My older sister Nikki went to Hampton music school in Virginia, then to another school later in New York.

I know when I was growing up in New York, whenever I turned on the television, I never saw a face that looked like me. Whenever there was an Asian person on television, it would be a huge event, me calling to my older sister 'There's an Asian person on television!' It was unheard of back then.

My major influence was my ten years older sister.

In New York, I much prefer playing older because as characters get older, they get more interesting.

The older I get and the longer I live in New York City, the more I have the desire to go elsewhere and be surrounded by nature.

New York is very provincial. They're very cut-off; they don't have an awareness of so much that is going on in the world.