Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: John Bregar
We got to chat with actress Christine Nguyen about her character Addison in The Bold Type and her advice for aspiring actors.
What initially got you interested in acting?
I love telling stories. Being able to explore and empathize with different characters helps me connect to the world. As I got older I realized how privileged it is for me to be pursuing a career like this. My parents are refugees from the Vietnam war and their life was heavily based on survival and meeting our basic needs. They laid out the foundations for me to pursue my dreams. I’m deeply moved by their stories back home and I wanted to do my part in sharing them. Because they are so much more than the war and I want to honour and celebrate that. Being able to represent my family, my people, in the work that I do is an emotional journey for me.
Can you relate to your character Addison in The Bold Type?
Yes! Addison is a self made writer who just wants to be seen and heard. She’s not used to working with a mentor and part of her journey is trying to navigate where she fits into this world. I mean who can’t relate to that? I think what makes Addison an interesting character is that she’s constantly taking initiatives to work because she’s used to running things on her own. Wanting to grow and trusting her mentor to help her along the way is something she struggles with especially because their work relationship is complicated. I can relate to this because that’s my struggle as an actor. I am a Pan-identifying Vietnamese and Chinese actor and I had to do a lot of this on my own as well. My parents weren’t supportive of the idea because they wanted to save me from the heartbreak of working in a predominantly white career. So it was up to me to figure things out. I am so grateful to my many mentors I’ve got to work with along the way. I realized early on that sometimes you need someone to lean on people. It takes a village to succeed in this industry and finding YOUR people is so important.
Addison and Jane have a complicated work relationship. Do you have a lot of fun working through scenes with Katie Stevens?
YES! Getting to know Katie was a treat. We had so many fun and silly conversations on set. She is a talented and generous actor but what made Katie really special is that she’s an actor that’s not afraid to speak out. If there are issues within the script or if someone is being represented problematically she would point it out. What made the show great was that the team was always open to implementing changes to better serve the characters. I truly don’t think Addison would be where she is if it wasn’t for her.
The Bold Type is in its last season. What can fans expect as the season unfolds?
Bring tissues and hold on cause we’re ending this series with a bang!
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Be a person first. Your life experience is a tool that will ultimately serve your craft. So as much as you want to be 100% involved and committed to the work, you gotta make space for life to happen.