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Interview with Chloe Bennet

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The American television series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." has just premiered its highly anticipated second season. One of its stars is Chloe Bennet, an American born actress with Chinese roots, who sat down with our Hollywood reporter. She talks about the changes in her character, and her life as an Asian in Hollywood.

Chloe Bennet 

Chloe Bennet has charm and wit – both befitting the character she plays on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Sitting down with the star in Los Angeles, Chloe opened up about her past life as a pop-star in China and her admitted passion in acting.

"Hi, we're here with Chloe Bennet who plays the very talented computer hacker on MARVELS Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Thank you for joining us," said reporter Sanyee Yuan.

"Thank you for having me," Bennet said.

"Let's rewind a little bit, back in time, before Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. When did you first know you wanted to perform and act?" Sanyee asked.

"Probably when I realized that I was really bad at sports at a very young age. I have six brothers so having all of them be athletes I learned quickly that I should be in the arts. I think since I can remember, pretty much," Bennet said.

Chloe's father is Chinese and her mother is American, and at age of twelve she started studying Improv at Chicago's world-renowned Second City. At fourteen years of age Chloe was signed by a music management company and moved to China, where she lived with her grandmother in Shanghai for almost two years; later Chloe released a debut single "Uh Oh" in Mandarin and in English.

Chloe Bennet 

"What was it like to be a pop star in China?" Asked Yuan.

"It was great. It was huge - I was the only one doing it. It feels normal to think about it now but looking back it seems very weird because I was fifteen, living alone in China, being a pop star, which sounds kind of crazy, but it was just what happened. It was great. I made some really great friends out there. I love China. I love being over there and I love – I'm Shanghai-nese and my family's over there and I got in touch with my Chinese roots which was amazing and I got to learn Mandarin. It's great to get to know that part of my family history so it's cool," Bennet said.

As Chloe Wang in China, the singer-turned-actress changed her last name to Bennet when she moved back to Los Angeles, the reason she wanted desperately to explain.

"I want to set the record straight. I changed my name not because I was trying to go away from my Chinese heritage by any means at all. It was really a strategic move on my part because I didn't want people to think of me as just – yes I am a Chinese-American woman but I'm not just a Chinese-American. So, my dad's fist name is Bennet so I took his first name and then it kind of gives the studios and the people casting like a clean slate on who I was or, "I'm Chloe" I'm not Asian Chloe. I'm not Hispanic Chloe, I'm not Italian Chloe – I'm just Chloe and they can decide what nationality they want he character to be after the fact, or whatever, if they think that even matters," she said.

After a recurring role on the TV show Nashville, Chloe was asked to audition for SHIELD, not for Skye, but for a totally different role.

"What was the process like auditioning for Skye?" Yuan asked.

"I went in seven times over the span of two months. It was not easy. It wasn't like I walked in there and they were like, "she's the one." It was definitely like, "she's kind of a loser. I don't know." I went in – I actually auditioned for Simmons first and they clearly were like, "she can not play a computer scientist at all or the Bio engineer" I don't know what Simmons does. Then I went in for Skye and I out myself on tape and then I went in again – basically seven times and I finally got the part. On my way to one of the auditions to meet Joss Whedon and the producers and everything I was speeding to get to the audition so I got pulled over by the cops and I was late and I was sweaty and I ran in so it was kind of a mess," Bennet said.

"Did you tell that story?" Yuan asked.

"Yes, I did. I was like, "I'm so sorry." They were, "did you get a ticket?" I was like, "no, of course not," Bennet said.

Viewers will be meeting a whole new Skye when "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" returns this season, as already evidenced by her brand new haircut. Chloe says the events of Season one helped mold Skye into the "darker, edgier" SHIELD agent she is when the series picks back up with Season two.

"Skye has changed a lot from season one to season two especially now, what we've been shooting – season two – she's so much different so I think the fans are going to – when they see the first episode they're going to be like "Oh, we don't know this person. This is not the Skye we knew last year" because she's been through a lot of stuff with Ward being HYDRA and all that kind of thing so she's been betrayed and she's been hurt so she's a little different this season. I can't really tell much. I'm sure S.H.I.E.L.D. is like in here, listening, making sure I don't say anything," Bennet said.

"What kind of advice would you give to aspiring young performers from Asian-American backgrounds who want to break into the industry?" Yuan asked.

"You know, I would say just do you and just and when you walk into a room know that they don't want you to do anything other than amazing and to not be nervous about it and the only thing in the whole world that no one else has is whatever makes you "you" and to know that that's special. If there's a part that you love and it's not written as Asian person don't not go in. If you want it go in and try and get it because it shouldn't matter. It's whether or not you think you're right for the role or not. That's what I would say," Bennet said.

"We're really happy for you and congratulations on all of your accomplishments and thank you for talking to us today," Yuan said.

"Ya, of course, thank you so much," Bennet said.

 

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