(May contain spoilers for some who haven’t seen season 6 in particular Episode 605 ‘Misconduct game)’ .
Tina Huang has played senior criminologist Susie Chang in Rizzoli and Isles for 30 Episodes, starting back in the season 2 mid – season finale. Her portrayal of Susie has made her a much loved part of the Rizzoli and Isles Fandom. So it comes as no surprise twitter was ablaze and fans where in uproar when the Susie was killed off early in Season 6.
I was lucky to conduct a telephone interview with the lovely Tina Huang while she is over here in the U.K for the Edinburgh Fringe festival.
For those following Tina Huang you will know she has fallen in love with Edinburgh, we chatted for a few minutes about it and the weather before asking her some questions.
Tina is currently performing in a play Fairy tale theatre ‘18 and over’, I asked her to tell me a little bit more about it.
“It’s zany fairy tales with morals for adults if you’re easily offended don’t come which usually means people would want to come”
“We have been pitching on the street as a dirty sexy puppet show”
“The morals are quite deep we have a the tale about the Bio Polar bear and the co dependant Eskimo”
“As adults we know that we have responsibilities, this show frames that idea in such a fun way that really celebrates being a human being”
The show has received rave reviews and Tina told me she would like to take it to London.
Social media plays a big part in all tv shows these days it soon came up in the conversation
We spoke about Social media and she wanted to give a shout out to the fans.
“The fans have been so great and lovely towards me”
“It’s so lovely to have that kind of support and I hope that keeps growing too”
Tina Huang trended the night Misconduct Game was aired in The U.S clearly showing her popularity among the fans.
We briefly spoke about, live tweeting and how you are encouraged to do so
“It gives you a direct conduit to the fans, it’s a full time job as well…. It’s a lovely way to talk to people and feel supported…nice to give and receive it’s a great platform for that and integral to being on a show, you have to do it”
Tina had nothing but praise and thanks for all the support she received
Bringing the conversation round to Rizzoli and Isles I described Susie as quite quirky I asked Tina how she would describe her.
“Quirky is the right word, I would say loyal but also has a very strong point of view and a strong moral compass”
“The kind of person who has such a varied amount of interest’s, that’s inspiring ,you don’t see a lot of women, female characters who have more interest’s than just men or women or relationships but that was fun to play a character that just everyday was surprised by a new hobby a new thing from her past which made her such an enigma to me”
We remembered Susie was a nudist and mentioned how what’s up Chang?’ became quite a tag line between them
“She had a softness too she wasn’t hard, her relationship with Jane developed in such a funny way”
“Though she was intimidated by Jane she was also her equal, she worked with her and they loved each other very much and the same with Maura”
She had a very special relationship with Maura they would geek out over machinery, a new piece of equipment would come in they would get excited about it and Jane would roll her eyes
“About every nerdy thing that would come in and I truthfully I loved that because I am a nerd (laughing) really fun to have the aspect of her character and sharing the same characteristic (laughing) the gear is very cool”
Most fans of the show will have seen the pictures and she was happy to talk about fellow cast members and fun on set
“It is, it is so wonderful, I love those people, their so warm. We have a good time. That was the hardest thing about leaving honestly, what is it Fomo.. A fear of missing something of not being there, not getting to be a part of that camaraderie, it was challenging…. Jan the showrunner, Jan Nash is so lovely to work with, Angie (Harmon) is so beautiful and Sasha (Alexander) too. Jordan(Bridges) all of them every time I say a name I think oh my gosh everybody on that set in the cast and crew it just a lovely place to be”.
