Rising actor Devin Kawaoka chatted about being a part of the series “Chicago Med” and “Shrinking.”
He grew up a downhill ski racer in Rochester, New York training to compete in the Olympics. He attended New York University, first as an undergraduate, and then at the Graduate Acting Program on a full merit scholarship. Devin won the Rosemarie Tichler Award for his performance in Unnatural Acts at the Classic Stage Company.
Kawaoka has also appeared on such television shows as “Lucifer,” Marvel’s “The Runaways,” and “Criminal Minds.”
‘Chicago Med’
He is recurring on the hit NBC series “Chicago Med” portraying first year surgical resident Dr. Kai Tanaka-Reed. “It has been great,” he said. “It’s an epic story about a hospital with all of these complex characters who are just as fallible as the everyday person and still the most heroic. There are a lot of beautiful actors on it who bring a lot of heart to it each Wednesday night, and the fans love it. I love being a part of Gaffney and getting to go to Chicago all the time. Who doesn’t love deep dish?”
“‘Chicago Med’ is a universe and you need to get into it… you need to watch ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Chicago Fire,’ and ‘Chicago P.D.’,” he added.
‘Shrinking’
Kawaoka also plays the role of Charlie in the Apple original comedy series “Shrinking” from Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. Charlie is the boyfriend of Brian played by Michael Urie. The series premiered on January 27.
“It has an incredible cast who are deeply funny and so kind. It has been a wonderful experience,” he said. “It’s a show about a therapist who loses his wife and all of the people that experience that loss whether it’s friends, co-workers, and family members and what it means to mourn but also being able to laugh while in the process of mourning. Every episode makes me laugh and cry at the same time.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Kawaoka said, “It’s weird because you never know when people are going to watch you.”
“Even now, I get texts from people when they saw me on ‘Lucifer’ and I did that several years ago. The digital age is really different. There is a lot more access to your work, in a way, and for an actor, that’s great,” he added.
For young and aspiring actors, Kawaoka said, “Keep working on your craft, keep becoming the best actor that you could possibly be. Study, learn, and take as many classes as you can. Acting truly is a craft. It’s all about a skillset.”
Dream acting partners
Kawaoka listed Robin Wright and Patrick Stewart as his dream collaboration choices in acting. “Robin is a prolific actress and director. She is always so grounded and strong while yet being so vulnerable,” he said. “Patrick Stewart would be amazing too. I grew up watching Jean-Luc Picard and it would be a dream to get to be in the same room as him, much less act with him.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Kawaoka said, “Taking things one step at a time.” “I need to put my best foot forward each day,” he said.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Kawaoka said, “Success means that I feel alive every day, that something surprises me and makes me feel excited. Also, feeling comfortable in my home.”
To learn more about Devin Kawaoka, follow him on Instagram.
