Victoria Park – The Flash

By starrymag | December 10, 2019

By: Malasha Parker

 

 

Q) How was your character, Kamilla Hwang, originally described to you?

 

A) Oh, man. It was like over a year ago. They said that she was a bohemian, like artsy, free-spirited girl. I remember they said, like, she probably makes her own jewelry. These are all things that I think we kind of dropped as I started playing her. But that’s what it originally was. She was this kind of artsy photographer, bohemian, cool chick.

 

Q) That’s an interesting description. 

 

A) Yeah, it was pretty interesting when I read it, but I played it like myself and that’s what they ending up going with. And slowly we started kind of dropping the bohemian aspect of her and she kind of marched to what she is now.

 

Q) What was the atmosphere like stepping into an already well-established show like “The Flash?”

 

A) Yeah, it was really intimidating before coming onto set knowing that it’d been going for five seasons and it’s so well-established. It’s kind of like you’re walking in and it’s like the first day of school. [laughs] So, I was a little nervous. But, luckily, everyone was just so welcoming and amazing. The whole crew was really nice and everyone learned my name and kind of told me who they were and they were super welcoming. Then, Carlos [Valdes] (who I did my first scene with)…Carlos and Hartley [Sawyer]…Carlos really looked out for me and was like, “Is everyone being nice to you and is everyone being welcoming? We want to make sure you feel comfortable.” So, I had an amazing first day on set. It was really great and everyone’s been welcoming since then.

 

Q) Were you a fan of the series before joining the show?

 

A) I actually had never watched the show before I got the audition. I had obviously heard of it, but I had never seen it. So, to prepare for the audition I watched a couple of episodes and then after I booked the show, I started watching it and have since become a fan of the show. But I wasn’t originally as it’s hard to watch TV when you’re working in TV.

 

Q) What is your favorite part about being able to play Kamilla?

 

A) Hmm. I’ve played a lot of different characters over the years and I feel like Kamilla is actually the most similar to me. So, that’s been really fun because a lot of the times I feel like I’m not even acting. I can go and play and kind of be myself in this other name character, I guess. So, it’s been a really kind of laid back, easier, more friendly gig for me and I really enjoy that.

 

Q) Most of your scenes are with either Cisco or Iris. How has that been working with Carlos Valdes and Candice Patton?

 

A) It’s been so great. I think we’ve definitely gotten to know each other more as we’ve been working together more, which has been really fun. Working with Carlos…I mean, both of them are so talented and I really feel like I learn a lot from them and they’re really giving as scene partners. And then working with Candice more this season, (because I didn’t get to work with her that much last season) has been great just to be able to get to know her better as a person, but also to get to discover more about Kamilla and Iris – their relationship on the show. So, I only have good things to say about both of them. They’ve been really great to work with.

 

Q) You and Carlos finally got a chance to show us more of the relationship between Kamilla and Cisco during Kiss Kiss Breach Breach. What did you like about getting to explore their dynamic in that episode?

 

A) I think it was a really fun thing coming onto a show and being a smaller or more supporting character and it’s a really great opportunity as an actor, obviously, to get a script and know that it was more of a storyline that was more about us. So, that was a really great opportunity. I think right beforehand I was probably a little nervous, just knowing that our relationship was what was carrying that episode and wanting to do well and everything. But once we started working, Carlos and I, we worked really well together and we have a lot of fun. So, it was really fun working with him and then afterward hearing everyone’s reactions to it and knowing that it was the majority positive. It was a great time.

 

Q) That was a really great episode.

 

A) Yeah, I mean Carlos did such a great job playing two versions of himself and everything. I really liked the film noir aspect, too. They tried to do something a little different with that episode, so we had a lot of fun.

 

Q) The Citizen is working on a new story that involves a secret organization. Can you tease how that storyline will progress in the coming episodes?

 

A) I can’t give away too many details, as I’m sure you would expect. But Team Citizen is definitely continuing that storyline in the back half and I’m really excited. We’ve already filmed a lot of it, but I’m really excited about how that’s going to take shape in the back half. So, I would be really excited and look forward to that.

 

Q) Crisis on Infinite Earths is airing this week! What did it mean to you to be a part of such an anticipated episode? 

