By Joseph Pimentel
JANUARY 11, 2008
Asianjournal.com
FilAm Actress Leading the Way
LOS ANGELES — Actress Camille Mana is her art.
best known for her recurring role as Lisa, an “They thought it was just a whim,” she
underachiever on the defunct UPN TV show recalls. To Mana, it was her passion.
One on One. In real life, however, Mana, is It wasn’t a success story from the beginning
anything but. for Mana. Her first audition in high school was
“I’ve worked real hard with a strange level of a let down. Her perseverance paid, however,
focus most people would describe as insanity,” when she got cast in a community theater
she said. production of Oklahoma.
The 24-year-old thin loquacious actress “It was funny because here I was a small
with Filipino and Chinese looks is a certified Filipino girl in Oklahoma,” she said. “From
hard-worker. She has a successful acting there, they [her parents] were stuck.”
resume that spans more than seven years from Later, her young career earned Mana
commercials, television to films. She has an numerous acting awards. She later on drove
Economics degree from UC Berkeley, finishing to Los Angeles for more professional acting
in only six semesters. classes. “This was my side life,” she said. “My
Recently, she became an award-winning parent’s allowed me to do it as long as I
producer when her short film Equal maintained my 4.3 grade point average.”
Opportunity won Best Film in NBC/Universal’s No success in sight
First Annual Comedy Shortcuts Film Festival in Unbeknownst to her agent, Mana had been
2006. The award led to a $25,000 development attending UC Berkeley. In spite of the distance,
deal with NBC/Universal. she went on auditioning for parts with little
The short film shows a typical multi-racial success.
workplace where co-workers take a break and “I was determined,” she said. “I would fly to
talk to each other freely, unmasking the normal Los Angeles on four hours notice. My agent
political correctness afforded in modern-day never knew I was going to school. But I never
interaction. missed an audition. I got down here paid for
This year, Mana will be seen showcasing the flight with my own money even if I had
her acting prowess next to legendary screen a former “rocket scientist” during the Cold War finals the next day. It seemed like it was a losing
and TV actor Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica (“He actually holds a patent for many of the battle. I would read one line and wouldn’t get
Parker in the Miramax movie Smart People. technologies that came out during that time.”) a call back.”
She is also playing a female lead role in the while her mom was a “typical Filipina working From 2001 to 2005, she played bit parts in
Lionsgate teen movie comedy, College, set as a nurse.” Hollywood. She shot one episode of Angel,
to debut at the same time as Smart People Growing up in Orange County, Mana was the The OC and a few other television series but
sometime in April. baby of the family with a lot of expectations. Her never quite had a chance to fully showcase her
Despite all her successes in such a short parents expected her to follow her brother’s talent.
amount of time, she’s hoping her performances footstep, who at the time was studying to be a Her big break came when UPN revamped
can give way to more chances for Asian and doctor. Mana, however, became interested in the show, One on One.
Filipino American actors into the mainstream. show business at an early age. “The moment before One on One, I was
“I’m so blessed to be where I am,” she said. When she was nine, her parents brought her about to quit the business,” she said.
“There are so few opportunities for us. It’s to watch Phantom of the Opera. She credits her 22 recurring appearance
tough to be an Asian American actor. So many “It was like being struck by lightning,” said on the now defunct television series as her
of us go to college, have a degree, yet here Mana of the performance. “I was only nine training wheels.
we are reading for one line as the Chinese years old and I remember being so moved and “I was now one of the six leads,” she said.
delivery waiter, or the Asian prostitute. It can very emotional as a little girl.” “Having come from only doing bit parts, it’s a
be so degrading to even get that audition. We “I knew this is what I wanted to do. I knew I whole new world. I learned so much being on
are changing things…[but] there has to be wanted to be a professional actress and that’s the set everyday.”
more of us writing, producing and creating that,” she added. Reflecting on her success, she realizes that
stories that integrate Asian characters to the At the age of 12, she said she would ride a her confidence had to go through a period of
mainstream.” bike to the local library and bookstore reading “personal doubt and big challenges” before
It’s the reason why she spends so much “anything and everything about acting.” making it.
time dedicating herself to the involve more “I was reading about [Constantin] She advises those trying to make it in the
minorities in Hollywood. Stanislavski, and the method approach to industry to never give up their dream.
“That’s why I’m producing now,” she added. acting,” she said. “Then I would read all the “It’s all about how much you want it,” she
“You have to have writers and producers How-to-break-in-to-Hollywood books. I was said.
creating opportunities for Asian American just storing up the knowledge.” However, despite having achieved so much
actors.” However, her parent’s forbade her to pursue in so little time, Mana is not done calling it a
Determined such a lofty endeavor. It took Mana a lot of career yet.
Mana can’t quite put her finger where the conniving and convincing before her parents “I told you I was struck by lighting,” she said.
acting bug in her vein started. Her father was began to realize their daughter would give up “That fire in my belly has not gone out.” (AJ)
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