Written by Andrew Phung · Interviewed by Jennifer J. Lau

HIGHLIGHT #1: Emceeing the Annual Calgary Stampede

What did it mean to you to emcee the Calgary Stampede? How did you prepare for it?

Many may not know but I emceed before pursuing a full time career as an actor. After years of emceeing and doing improv, I was asked to host on a big stage — the Calgary Stampede — and it felt unreal. I felt so honoured to be asked to host because it is the major event in our city — the hometown premiere event, known around the world! And I had the opportunity to emcee the Stampede from 2012 to 2015. 

The first year was the best crash course in emceeing I could ever have had. I was a good emcee before, but the 2012 Calgary Stampede made me a really good emcee.I had prepared by writing notes, coming up with jokes, and mentally preparing myself to be ready to host. But once I got to the event, I was on stage every 45 minutes working the crowds. By the second day, gone were the notes, and I had everything memorized, and I was ready for anything. With my improv background, I could freestyle and work the crowd as needed. I did 10+ shows a day for 10 days. It was definitely a big highlight and I still miss the feeling of a Friday night during the Stampede in Calgary, with a packed crowd!

HIGHLIGHT # 2: Having My Parents at one of my first Sold-Out Improv Shows in Calgary

What do you remember from that show and why was it so life-changing?

Sold out show, Saturday night, January. It was around my birthday. This is when I came into my own as a performer, improviser, and comedian. I interviewed my parents and got my fellow improvisers to play them in a scene. My mom stood up and waved at the crowd. She was so proud and happy to be included. They saw what I was doing, and they saw how much joy it brought me, and that I was getting good at it. My parents started coming out to my shows more and more in 2009 and my first movie premiered at the Calgary Film Festival that same year. Then my parents kept saying I needed to go to Hollywood. They were my biggest fans. So I quit my job in 2012 and never looked back. 

HIGHLIGHT #3. Being Cast in Kim's Convenience + Winning Canadian Screen Awards 

How did the casting go and what does it mean to you to be recognized by the CSA three times?

Director Ins Choi had seen my work at the Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival in 2015. He told me about Kim's Convenience and we stayed in touch. I was later asked to submit a tape. Weeks later, I got flown out to Vancouver. Then a few weeks later I got brought out to Toronto. The weeks in between were painful because I wanted the role so badly. During my chemistry read I got to work with Paul (Appa), Andrea (Janet), and Simu (Jung), and I felt like I clicked with each of them. I felt good and I remember getting the call — I was on the highway to a gig. I pulled over and screamed so loud, and then cried.

This show means everything to me. It's the dream job. I've wanted to see representation in television and film for so long, and now I get to be a part of that representation.

When the show aired, I said it would be cool to be nominated just once for a Canadian Screen Award. I remember being nominated the first year and it felt surreal. I cried in the bathroom when I saw the nomination. Then to win was unthinkable. I remember I looked at my co-stars and best friend Juan in disbelief after they said my name.

I'm so honoured, thankful, and still in shock, having now won 3 Canadian Screen Awards. I take nothing for granted. Life is short, and people have been good to me. As with everything in my career, work hard, have fun, and great things will happen.

The past decade has been a rollercoaster for Andrew, full of great moments of learning and recognition. But when asked what was the biggest accomplishment in his life so far, he sees his personal life as being equal to if not more important than career success. He still maintains strong connections to Calgary’s Chinatown and he’s proud to be able to speak Vietnamese to his family. Most of all, he sees the family as the core unit of society. Now having a mixed heritage family of his own, he shares his biggest highlight: being a young father.

HIGHLIGHT 4: Becoming a Young Father

Everything changed when I became a dad in ways that are indescribable. Everything else pales in comparison to the accomplishment and joy of raising a child. I believe as a young father, it is important for us to define how we retain culture in our families. It doesn’t have to look the same for every family, but know that it’s a beautiful thing to create and take ownership of. I think in many ways Asian culture has wonderful values of respect and tradition. I want to maintain these values in my family. With my boys, I'm trying my best to introduce and immerse them into Chinese and Vietnamese culture, in a Canadian setting. I want to be a good role model of Asian masculinity. I’ll bring them to Chinatown and significant places so that they can learn through experiences. My relationship as a father, a husband, and as a son mean everything to me. I saw it with my parents, and now I get to do it. It's always about family first.

We couldn’t agree more that cultures can be celebrated in many ways and traditions can be created through the family unit and connected through other relationships. We continue to wish Andrew the best in the upcoming years as he continues to share his talent with the world whether through heart-warming television series or other creative projects. We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about Andrew through his top 4 highlights so far!