If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of obsessed with BIG HERO 6. It is truly one of Disney's greatest animations. I think part of the appeal is that all audiences can relate to the characters in the film-- it's not your typical superhero movie. Two of the heroes, Go Go and Honey Lemon, are female, who along with the rest of the team, use the power of their brains to capture the masked villain. A superpower I know every mom can appreciate!
While I was out in L.A. for the BIG HERO 6 event, I was able to sit down with Jamie Chung and Genesis Rodriguez, who voice the characters Go Go Tomogo and Honey Lemon. Together Jamie and Genesis make a great team-- you would have thought they were lifelong friends, but the truth was that they had just met a month prior at the cast wrap-up party. They were both beautiful, smart and down to Earth.
Here are some of the highlights from my interview with Jamie Chung and Genesis Rodriguez.
What was your favorite part about playing the Character that you played?
Jamie: Go Go doesn't say a lot at the beginning of the film. But when she does say something, it's very on point and it's quite sassy, and she's described to me as the Female version of Clint Eastwood. And it was just fun to sass it up. And just for me, it was having to be so positive all the time. I really feel like I was acting a fool and I was getting paid for it.
Genesis: I mean, I can speak for the both of us, we've been huge Disney fans all of our lives and we've been Princesses -- I literally would comb my red hair in restaurants as Ariel. It’s like a dream come true to be able to play these strong female characters and bring that down to future Generations.
Honey Lemon's Character looks Caucasian, but her accent is different, especially when she says “Hiro”, What is her background?
Genesis: Honey Lemon is very Latino and "Hiro" is a Latin pronunciation. And it is Japanese too. I feel like she pronounces it that way because it's more endearing … it's more like she cares about him.
Did you like having a strong Female lead in the movie?
Jamie: Absolutely! Talking further on stereotypes, what I love about this film is that there is no stereotype. It kind of breaks all of those boundaries in terms of being a nerd, and being not cool, like this is the absolute opposite of that. And in terms of strong female characters, Honey Lemon and Go Go are so different from each other and yet they both represent strength in their own way. They both come in different shapes and sizes, and different shades and what not, and that's what I love about this.
What's your favorite scene in the movie with your Character?
Genesis: Jamie (Go Go) has the best line in the movie -- "Woman up”.
Jamie: When they all have their new gear and they're testing it out.
Other than your Characters, who's your favorite, besides Baymax?
Genesis: Fred is hysterical. What's funny is that T.J. is such a great Comedian. He’s like totally Fred too.
Jamie: I liked Wasabi. He was a worry wart and he cares about the safety of everyone.
Do you think that doing this movie changed your perspective on certain things?
Jamie: In terms of like sending the right message, it is a superhero movie, but it stresses the importance of education and science. I love that the message it sends is intelligence and smarts is not sex-biased, no more than is it race-biased. Everyone's equal and everyone has that same opportunity to reach that milestone in terms of education. I think it's cool to part of that and also in terms of 10, 20, 30 years from now, this movie will still be relevant.
Genesis: I was so excited for a movie to talk about robots and technology. I was into robotics, too, and I'm an official nerd. To even have a movie that's making girls want to be in technology and be smart-- I hope girls, especially, will be wanting after this Movie, to be the first ones to raise their hands in class and realize that being smart is empowering and I mean, if we got to do that for them like again, we're so cool, we're so much, you know. Robotics is cool. Science is cool.
Oh, and I can't leave you without showing you a picture of Genesis' awesome Honey Lemon manicure ... isn't it adorable!?
BIG HERO 6 is now playing in theaters nationwide!
I can’t thank Walt Disney Pictures enough for inviting me to be a part of the BIG HERO 6 press event (transportation & accommodations were provided). As always, all opinions are my own.
Leave a Reply