For her first major theatrical release Wen Yann Shih is being dropped into the deep end of the comedy pool because its the new Farrelly brothers movie, Stuck on You. It stars Greg Kinnear and Matt Damon as conjoined twins who own a burger joint in Providence Rhode Island. Gregs character gets bit by the acting bug so they travel to Hollywood where only one of them is cast in a new television series starring Cher. Matts character has been internet dating with Wen Yann Shih for three years and now they finally get to meet but the kicker is that he never told her that he is a conjoined twin.
The beautiful Wen Yann Shih was born in a small town in Maryland and raised in a strict family where she wasnt even allowed to learn marital arts. It may be also hard to believe but she didnt even have her first boyfriend until she got to college. It was there that she became enchanted with becoming a movie star and traveled to Hollywood. She was cast as Power Rangers villain Vypra and did a number of other small films. Stuck on You is a very funny film that will enhance all the actors involved careers including hers. Wen Yann Shih is a new face that will be around for a long time.
Check out the website for Stuck on You .
Daniel Robert Epstein: How are you doing?
Wen Yann Shih: Im kind of frantic because I just found out that the premiere of Stuck on You is coming a day earlier so Im trying to fit in a lot of running around before my flight in two hours.
DRE: That blows. Wheres the premiere?
WYS: Theres three premieres. One in Baltimore as a charity event for Johns Hopkins and one in New York then one in Providence.
DRE: Of course.
WYS: Yes the Farrellys are from Providence.
DRE: How did the role in Stuck on You come to you?
WYS: The part was originally written for a Caucasian actress and I think they decided it wasnt working and were seeing other ethnicities. When it came to the Asians they called my management company looking for another actress who was more established than me. Coincidentally she had just left to go to a different management company and I was the one Asian girl they had there. The assistant decided to make a pitch for me and ran my picture over to the office because they werent willing to see me because I didnt have the credits. Then they saw me and liked what I did and I got a callback.
DRE: What was the first audition in front of the Farrellys like?
WYS: The callback was the day right after I saw the casting director. It was in front of Peter [Farrelly] and one of the producers. Before I even came in theater the casting director was talking me up so I was really nervous and felt pressure. But Peter was really, warm and a lot of fun. Even before the audition we talked for a bit, joking around a bit so he really put me at ease.
DRE: I think Stuck on You is the Farrelly brothers best movie.
WYS: Wow youve got a leg up on me. I havent seen it yet. They keep the actors in suspense I think. When we were filming they wouldnt even let me see the dailies.
DRE: I heard Bobby is a mooner and Peter likes to show off his penis.
WYS: If thats true unfortunately I didnt get witness any of that.
DRE: Are you a fan of their movies?
WYS: The first Farrelly film I saw was Kingpin and I love that film. I didnt see the other ones until I got a callback then I had a Farrellys marathon and watched all their movies.
DRE: So youre ok with gross stuff. Were you nervous about they were going to make you do?
WYS: I came in with the understanding that this was going to be their attempt at a movie with a PG rating. So that fine line that they can cross got moved over so I felt pretty safe.
DRE: How was it playing a character that was in love with only one half of a conjoined twin?
WYS: I played so that my character was so enchanted with Matts character because they had been internet dating for over three years so I was so happy to see him. My character could have cared less about having a tag along.
DRE: Have you ever been on a date over the internet?
WYS: Yes I have. I wasnt the popular girl so I got lonely. For me the most important quality in a man is his personality. A lot of people say that but for me its true. I have never been disappointed with any of the men I have met over the internet. You cant disguise your personality when youre emailing each other back and forth for a while. Im not too interested in aesthetics but I also dont have very good vision or wear my contacts very often so I dont see people very well.
DRE: Did the Farrellys try to offend you?
WYS: They were very respectful. They pulled pranks on other people so I thought they might pull a prank on me but they treated me with complete professional propriety.
DRE: I spoke to Eva Mendes and she said they were respectful of her too and she was disappointed in that. Did you feel that way also?
WYS: At first I wasnt sure if it was personal. But their films are usually male driven and a boys club. Obviously with sexual harassment and issues like that in the media today I think they were sensitive to that.
DRE: I did hear they keep a very relaxed movie set. Whats that like?
WYS: The days were pretty long, 12 to 14 hours. Once I think I had an 18 hour day. I didnt work the whole time. But since my scenes were with Matt and Greg it took many hours for them to get into the prosthetic attachment so we had to wait for them to get into costume.
DRE: Did you touch that thing that kept them together?
WYS: I actually waited to see it until my character first saw it because I wanted to keep the realism because its pretty shocking when you first see it in person. It really looks real. They took painstaking detail in making perfect each hair follicle, the pigmentation and the flesh feels real. It was a little creepy.
DRE: They were really attached together.
WYS: Yes it did totally. What did you think of it in the movie?
DRE: It did look real and very gross.
WYS: It looks even more amazing in real life.
DRE: Has any guys ever fought over you like guys do in the movie?
