Years of acting training synthesize in this moment.
I got called last month to play a role on "General Hospital." Yes, TV’s long running soap opera. What role could I possibly play so naturally that I could be cast without an audition? Patient in therapy…duh! And four glorious lines to show the world all my depth and craft as an actor.
Behold! As I interview myself about my "General Hospital" performance to keep my career relevant (to myself)!
Kristina Wong asks Kristina Wong SIX Questions about her FOUR lines in the role of “PATIENT” on General Hospital (Episode #13129 airing 9/2/14)
You can watch Kristina’s two scenes which appear in the first six minutes of the episode here.
How did you approach your role?
The script only named me as “Patient” but I knew there was so much more depth, poetry, and passion to the role. I believe “Patient” is a nameless character because she feels nameless in the machine of the hospital. An audience can project their own anxieties onto her anonymous identity and also she is identified as “Patient” because she has so much patience with the multitude of systemic oppressions that bind her. In my extensive character diary (an exercise I do as an actor), I made the choice that “Patient” was actually a mental patient, a serial killer who had not been caught, a non-practicing nymphomaniac who channeled her frustrations through crochet and who had been forced against her will to to live in a padded cell at General Hospital.
I noticed that in editing, we don’t see you say your 2nd and 4th lines because the camera cuts to Carly, a main actor. What do you think was the metaphorical reasoning behind this?
I believe that in moving away from my face during half my lines, General Hospital is making a biting commentary on the meta-post-modern-hyper commentary on the diminishing voice of the incurable/invalid/ sufferer. By transposing text over the faces others, they create a hypertextual investigation into the modern manifestations of institutionalized power.
What was your preparation process behind the scenes the day of the shoot?
I ate a snack bar and checked my email. Then I took a nap in my dressing room. Then I hit my lines in one take with full throttle passion. I think they refer to this style of Method Acting as Stanislavsky with a touch Brecht and a little bit of MC Hammer.
The camera does not turn around to allow us to see the masterpiece you are painting that Franco says he will put it in the hospital art show.
I’m painting a vagina. In violent red paint streaks. Duh.
Are you hearing the Emmy buzz?
I also believe the role of “Patient” deserves a Daytime Emmy, but it is just an honor to be nominated, at least by Twitter. So far, 12 people have helped tweet #Emmy4Wong. This is the making of a movement folks!
How can we get you on the show again or that Emmy?
Suggested tweets to stretch this fame out at least another four lines…
“#GH fans! PLS tweet @GeneralHospital to bring @mskristinawong's character back! A @DaytimeEmmys is mine! #emmy4Wong”
“Riveting #GH performance by @mskristinawong that deserves a @DaytimeEmmys At least give her character a name! #emmy4Wong @GeneralHospital”