[MUSIC PLAYING]
Happy Pride, everyone.
Pride Month is celebrated every June
to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan.
This was the turning point for the gay liberation
movement in the US.
And here with us to celebrate Pride Month today is none other
than Terry Hu, who plays the role of nonbinary
alien A-Spen in the upcoming Disney+
original movie, "ZOMBIES 3."
Welcome to the show, Terry.
Thank you all so much for having me.
Love the couch, the denim.
The denim, the denim.
Love it.
The "ZOMBIES" franchise features themes of acceptance
and celebrating our unique individual differences.
So can you tell us about "ZOMBIES 3" and your character,
A-Spen?
I'm really excited for this.
"ZOMBIES 3" is the final installment of the "ZOMBIES"
franchise and, like "ZOMBIES 2," tells the story of what happens
when a group of outsiders comes to Seabrook and kind of what
happens.
This time, it's not werewolves.
It's aliens this time.
There's A-Lan A-Spen and A-Li.
We all have very distinct personalities.
A-Spen is nonbinary, I am nonbinary
as well, so we love that.
And to describe A-Spen, they are super excitable, super curious,
very childlike, I would say.
A-Li and A-Lan have their very own specific quirks
and personalities.
And I think A-Spen helps kind of ground them
and stay focused on the mission, which
is what we're in Seabrook for.
Oh, ooh!
Got a little tidbit of plot there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's all.
- That's all you're getting. - You're getting something.
That's all I can say. - I can't wait.
Oh my gosh.
What was your experience like on the set of "ZOMBIES 3"?
Yeah.
But yeah, we just bonded.
And I think the cast really, really just like, loves
each other, you know?
And that was something that really stood out.
That's so important and nice, yeah.
Yeah, OK, so Mothership, who, by the way,
is voiced by RuPaul--
Right?
OK, yeah, we were wanting to get to that.
I was like--
- We were like, RuPaul, RuPaul-- - Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I was like, say it with me--
(ALL) RuPaul.
And I found that out recently, but I was like--
[GASPS]
So super excited.
But yeah, so Mothership-- like seeing
it on set and the lights--
I think it was just like, oh, this is big.
ANDRE MEADOWS: Yeah.
I think just like, you know, because I had been--
I worked on a number of short films and stuff
like that before that.
But then this is my first feature, so I was like--
Yeah.
--oh, this is like a big thing.
Obviously, you're probably aware that "ZOMBIES" has
a pretty passionate fanbase.
I now am aware.
Yeah, so I'm just curious what your feelings were when you
found out you were going to be joining this franchise that has
such a strong fanbase but also a franchise that
encourages things like diversity and inclusion.
Firstly, to be a part of any project that, like, values
and encourages diversity and inclusion
is extremely important and I think, meaningful to me.
Being Asian, being nonbinary and queer,
it's an intersection of a lot.
And so, for me, I just really value that.
I think it's very fulfilling for me.
But over time and just hearing feedback from the fans, who
are so wonderful and so expansive,
just realizing how meaningful it is
and realizing the responsibility I have or the privilege
I have to have that responsibility,
if that makes sense. - Mm-hmm.
Growing up, I was watching Disney a lot.
And truthfully, I couldn't have imagined on, really,
any channel a non-binary lead character,
let alone played by a queer, nonbinary, Asian lead.
Like, there's authentic casting there.
There's a lot of uplifting, I think, of
different intersections there.
And I just-- yeah, I keep saying this-- it's unreal,
but it is real.
And that's the best type, and I just
have to kind of keep like--
It's very "pinch me," and--
Yeah, and it comes and goes.
And it's gonna keep hitting you, though--
Yes.
--because then you're gonna start seeing the reactions--
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
--of, like, people who look up to you, writing you.
Exactly.
I think that was the biggest thing,
is getting these messages from people,
because when I was growing up, also, truthfully,
I wasn't super educated on nonbinary either, myself.
And sometimes, you just don't even
realize like what you can resonate
with until you see it yourself.
To be a part of anyone's journey towards,
I think, finding themselves--
I really am like, that's really cool.
So this is great timing because it's
Pride Month, so we wanna know what Pride Month means to you.
And what was it like celebrating your very first Pride?
My very first Pride--
it's Los Angeles, West Hollywood, 2016.
Picture it.
Picture it!
[LAUGHTER]
It's like, kind of chilly, but it's still nice.
Honestly, it was such a blissful-- it was one of those,
just a blissful night.
I honestly remember that really well,
and that was the first time I think I really like celebrated
a Pride parade type, you know?
JENNY LORENZO: Mm-hmm.
I mean, I think something that's really important to say
right off the bat, that I feel very strongly about is like,
yeah, I think it should never-- just like, you know,
AAPI Heritage Month, nothing should just
be limited to just one month.
And it isn't, but, obviously, I really value Pride Month.
And it's meaningful because it is such a dedicated time
for visibility and a dedicated time to honor
those who paved the way for us.
Yeah, that's what Pride means to me.