WYS: No I wasnt real popular so I couldnt get a date in high school. I didnt get my first real boyfriend until my freshman year of college.
DRE: The guys in your high school must have been pretty stupid.
WYS: In my high school we were known for having the most attractive women in Maryland. The women there make the women in LA look frumpy. They were all natural so you could imagine the competition.
DRE: Did you get to meet Cher?
WYS: No I didnt get to meet Cher in person until we were doing the voice looping. I would get to set right when she was leaving. I would come early just to meet her work and coincidentally she would leave early. But I would walk by her trailer.
DRE: What was it like when you met her?
WYS: I love her. Im more familiar with her film work rather than Sonny and Cher. Moonstruck of course. I love the one she did with Meryl Streep called Silkwood.
DRE: I heard Matt and Greg liked to joke around with each other a lot.
WYS: Like I said all the men were very respectful. Whatever they would snicker about would sheepishly end when I came into the room.
DRE: You didnt think they were talking about you?
WYS: I dont think so. It probably wasnt conversation for mixed company. Eva was really cool. She could probably drink any of the production crew under the table. Shes a tough girl and I respect her strength.
DRE: What did you do on the Power Rangers?
WYS: I was the demonic princess Vypra. She was the head demonic princess in charge. I wore a big styrofoam bustier with 50 pound metal wings on my back and leather pants with silver knee high boots. Then they had this serpent head they put on my crown then they would CGI to make the serpents eyes blink when my eyes blink and a snake tongue when I would hiss. I did some of my own stunts with the wings on.
DRE: Is being in the Power Rangers fun?
WYS: It was fun because it was my first experience working with martial arts. My father and my siblings are well trained in the martial arts but since my family is very traditional he didnt think it was proper for a young lady to be educated in a martial art form. For me it was very exciting to do it. It made me feel good to get in touch with my masculine side.
DRE: Are you excited about the big premiere?
WYS: Im nervous and excited. My parents have never seen any of my work so they will be attending the Baltimore premiere with me. Im more nervous about the Baltimore than the New York one because of my parents.
DRE: Whered you grow up?
WYS: I grew up in Heightsville in Maryland but I was originally born in Manhattan.
DRE: Did you always want to be an actress?
WYS: When I was growing up my parents were conservative and I believe they wanted me to marry and procreate. When I was younger I didnt have career aspirations. It wasnt until I became more Americanized that I realized that I needed to think of myself as an individual and not just be attached to a man.
DRE: I know you have your own website.
WYS: I do but I havent maintained it. I put it up a couple of years ago when I was going to the Sundance Film Festival. I thought it was convenient to carry around a business card with my website on it rather than a headshot and resume. Its supposed to be taken down.
Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
The beautiful Wen Yann Shih was born in a small town in Maryland and raised in a strict family where she wasnt even allowed to learn marital arts. It may be also hard to believe but she didnt even have her first boyfriend until she got to college. It was there that she became enchanted with becoming a movie star and traveled to Hollywood. She was cast as Power Rangers villain Vypra and did a number of other small films. Stuck on You is a very funny film that will enhance all the actors involved careers including hers. Wen Yann Shih is a new face that will be around for a long time.
Check out the website for Stuck on You .
Daniel Robert Epstein: How are you doing?
Wen Yann Shih: Im kind of frantic because I just found out that the premiere of Stuck on You is coming a day earlier so Im trying to fit in a lot of running around before my flight in two hours.
DRE: That blows. Wheres the premiere?
WYS: Theres three premieres. One in Baltimore as a charity event for Johns Hopkins and one in New York then one in Providence.
DRE: Of course.
WYS: Yes the Farrellys are from Providence.
DRE: How did the role in Stuck on You come to you?
WYS: The part was originally written for a Caucasian actress and I think they decided it wasnt working and were seeing other ethnicities. When it came to the Asians they called my management company looking for another actress who was more established than me. Coincidentally she had just left to go to a different management company and I was the one Asian girl they had there. The assistant decided to make a pitch for me and ran my picture over to the office because they werent willing to see me because I didnt have the credits. Then they saw me and liked what I did and I got a callback.
DRE: What was the first audition in front of the Farrellys like?
WYS: The callback was the day right after I saw the casting director. It was in front of Peter [Farrelly] and one of the producers. Before I even came in theater the casting director was talking me up so I was really nervous and felt pressure. But Peter was really, warm and a lot of fun. Even before the audition we talked for a bit, joking around a bit so he really put me at ease.
DRE: I think Stuck on You is the Farrelly brothers best movie.
WYS: Wow youve got a leg up on me. I havent seen it yet. They keep the actors in suspense I think. When we were filming they wouldnt even let me see the dailies.
DRE: I heard Bobby is a mooner and Peter likes to show off his penis.
WYS: If thats true unfortunately I didnt get witness any of that.
DRE: Are you a fan of their movies?
