We’ve been writing a lot about “The People I’ve Slept With” We had a chance to speak with the two lead actors Karin Anna Cheung (Better Luck Tomorrow)and Archie Kao (CSI). After talking to them, we discovered that they both had their own struggles before they got to where they are today.

Karin Anna Cheung was thrust into the limelight when Better Luck Tomorrow (BLT) was released in 2002. BLT held many first for her including her first film audition, first film role, and her first press junkets. As the film gained more momentum, so did the expectations for Karin moving forward. With the film’s success, she received a lot of pressure to be a leader in the community. This was a huge task for a person that had only previously done much smaller productions. Overwhelmed by the attention, Karin felt like she needed to figure out what she wanted to do and what was right for her. She took a break to reevaluate her life and career direction. After reflecting during her time off, she contemplated leaving acting to pursue her love for music and art.

During this time, she was hanging out with friends and met director Quentin Lee. They started talking about each other’s work and exchanging hilarious date stories. Soon after the pair collaborated with producer Stanley Yung and writer Koji Steven Sakai and came up with “The People I’ve Slept With.” This film reinvigorated her passion for acting. Karin took on the role of Angela Yang a free spirited young woman who is not afraid to be herself. You’ll see a side of Karin you’ve never seen before. (See the video banned from YouTube “Crazy F*cked Up Bitch“.) Not only is she on camera, but she also helping to promote the film too. Her past experience promoting Better Luck Tomorrow will definitely help her. However, this time around, she’s not going to get overwhelmed. She’s discovered to be happy in life, you need to do what’s right for you and be yourself. With her passion reignited, look for more projects coming from Karin soon. Check out her latest project “Boom” dedicated to the late George Lin.

Hear Angela Yang (played by Karin Anna Cheung) talk about her horrifying experience with “Chaz the Face.” (This clip is NSFW.)

Archie Kao is best known for his role in CSI. Becoming an actor was not an easy choice for Archie. He was born into a family with engineers and scientists. In college, he studied politics and was on the way to Capitol hill. His dad even planned out a path for him in politics. However, he didn’t feel like that law and politics was what he wanted to do. His passion was in the arts. He left Washington to chase his dream in Hollywood. This was not an easy switch for Archie. In addition to the lack of family support in a career transition from politics/law to the arts, he also had to deal with the pressure as the only son in an Asian family.

Although it wasn’t easy, Archie found success embarking on his new career. His first major role was as the Blue Ranger on the Power Rangers, then as the lab tech Archie Johnson on CSI. However, he really wanted to break the stereotypical roles of Asian Americans in Hollywood as seen in The Slanted Screen and Hollywood Chinese. He was presented the script for “The People I’ve Slept With” and loved that it dealt with real life dilemmas that could happen to anyone. He liked the story line so much that he took time off CSI to play the role of Jefferson, a conservative Asian American son from a lineage of politicians. The character allowed Archie to play something different than you’ve seen him.

The movie will be playing at film festivals in both US and Asia. There’s even a Chinese trailer released. (See it below.) If the film gets traction overseas, Asia could be Archie Kao’s next conquest. Over the summer, Archie spent time in Asia and learning Mandarin. With CSI, he’s already got some visibility in the Asian markets, but an indie film hit could enhance his image even further. If the movie takes off, you could see a lot more Archie in Asia.

Chinese Trailer for The People I’ve Slept With

With Karin Anna Cheung and Archie Kao, “The People I’ve Slept With” has opened up new opportunities for them. Karin rediscovered her acting and role in the Asian American community, while Archie is striving for something bigger beyond CSI. We hope to see more of the two as they continue their successful careers and remain passionate about their projects. Be sure to check out behind the scenes footage from The People I’ve Slept With. The film is scheduled to hit the Asian American festival circuit in October.