interview by JANA LETONJA
Making your feature-film debut is a milestone in itself, but Kiki Seto is doing it by stepping into one of cinema’s most enduring stories. She stars as Talia Shire in Amazon MGM’s highly anticipated I Play Rocky, which chronicles the remarkable true Hollywood story behind Sylvester Stallone’s fight to get Rocky made and his determination to play Rocky Balboa himself. With the film arriving in select theaters November 6 before opening wide November 20, Kiki is making an unforgettable entrance onto the big screen by portraying the actress behind Adrian, one of the most beloved characters in the Rockylegacy.
photography by TIFFANIE MARIE
I Play Rocky is your feature-film debut. What goes through your mind when you say that out loud, and realize this is the movie that gets to be your first?
It's a really special feeling. Tto be in my first feature film and to be able to portray Talia Shire, who is a legendary actress, and Adrian, who is one of the most iconic characters of all time, is such a privilege and an honor.
Playing a fictional character is one thing, but you’re portraying a real actress who played an iconic character. How did that affect the way you approached Talia?
Playing Talia and Adrian required me to understand who each of them were separate from one another. It required two separate backstories, voices, movement styles, etc. But I also approached them from different directions.
With Adrian, I worked mechanically backwards. I studied everything about the way she moved and spoke and would move and speak in that way until it lived in my body. After that, I’d ask myself what motivated her to move in that way until her character thoughts and actions lined up.
With Talia, I wanted to know as much about her as I possibly could. I did a bunch of research online and bought an e-book called The Talia Shire Handbook - Everything you need to know about Talia Shire. I studied her as herself, as well as who she was as an artist through watching and listening to her movies, interviews, and podcasts. Ultimately, the Talia that comes to life on the screen is a combination of my research, who Talia is in speaking with her, what was on the page, and what I could bring from my own instrument as an actor.
How much research did you do into Talia Shire, not only her performance as Adrian, but who she was as a person and an artist at that particular moment in her career? (This might feel a bit redundant)
I did a lot of research on Talia to understand who she was as a person and where she was as an artist in that period of her life. I understood that she had already filmed The Godfather 1 and 2, and was Academy nominated for Best Supporting Actress in The Godfather 2, and that Rocky would be her first leading lady role in a major motion picture.
I also understood, of course, that she's a Coppola, that she is in a family of filmmakers. I knew by speaking with her, but also reading about her, that she had a baby right before filming Rocky, so I think that definitely played into who Talia was at the time.
Did you go back and watch the original Rocky differently once you knew you would be part of telling the story behind it?
I probably rewatched the movie 200 times and I would rewatch whatever scene we were working on 50 to 100 times before filming, just to make sure I could count Adrian’s steps, understand her tone, etc.
I love this question because it makes me think back to certain scenes where I was studying Adrian and her movements, and I would think to myself, “Geez, Talia Shire is a genius” because there were so many interesting mannerisms, the way Adrian moves her hand or tilts her head, that I'd physically never done with my own body until I studied Adrian, or really, Talia as Adrian.
The original Rocky is ultimately an underdog story, and the story of getting the movie made is itself an extraordinary underdog story. Did that theme resonate with you personally as an actor making your feature debut?
One thousand percent. I have goosebumps when I talk about this because it’s truly so incredible that this was my first feature film since it’s so in line with my experience as a person. I think so many of us can relate to having a dream, and having many people tell us “no” or suggest that our dreams are too big or can’t be realized.
I think this movie is really important because it shows that miracles do exist, and to be in this film feels like my own miracle. I’m so grateful to be a part of that story and that message.
The film takes audiences behind something they may feel they already know incredibly well. What surprised you most when you learned the real story behind the making of Rocky?
I had no idea how many curveballs took place behind the making of Rocky, but I do believe that it’s due to all those extraordinary circumstances that Rocky is the film that it came to be.
I'm incredibly inspired by Sylvester Stallone and his story, and I think it will resonate with so many people because believing in ourselves and following our dreams is part of the human experience.
Rocky has been part of popular culture for generations. Did stepping into that world, and recreating pieces of film history, ever feel intimidating?
I think more than anything, it was nostalgic. I think back to when we were filming at Rocky's old apartment in Philadelphia, and there were people there who were living in that building at the time the original Rocky was being filmed, and they said it was so nostalgic for them. There were people screaming out the windows, “Yo, Adrian!” and it was just really exciting to be a part of it.
You’re now experiencing major premieres and press opportunities alongside the cast for your very first feature. What part of this whole experience has felt the most surreal so far?
The most surreal moment was probably at CinemaCon, which was my first press event. In the very first room I walked into, Ryan Gosling came in to tell us that he loved I Play Rocky. He's shaking our hands, and I'm just like, “Wait, what's happening right now?”
This project introduces you to a much wider audience. What would you like to tackle next in terms of roles and genres?
What’s at the forefront for me is telling compelling stories and playing characters that I find really interesting. There’s something to learn in every experience and I’m open to trying different things and letting that be a discovery.
Who is Kiki outside of acting? What keeps you grounded and fulfilled?
Honestly, I have a full life outside of acting that I completely depend on to keep me grounded. I have really close friends and family, and I also study Chinese medicine. I practice qigong and yoga and cook a lot. I spend most of my time studying, but I also love being in nature and rock climbing. I think we all need things that keep us centered, and I’m super lucky to have so many outlets for that.