not forgetting the let’s go to sets with Jordan Bridges
“Yeah, we had so much fun improving, Jordan’s a sweet heart”
“When we were filming the lets go to set , I remember the people at TNT that wrote the bit that all we did was really improve, I said you guys realise that I am not a real scientist( Laughing) I just play one on TV I don’t know what any of this stuff is “
Some may not know Tina Huang is actual married to a scientist
“Yes at least I’m married to a scientist, oh you’re not a scientist, yes that’s a character I play seriously”
'Can you tell me more about the Diorama Episode?’ (Fans will remember in the episode Knockout in Season 5 Susie made to scale very detailed diorama’s to help Jane solve a case when Maura was out of town)
“Those dioramas were amazing first of all they made those little models of Angie and Sasha (Jane and Maura) and suddenly people were picking up those little guys and running around set with them. Putting them in different places”
“It was fun and really a good time”
“The boxing gym was really detailed and I got to do that lovely scene with Angie (Harmon) it was a bit hard to keep a straight face , we got through it”( Laughing)
I suspected Angie Harmon would be the answer but had to ask ‘Who would you say is the biggest kidder on set? ‘
“I gotta say Angie(Harmon)”
“Sasha (Alexander) is more the dance break person and Angie is more the joker”
Anyone who has ever seen any videos will know Sasha alexander can certainly dance
“I have got a video she sent me and her dancing “
“She texted me the other day and that’s a memory I will always have”
Any hope for Susie come back..‘Do you think there is any possibility for Susie to maybe comeback in a flash back episode, when the revisit an old case?’
“I don’t know what to say about that”
“I don’t know, if we have a fan response, I can’t really talk about what the plans for the show are” ( she apologised for not being able to say more)
‘It’s something I personally would like to see Susie back even if only in a flash back episode’
“I think you should put it out there to the fans to have them write in”
‘Somebody said Susie had an evil twin and that is who we have seen, is a fan theory I had read'
“ I know…that’s my favourite part being vague about it and letting the fans come up with stuff, I love reading that stuff. I Love fan fiction, the ideas and pitchs they have for Susie, its so funny. Especially for her coming back”
Tina has gone on to appear in the season finale of NBC’s Night Shift she plays Dr Topher Zia’s wife Janet. This hopefully will be a recurring role. The finale was directed by Eric La Salle who people will remember from ER and recently appearing in under the dome.
“He’s wonderful to work with a real actor’s director, hopefully it will be recurring fingers crossed and knock on wood and all that"
When talking about what is next I mentioned a tweet between her and Tess Gerristen regrading a project she is developing
“I don’t know what is developing on that but we will see, I can’t say too much”
I mentioned I had meet Tess a few times and how lovely she was (Tess Gerristen is the author who wrote the books the series Rizzoli and Isles is based on)
“ She is ,It was really lovely to connect with a fellow Asian woman in the Art’s I relate to her story of being encouraged to go into a more stable field like medicine or law then just deciding to follow her heart its very inspiring and I admire that quite a bit"
I asked her what she is watching at the moment and got told I need to watch Orphan Black
‘Apart from Rizzoli and Isles of course, is there anything else you practically like watching?’
“Yes (laughing when I mentioned Rizzoli and isles)”
“I love Six feet under, these are old shows, West Wing, The Wire but now I’m watching things like Orphan Black, I love Orphan Black. I have been watching Daredevil on Netflix”
“I love a lot of BBC shows, I just finished watching Fargo which was fantastic”
What role would you love to play?
“I used to say I would love to do a historical piece”
“I also really love doing action; I didn’t know I would love it until I got a lead in an independent action film, Pig Hunt and I had a blast doing that and honestly I would love to do that”
“A role like Tatiana Maslany has on Orphan Black, to be vulnerable and kick a lot of …”
There are a lot of strong roles for women out there it’s a very good time for women in television and hopefully it will transcend into movies
“I think we are in a Transition for sure not quite there yet, your right there are more”
“Bigger stars are speaking out more about it”
We spoke about roles for more mature women as well, Rizzoli and Isles Is a good example
“I love that, makes us a little bit hopeful, I don’t have Benjamin Button disease ( laughing) I’m aging up if the trend keeps going the easier it is, it looks good for me"
When she heads back to L.A she is going back to produce a world premiere of a play for her Theatre company The Ammunition Theatre Company.
She also has a few short films coming out..
I hope that TNT see the fan response to Tina’s Character Susie and at least don’t keep her away to long from Rizzoli and Isles. It may be a flash back or could it be that some of the fan theories correct?. Tina said she wanted to read all of them so please post your idea’s in the comments below for her to see.
It was lovely talking to such a diverse and entertaining Lady it’s so easy to see why she made Susie so popular. I certainly don’t think Tina Huang will be off our screens for long. I wish her all the best as I am sure you do.
www.tinahuang.com/home.html
http://twitter.com/TinaHuang
