On his experience on Emerald Run, Chokachi said, “It is one of the better projects that I have been involved in. The character really spoke to me in the script. I identified with the struggles that he was going through and that made the character more fun to play since he was very relatable to me.”
“In the beginning, he gets beat down, and he is called upon to step up,” he said. “Through his journey out in the desert, he ends up finding some peace within himself and space again, which is a great thing to watch.”
Chokachi enjoyed filming the movie Emerald Run in the desert and working with such actors as Yancy Butler (Anna Thomas), Chris Mulkey (Alfio Sarda), Vernon Wells (Dodson), John Schneider (Martin Dwyer) and Michael Pare (Matteo Trino). “We would early call time, where we would see the sunrise, and then the sunset,” he said.
“Running through the canyons was a blast,” he admitted, prior to noting that he had so much fun working with his co-stars. “Working with Vernon Wells was phenomenal. He brought a sense of gravity to this project,” he said.
On being an actor in the digital age, Chokachi said, “It’s tough. You would think with all the various platforms as actors there would be more work, but it feels more competitive than ever. I am not sure why. It’s a grind, but when you come together and work on a film like this all of the hard work pays off. Making a movie is a super-fun process.”
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Young kids need to get into an acting class, and you need to find a way to support yourself while pursuing your dreams and you need to find a job and make some money. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of time and effort. Study and grow as a human being and as an actor, and put your best foot forward. You need to do the work.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Carpe diem.”
A Baywatch alum, Chokachi revealed that Baywatch is available on such streaming services as Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. “You can watch the first nine seasons of Amazon Prime, and on Hulu, you can watch all 11 seasons,” he said.
Chokachi had nothing but the kindest remarks about his Baywatch co-star Alexandra Paul, who played Lieutenant Stephanie Holden. “Alexandra is amazing. I love her,” he exclaimed.
On staying in top-notch shape, he said, “I eat healthy, I do a lot of exercise, I surf a lot in the ocean, and that keeps me young.”
When asked what his favorite stroke is in swimming, he listed “freestyle and breaststroke” as his personal favorites. “It’s a weird stroke but I love breaststroke. I still do,” he said.
He defined the word success as “being fulfilled internally” and “having inner peace.” “It doesn’t matter what people say about money and houses, if you don’t have peace of mind, you are missing out. I like to be grounded. I am grateful for what I have: I have a beautiful daughter and a beautiful wife,” he said.
Chokachi encouraged his fans to go see Emerald Run in theaters since he knows it will be a “cool experience.” “The fans will get to see a lot of really good actors deliver in this script. The fans get to go on a roller coaster ride,” he said.
Read More: Emerald Run received a glowing review from Digital Journal.
