Keiko Agena on the Nuances of the Asian BFF Stereotype and Her Hopes For Lane Kim Today
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Keiko Agena still remembers the first time she felt othered as a performer; she was a college freshman trying out for a lead part in a play centered on three English women in the 1800s. Growing up in Hawaii, Agena felt confident and comfortable in a multicultural cast. She didn t think being Asian would limit her ability to embody a character, which is why she felt a cold shock when she was omitted from her school s callback list. It wasn t until that moment that my name wasn t on the board that I realized, Oh, perhaps the fact that I m Japanese American might contribute to their decision of whether or not to cast me, she told POPSUGAR. Agena refrained from auditioning for other parts for the rest of the year, maintaining her drama scholarship by relegating herself to backstage work.