Carriage Ride with MTV's "Underemployed" Star Michelle Ang

Hey guys, Baruk here in New York, taking a carriage ride with Michelle Ang and giving my best shot at a New Zealand accent coming up only on Young Hollywood.

Michelle, I've got to start out by asking you, how do you transform your accent?

I would have had no idea.

Well, I mean, I'm from New Zealand, so I have a New Zealand accent. My character's American. I was given the choice and she just seemed so American to me. I mean, she works in a donut store, she graduated from a college in Chicago. But yeah, I I've done a couple of other projects with an American accent, so it wasn't too hard to transition.

Can you transition really quickly?

Oh my god, you're like totally putting me on the spot right now. I wish I could get into New Zealand accent. That's a little hard. You know what I have to say, that was kind of like the crew gimmick. Everyone on the crew, including the creator and my castmates, were constantly trying to do the New Zealand accent. And they failed. At best, they got the Australian accent. At best.

New Zealand

At best. At best. Best.

You're not too bad actually. I I'd give you like a eight out of 10. Something.

Yeah. I'll stick with the American accent for now.

Okay, good. Your character works in the donut shop.

She sure does. And has to wear a little donut hat.

It ain't little. It it's there. It's a big donut hat. It's like a Gaga donut hat almost.

You know what? That's probably the most flattering description of that plastic you know, the donut hat.

You think so? Yeah. Do you think maybe like it'll become so popular we might see it as a trend? I think you are a trend setter. Do you think that the show is going to inspire young people our age?

Um, in the sense, in the sense of the fact that you know that you're going through it with a whole generation. Um, obviously, some of our characters have larger obstacles than others and there's like triumphs. But there's also I I feel like our show's quite realistic in the sense that there are realistic triumphs. you know, like no one suddenly becomes a billionaire or no one lands their dream job straight away, you know.

Do you think that we have added pressures though these days when we see somebody like Justin Bieber achieving stardom so young? Do you think that young people feel like they need to make it big really quickly?

Yeah, that's you're that's an interesting thing. Um, you know, I think there there's a certain amount of like success that we attribute to exposure perhaps. And and there has been with the advent of social media and the ability for all of us to sort of get in front of people. I think that that's feels more accessible, so that does feel like a like a pressure. But then at the same time, I don't know, like for myself, I hope to have a really long-lasting career. Like I I kind of set my yard stick as you know, like someone who will continually work right through until I'm too old to work. Is that too much to ask? I don't know. Let's do it. Why not us? Right.

What's the craziest odd job that you've ever had to do while trying to pursue your career?

Being an actor, you spend like 80% of your time being like unemployed or underemployed. Um, I feel like I've yeah, I've told this before, but I I was once a director's assistant. But he did have really specific needs as in he wanted me to always be beside him, but he didn't want to be able to see me. So I had to stand always right beside him, but like one step back. He was very specific about the kind of condiments that he would eat with. So he would only have special mustard that was only bought from one certain place. Uh, and I probably can't give any more away because I I might give away the person.

How did you get through a job like that?

Swallowing my ego and pride.

Were you thinking the whole time one day I'm going to make it big and that's why I'm doing this?

I think I was thinking, one day, if I ever make it big, I will never be doing this. I'm yeah, that was it was kind of like I was really green. Uh and in New Zealand, we have, you know, we have like important people, but um, I'd never sort of been around that larger than life personality before, so it was kind of like a welcome to America and now you're in the big leagues.

Well, Michelle, we're really happy to be here with you. Congrats.

Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy the show. It's funny and entertaining and we can't wait.