So why do you think--
for you, why is Pride Month super
important now more than ever?
There's been literal hundreds of like,
anti-LGBT+ legislation--
bills circulating-- and it's been super demoralizing,
I think, in that way.
These bills are so horrible, and we're angry about it.
We're hurt.
But we're not going anywhere.
Like it just simply is like, you're not going to erase us.
Like, you can try.
And showing visibility, showing the humanness of it,
and showing, like I said, joy also
because joy is also just to show we are defying this, you know?
And then, yeah, also just show up for our community
and let them know we're not letting this go.
Like, no matter how hard it is, we're still going to be here.
Speaking of community, how has the LGBTQIA+
community helped you with your identity or with your journey?
I pretty much knew I was queer from the womb.
I pretty much like-- from a very early age, I was like, OK,
yeah.
And then I didn't really start exploring, or accept, I think,
my nonbinary identity until a couple of years ago.
And a lot of that was because I met and got
to connect with a lot of--
a bigger LGBT+ community, like my queer community.
And within that community, I met a lot of nonbinary, or "NB,"
people and became friends.
And it's what I was saying earlier.
Sometimes, you just don't really even know what you could be
or could resonate with until you see it.
Yeah.
And not that there's any right or correct way to be
nonbinary or look nonbinary.
But seeing how there isn't one right way, but then
everyone kind of has a through line of feeling, I was like,
oh, I do resonate with that.
And I feel like I have for a really long time, actually,
because I knew when nonbinary was.
I was honestly just too scared to explore it.
And then I think because of my queer
community, the past couple of years,
felt comfortable enough to be like, hey,
I'm just trying this.
And that's what I said.
I was just like, this just feels more right.
I'm really thankful to them because it was actually
very much because of them that I felt, I think,
comfortable enough, you know?
I love your transparency because I think
some people might be too afraid because they'd
have to know everything and know exactly who they are.
Yeah.
And it can never change.
Yeah.
And I relate to you a lot because I was in that same boat.
Oh, OK.
Because I'm bisexual.
I identify as bisexual.
But I didn't see that on TV.
Yeah.
And then it wasn't until I found my community
and people that were like me, and I was like, oh.
Exactly.
Community is extremely important.
Exactly-- for support but also just to see the possibility
and learn from others--
Yeah.
--and just having these conversations.
Yes, it is scary because I get people's fear of, oh, what
if it's wrong?
Like, I have to be this, and I have to--
I think just the best thing we can do is very like--
just know your intention is trying
to become the better you.
And that's fine.
Yes, I love that.
Become the better you, the ultimate you.
And if it changes, or whatever that looks like,
we can talk about it. You know what I mean?
Yeah.
So, you know, speaking representation and everything
in media, as a nonbinary actor, do you currently
feel represented more?
Obviously, growing up, could not have
even thought of it, genuinely.
Yeah.
Now I think, in the past few years--
I know of a handful of nonbinary actors
that are coming up, and it's really cool to see.
And I think probably fewer nonbinary characters that
are in lead roles, truthfully.
I'm hopeful-- I genuinely am hopeful and optimistic.
I think we are like moving in the right direction.
But to kind of answer that question, as of right now,
I think there's still a long way to go.
But it is exciting to know that there is stuff coming.
"ZOMBIES 3." [LAUGHTER]
"ZOMBIES 3."
You're like, "ZOMBIES 3."
ANDRE MEADOWS: Yeah.
Disney+.
What does nonbinary representation
look like to you in terms of storylines or characters?
Like, what would you like to see?
Holistic representation or true representation
of a group or community requires, in my opinion,
two types of stories.
The one type is stories that kind of revolve more heavily
around the specific struggle that
comes with being that minority.
But then it's like just as important to have stories that
just include characters that happen to be X, Y, Z
but don't revolve around that, right?
Yep.
JENNY LORENZO: Yes.
I think "ZOMBIES 3" is a really--
does a really good job with that second type of story.
I mean, it's really those two types of stories--
like, let's just keep going.
It's not a phase.
It's not just like a trend or anything, or a fad either.
Nope.
But it's like, we're here.
Let's just integrate.
And Disney has been working on like a ton of projects
in the past few years that include more significant
LGBT+ representation.
And it takes a while to make a movie.
I did not realize. It's been a whole--
[LAUGHTER]
It has been a whole year since we filmed "ZOMBIES,"
but I'm excited for those projects
to get the chance to shine and to be loved
and to also give love to whoever needs it right now.
Yeah.
And let's make sure that we diversify
and actually keep creating these characters that
are just actual characters.
I cannot thank you enough for joining us today.
Thank you. Thank you all for having me.
We're so excited for you.
And thank you for sharing with us because everything you said
was just gold.
Thank you.
Thank you for the denim.
Absolutely.
And when is it streaming again?
I think it might be, halfway--
July 15 on Disney+.
Yeah!
Yeah, I don't know.
"ZOMBIES 3" is streaming July 15 on Disney+.
[MUSIC PLAYING]