WYS: The first Farrelly film I saw was Kingpin and I love that film. I didnt see the other ones until I got a callback then I had a Farrellys marathon and watched all their movies.
DRE: So youre ok with gross stuff. Were you nervous about they were going to make you do?
WYS: I came in with the understanding that this was going to be their attempt at a movie with a PG rating. So that fine line that they can cross got moved over so I felt pretty safe.
DRE: How was it playing a character that was in love with only one half of a conjoined twin?
WYS: I played so that my character was so enchanted with Matts character because they had been internet dating for over three years so I was so happy to see him. My character could have cared less about having a tag along.
DRE: Have you ever been on a date over the internet?
WYS: Yes I have. I wasnt the popular girl so I got lonely. For me the most important quality in a man is his personality. A lot of people say that but for me its true. I have never been disappointed with any of the men I have met over the internet. You cant disguise your personality when youre emailing each other back and forth for a while. Im not too interested in aesthetics but I also dont have very good vision or wear my contacts very often so I dont see people very well.
DRE: Did the Farrellys try to offend you?
WYS: They were very respectful. They pulled pranks on other people so I thought they might pull a prank on me but they treated me with complete professional propriety.
DRE: I spoke to Eva Mendes and she said they were respectful of her too and she was disappointed in that. Did you feel that way also?
WYS: At first I wasnt sure if it was personal. But their films are usually male driven and a boys club. Obviously with sexual harassment and issues like that in the media today I think they were sensitive to that.
DRE: I did hear they keep a very relaxed movie set. Whats that like?
WYS: The days were pretty long, 12 to 14 hours. Once I think I had an 18 hour day. I didnt work the whole time. But since my scenes were with Matt and Greg it took many hours for them to get into the prosthetic attachment so we had to wait for them to get into costume.
DRE: Did you touch that thing that kept them together?
WYS: I actually waited to see it until my character first saw it because I wanted to keep the realism because its pretty shocking when you first see it in person. It really looks real. They took painstaking detail in making perfect each hair follicle, the pigmentation and the flesh feels real. It was a little creepy.
DRE: They were really attached together.
WYS: Yes it did totally. What did you think of it in the movie?
DRE: It did look real and very gross.
WYS: It looks even more amazing in real life.
DRE: Has any guys ever fought over you like guys do in the movie?
WYS: No I wasnt real popular so I couldnt get a date in high school. I didnt get my first real boyfriend until my freshman year of college.
DRE: The guys in your high school must have been pretty stupid.
WYS: In my high school we were known for having the most attractive women in Maryland. The women there make the women in LA look frumpy. They were all natural so you could imagine the competition.
DRE: Did you get to meet Cher?
WYS: No I didnt get to meet Cher in person until we were doing the voice looping. I would get to set right when she was leaving. I would come early just to meet her work and coincidentally she would leave early. But I would walk by her trailer.
DRE: What was it like when you met her?
WYS: I love her. Im more familiar with her film work rather than Sonny and Cher. Moonstruck of course. I love the one she did with Meryl Streep called Silkwood.
DRE: I heard Matt and Greg liked to joke around with each other a lot.
WYS: Like I said all the men were very respectful. Whatever they would snicker about would sheepishly end when I came into the room.
DRE: You didnt think they were talking about you?
WYS: I dont think so. It probably wasnt conversation for mixed company. Eva was really cool. She could probably drink any of the production crew under the table. Shes a tough girl and I respect her strength.
DRE: What did you do on the Power Rangers?
WYS: I was the demonic princess Vypra. She was the head demonic princess in charge. I wore a big styrofoam bustier with 50 pound metal wings on my back and leather pants with silver knee high boots. Then they had this serpent head they put on my crown then they would CGI to make the serpents eyes blink when my eyes blink and a snake tongue when I would hiss. I did some of my own stunts with the wings on.
DRE: Is being in the Power Rangers fun?
WYS: It was fun because it was my first experience working with martial arts. My father and my siblings are well trained in the martial arts but since my family is very traditional he didnt think it was proper for a young lady to be educated in a martial art form. For me it was very exciting to do it. It made me feel good to get in touch with my masculine side.
DRE: Are you excited about the big premiere?
WYS: Im nervous and excited. My parents have never seen any of my work so they will be attending the Baltimore premiere with me. Im more nervous about the Baltimore than the New York one because of my parents.
DRE: Whered you grow up?
WYS: I grew up in Heightsville in Maryland but I was originally born in Manhattan.
DRE: Did you always want to be an actress?
WYS: When I was growing up my parents were conservative and I believe they wanted me to marry and procreate. When I was younger I didnt have career aspirations. It wasnt until I became more Americanized that I realized that I needed to think of myself as an individual and not just be attached to a man.
DRE: I know you have your own website.
WYS: I do but I havent maintained it. I put it up a couple of years ago when I was going to the Sundance Film Festival. I thought it was convenient to carry around a business card with my website on it rather than a headshot and resume. Its supposed to be taken down.
Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
It's all about the Asian delight!
Woohoo!!!!