense of Wonder” is a revelatory book that takes a humorous look at pop culture, while also pointing out the inherent racism that pigeonholes minorities into what they can and cannot be. Matthew Salesses’ latest novel incorporates two of his interests: basketball and K-dramas.
Classical violinist Ray Chen said he created the Tonic app as a way for musicians to practice together wherever they are in the world, without feeling isolated.
“I moved to London with my family when I was 10 years old and I attended middle and high school at the American School in London,” said Lauren Buglioli. “It was an incredible experience that definitely changed my life for the better, thanks to the people I met and experiences I had living there. I hope to go back to visit soon and for work one day.”
“Australia reminds me of home,” said tennis player Danielle Collins. “I love the warm weather, beaches and friendly spirits. There’s something incredibly special about the way Australians live. They take their leisure time very seriously and, just like Florida, are obsessive about their water and water sports. The locals are kind, welcoming and made my stay feel like I was right at home.”
“Every summer growing up, my little brother and I would go to Dallas to spend time with our aunt and uncle,” said “Babylon” actor Telvin Griffin. “They didn’t have kids at the time so in a cool way, they were getting practice with us. We thought it was a whole new world because compared to Texarkana, Dallas was a huge place full of more fun things.”
“The first time I played in Los Angeles, my band and I took a day trip down to Tijuana, which went predictably off the rails.” said John Brodeur aka Bird Streets. “But I should probably save that story for the book.”