 

A) I actually wasn’t able to be a part of the crossovers this year, but I have heard about what happens. I obviously heard about what happened on set and everything. I obviously can’t give any spoilers, but just being a part of the show while we’re tackling such a huge storyline from the comics has been really exciting. I have a lot of friends who are really into the comics and they’re just so excited that we’re even covering this storyline from the comics. From what I hear from the set it sounds like we have covered it very well. So, I’m really interested to see how the comic fans take it because we’re not exactly sticking to the entire comic (because it was a pretty long storyline and we’re only covering it in five shows). But I’m really interested to see what people think. I think they’ll be excited.

 

Q) We know that there will be a second big bad this season, is there anything you can tell us about how Kamilla and The Citizen will be involved in that plot?

 

A) I was instructed to not say anything about our second big bad, but I guess I can tell you that Team Citizen is around working on stuff. So, I guess we are involved in some way, but I can’t really say how much or who the next big bad is. But it’s something different. I feel like it’s something different than The Flash has ever done before. So, that’s really exciting too.

 

Q) Is there anyone you would like to have more scenes with?

 

A) Everyone that I get to work with is so great. I would love to work more with Tom [Cavanagh]. I don’t get to work with him hardly ever and he is just such a riot and such a great actor. So, I’d love to have more scenes with him. I really like the scenes where all of Team Flash is together. I feel like that’s becoming rarer, but those days are really fun – just feeding off of everyone’s energy and everything. I’m hoping for more of those scenes as well.

 

Q) That would be an interesting pair to have Kamilla and Wells together.

 

A) [laughs] I feel like it’s always insanity whenever a Wells is around.

 

Q) What has been a favorite scene or episode from Season 6?

 

A) The Cisco-centric episode was super fun. There was a scene from last week’s episode. I don’t know if you watched last week’s episode…it was pretty insane. But Kamilla and Cecile (Danielle Nicolet), all of their trying to escape the Blood Brother zombies, that one scene where we shot it in one take – I think it was two long takes, actually – was really fun. It was super challenging because we wanted to do it in one take and so the rehearsals…We had so many rehearsals and then we had to film a lot of rehearsals. Then, we kept messing up and it was all this choreography that had to work with the stunts and with the steady cam [laughs] and it was just really insane. But once we got it, it was great and it was really fun to film something that felt more like a horror genre and working with Dani is great. Crawling under the table and we like found all these bruises that we had the next day because we were just having so much fun that day.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. What has the fan reactions been like for you since getting the role of Kamilla?

 

A) I mean, I’m just really blown away by all of the support on social. For a show that is so big you, obviously, don’t expect to get one hundred percent great feedback with the way that the internet is, but I’ve been really fortunate in that all of the people who have left comments or tweet at me on socials have been so supportive. They just love the show and they love the character and they love what we’re doing. So, I’ve been really fortunate. I haven’t really had any negative feedback.

 

Q) I just wanted to say that I’ve really been enjoying your character this season, especially since you get to work with Iris and you’re a part of The Citizen now. Then, they brought in Allegra (Kayla Compton). That’s just really great because we finally get to see that plot and I like that you’re a part of that team. 

 

A) That’s so great. Thanks so much for saying that! You know, coming on the show I didn’t really have any expectations. They didn’t even tell me how long I was going to even be around. Like, “You might be Cisco’s girlfriend if it works out. Who knows? Like, you’re a potential love interest.” So, to kind of be able to go out and be this character and then to have this other passion, this job, and these female friendships and all that, it’s been really unexpected and I just really appreciate it. So, I’m really glad that you’re enjoying it. I’m enjoying playing it for sure.

 

Q) What are some other projects you have been busy working on lately?

 

A) Acting-wise, I am just working on “The Flash.” [laughs] It takes up a lot of time– really long seasons and flying back and forth from Vancouver and LA and everything. I’m still trying to find time to do other projects and stuff, but the main project that I’ve been working on is actually a short film that I co-directed. We’re wrapping it up right now. It’s called To Borrow, To Keep and we’re putting it through festivals, etc. I’m hoping to stream it somewhere. But that’s something that I actually started on, on the other side of the camera. I kind of put it aside when I started acting, so that’s something that I liked to pick back up again. And this is my first try back at it so, hopefully, I’ll be doing more directing in the coming year.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work you do?

 

A) I would just like to say thank you. [laughs] I mean, I’m just really blown away. I feel like I started acting not really for anybody else. I just did it because it felt good to me and I really enjoyed it. But, of course, you forget that people are going to be watching it. And to know that so many people have been watching my career, watching the show, it’s really humbling and I really just appreciate everyone’s support and I just want to say thank you!