Burnaby actress living her dream
Kim’s Convenience’s Andrea Bang on her first job, teenage Saturday nights and sitcom stardom
Burnaby actor Andrea Bang is making noise.
She has a co-starring role in the Vancouver International Film Festival flick Public Schooled, and Kim’s Convenience — the hit CBC sitcom she plays Janet in — is about to return for a new season starting Tuesday.
Bang and cast mates were in Vancouver recently for a Kim’s Convenience red carpet and special screening. We caught up with the busy Bang — who caught the acting bug in high school during a production of Bye Bye Birdie — and asked her a few questions.
Q: When did you know acting was what you wanted to focus on and become your career?
A: For the longest time, I kept my interest in acting a secret. Minus a select few, no one really knew. I played around with so many different non-acting career paths. Finally, one day I said ‘screw it.’ I got an agent and a job that allowed me to audition — and the rest is history.
What do you remember most from your first professional job?
If you’re asking first professional job in general, it was working at a Lotto Centre. I looked like I was 12 so I remember being asked if I was old enough to work there ALL THE TIME. My first paid acting gig was a web series called Sunnyhearts Community Centre. I just remember being so nervous because I was a fan of those guys. Also, that the clothing options I brought were terrible.
You and your sister Diana are doing well these days. You have this series and the film Public Schooled and she is in the film Entanglement. Have you ever been up for the same job?
We used to job-share. Does that count? I don’t think we were ever really up for the same job because she got into the biz before me and so by the time I started auditioning, we were going out for different things. We would love to do something together!
Do you help each other out by preparing together, running lines?
Totally! I help her with self-tapes and vice versa. Whenever we can, we try to help each other out.
Did you both start acting at the same time? Or did one get the other interested?
I think we were both interested in acting since we were kids, but it wasn’t until she started auditioning that I thought this acting thing was an actual possibility. Growing up, I never really saw anyone like me on TV/movies and didn’t know any actors, etc., so I thought it was impossible; something that only human unicorns could do. So when my sister was actually doing it, it was almost like I had permission to pursue this dream.
What do your parents think about having two actors in the family?
I don’t think it was easy at first because acting has lots of ups and downs and no one wants to see their loved ones go through that, especially when you yourself moved to a new country in order to prevent your kids from having to go through that kind of instability.
But my mom is our number 1 fan. She couldn’t be prouder.
Everyone is crazy supportive of us.
Growing up in Burnaby what did you do as a teen on a Saturday?
What I remember most is going for midnight bike rides and hanging out on playgrounds while eating tons of junk food. I felt so rebellious but I really wasn’t — ha ha. I would also go on massive sewing binges. So, yeah, I was pretty cool!
Looking back on favourite movies what character do you wish you could have played and why?
If you asked teenage Andrea, she would have said ‘Gidget’ because it would’ve just been plain ole’ fun to play her.
A surfer girl who speaks her mind in the ’50s/’60s, what’s not to love? Also, Buffy the Vampire Slayer from either the movie or TV version. She’s so badass. I don’t think people look at me and automatically think ‘that girl can fight a gang of scary vampires’ so it’d be really cool to defy expectations. Plus, playing in a world of magic and mystical creatures? Yes please! What’s it like to be on a hit sitcom? Awesome and terrifying. One of the things I love most about it is getting to make it with my TV family. The cast and crew are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet!
What does your family think of Kim’s Convenience? Do they wade in with ideas?
My family loves Kim’s. When the first season aired, we’d get together every Tuesday night to watch it. My mom loves getting the chance to see me act and is super proud. In terms of ideas, I think lots of people wade in with ideas, which shows how invested they are in the characters and that’s awesome.
What is it about your heritage that makes you the happiest?
Everything! Is that a cop out? I’m able to be both Korean and Canadian. I don’t have to choose. Oh, and can’t forget the food.
What kind of impact do you think the show has had?
I think the impact can best be seen through the awesomely wonderful fans. Kim’s Convenience is about a Korean-Canadian family but we constantly have people from all different backgrounds coming up to us to say how Kim’s remind them of their own family. It’s been said before, but a lot of us in the cast grew up not seeing ourselves portrayed in the media so now that we get to add to that very conversation with characters that can be your friend, family, crush or neighbour, regardless of colour, is amazing.