Hollywood actor Reggie Lee proud to be Pinoy
07/03/2011
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LOS ANGELES - Hollywood's Asian everyman is proudly Pinoy. For the past 15 years, Philippine-born actor Reggie Lee is the go-to character actor for many Asian roles in Hollywood movies and TV shows.
When he started in Hollywood 15 years ago, Lee was happy to get small roles every once in a while.
These days, he's working non-stop.
In the fall, he will be appearing as one the stars of NBC’s highly anticipated supernatural TV show "Grimm."
"One of my friends texted me the other day and said, 'You know, if you go on IMDB, you have more credits than Tom Cruise.' Yes, but Tom Cruise's movies are huge," said Lee.
Lee appeared with Cruise in one of his hits, "Tropic Thunder".
The Fil-Am actor was also in not just one but two "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.
He was also good in his multiple-episode villain role in "Prison Break" that to this day, fans of the show still come up to him to tell him what they think of his evil character.
"I've been fortunate to be able to play a whole variety of roles. I've even played roles that my name... there's no Asian to be found in it. For 'Drag Me to Hell' I was Stu Rubin," he said.
Lee has played seemingly every Asian role in Hollywood: Korean, Chinese, and even Burmese in his recent guest star part in the new hit show "White Collar.”
But he has never had the chance to play a Filipino until "Here Comes the Boom" came along.
The movie, set to come out in 2012, stars Kevin James and Salma Hayek, and in it he plays the dad of international singing sensation Charice.
"She's unbelievably lovely. She's a tough girl. I always think of her as still being young. 'Po' ng 'po'. I told her, 'You don't have to say that to me. I feel really old if you keep doing that.' But she said it's just how she grew up," he related.
From Quezon City, Lee's family immigrated to the United States when he was 6 years old.
But until now, he still speaks Tagalog. He said he misses the Philippines for one thing in particular.
"'Yong mga flash floods. Ha ha ha! Kasi when it would flood, I remember being in the front yard and I would sit there and I would fantasize that it was the ocean and I was swimming in the ocean and I was a little kid and I would stay out there. It was so much fun," said Lee.
And even if he stars in Hollywood projects, he makes time for his favorite Pinoy shows.
"I love 'TV Patrol'. I have everything. I have TFC. [I’m very updated]. I know that Regine (Velasquez) is pregnant," he boasted.
At first his parents were against his choice of career. They wanted him to be a physician like his dad.
But in time, Lee convinced them of his passion for acting.
"Certainly, with the blessing that I have in terms of things that I've been able to do here and accomplish and be happy doing and make a stable [life] doing, they're proud. I'm proud of them for coming on board and taking on this journey with me," Lee said.
Lee said he has only one secret to his success.
“One word -- enjoyment. The day that I stop enjoying what I'm doing, I'm gonna do something else that I enjoy. Life is so short. It really is," he ended
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