Olivia Munn on The Newsroom

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Has anyone been watching The Newsroom on HBO? It's a new show from Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing, about the goings-on behind the scenes at a cable news program. In this week's episode, Season 1-Episode 6: Bullies, Sloan Sabbith (played by Olivia Munn) was interviewing a Japanese company spokesman, when she suddenly broke out into Japanese herself on the air when she was frustrated with the mis-translation of the appointed Japanese translator. I got a kick out of it.

I didn't even realize that the actor was half-Asian until she started speaking Japanese. Turns out, Olivia Munn is half-Chinese and half-German/Irish, but was raised in Tokyo, so she's fluent in Japanese. I liked how the writers incorporated the actor's language skills into her character for the storyline. Great show!

Ep. 6: Inside the Episode

Comments

Never watched the show but

by Zi on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 07:14

Never watched the show but just might give it a try sometime. I have been reading your blog for a while and just wanted to let you know that I have enjoyed it, being an Asian mom myself.

Thanks, Zi!

by Asianmommy on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 08:41

I find the show really thought-provoking. There's a scene in the first Episode about how America was once so great, but how we have faltered, and how we need to make changes in order to make it the greatest nation in the world once again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIffq85zMI4

I didn't know she was Hapa. I

by Bicultural Mama on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 11:30

I didn't know she was Hapa. I thought she looked like she might be a mixed of something. Cool to know she's half Japanese and the show incorporated her Japanese language skills.

Hi Bicultural Mama,

by Asianmommy on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 14:37

I think it's cool that she's half-Chinese, yet speaks Japanese. I wonder if she speaks Chinese, too.

I forgot she was hapa. She

by Tracey Black on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 22:39

I forgot she was hapa. She has a lot of freckles like me - must be the Chinese hapa thing. I just saw Magic Mike - and she was in it with Channing Tatum. I like her but I think she does the sexy thing a bit too much. How cool that she can speak Japanese.

Hi Tracey,

by Asianmommy on Fri, 08/03/2012 - 06:22

I'm always impressed with those who can speak multiple languages. Our current Chinese teacher speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, English, & Japanese. Wish I could do that, too!

I've been catching this on

by letti on Thu, 08/02/2012 - 23:21

I've been catching this on HBOgo online, just because I don't know what time anything comes on anymore, what with the little boy and all, and yeah, it was great to see Olivia using her skills on the show like that.

Hi Letti,

by Asianmommy on Fri, 08/03/2012 - 06:26

Yes, I hope they increase her presence on the show--I like her character.

BF told me about the show. He

by savvy gal on Mon, 08/06/2012 - 16:05

BF told me about the show. He liked it but I have not had a chance to watch it yet.

Hi Savvy gal,

by Asianmommy on Mon, 08/06/2012 - 19:29

I'm enjoying the show--the lack of vampires appeals to me. :)

Great Show

by Daniel on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 03:12

Greetings! Just to let you know, I ended up on your blog by googling Olivia's Japanese. Her accent was way too good to have just been practiced for the scene. As for the show itself, I got hooked on it from the first episode.