Typically when you think of the star of a hit TV show, you think of an actor who has worked his whole life for such an opportunity. Someone who has gone on endless auditions and done several smaller roles to reach this point in his career. But that wasn't exactly the case for young star Hudson Yang. As the hilarious main character on ABC's "Fresh Off The Boat," the 12-year-old actor was fortunate to land this major role at just the start of his career, and it was his upbeat personality and likable attitude that the producers and casting director just couldn't turn down.
At a very young age, Yang realized he wanted to be an actor, and it's all thanks to Sandra Bullock's net worth.
"When I was a little kid I was watching TV - it was a Sandra Bullock interview - and I was like, 'Sandra Bullock makes $80 million? I wanna make that much money!'" Yang told HNGN in an exclusive interview. After he convinced his father that he was in fact serious about getting into the business, his dad made a few calls and landed Yang an audition for the main Asian character in the movie "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete," Yang said. But after several call backs, they told him he did not have enough experience to play the main role but that they saw potential in him. And from there, the star of "Fresh Off The Boat" was born.
Yang plays the role of a young Eddie Hauag, who is known today for being a famous chef, food personality and restaurant owner. Eddie is just trying to find his place in this world as an Asian-American kid who has just moved from Chinatown of Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Fla. As a diehard hip-hop and rap fan, and someone who loves basketball beyond belief, Eddie, who is the oldest of three brothers, continues to drive his mother Jessica (Constance Wu) crazy as she struggles to keep their family culture alive in a community that doesn't have a large Asian population. As someone who is often teased for his culture, especially for the food he brings for lunch, it's interesting to see as Eddie adjusts to fit in. His father Louis (Randall Park), on the other hand, is embracing this "American Dream" while trying to keep his Western steakhouse restaurant alive and popular.
Yang's personality really shines through his character, and it's his rebellious attitude, humor and natural ability to act that sets him apart from the rest of the young, talented actors today. With the second season of "Fresh Off The Boat" currently airing, we decided it was time to catch up with Yang and find out what it's really like being the star of a show at such a young age.
How did it feel to have your first major gig be as the main star in "Fresh Off The Boat"?
It was really exciting, and I didn't really think of that happening. So when it happened, I was really surprised, and I was really energetic. I was running around set, eating a ton of food and going crazy.
That reflects your character a lot, they must have loved that. Do you find you can relate to Eddie in real life?
Yeah, I do! There's a lot of different aspects of him similar to mine, and there's also a lot of things that changed since the show. When I first started, there were a few different things that were actually similar, but now there's a lot more. I'm getting into rap music a lot more now, and that's why I got that swagga. And, the character has also morphed more like me in the things he does, the way he reacts - that's also a lot of similarities to how I act and stuff.
So you weren't really into rap music until you started on the show?
I mean, I was a little bit into it. Like I'd listen to it every so often, but now I'm listening to it a lot. It's the music I prefer.
