Young actress Reagan To chatted about her latest projects and the digital age.
How did it feel to dub the Red-Light Green-Light Doll and Ga-Yeong in the Netflix series Squid Game?
It was magical. Ga-Yeong was a challenge, but a very fun role to voice. Finding the voice of the Squid Game Doll was harder. I didn’t know about the violent scenes, so the director and I figured out together a voice that feels natural but scary too..
When my mom and I are checking our TikTok and hear the “Red Light, Green Light” in a random video, we still get surprised. Working with the cast was also very inspiring. I love that I helped share an amazing story from Korea. It makes me happy to see so many awards for Squid Game from all over the world.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors?
Always be curious! I love trying something new. When I was on set for Jane the Virgin, I remember Gina Rodriguez showed me a cool video of her dancing. Hearing how she was talented in dancing and acting inspired me so much. Since then, I fell in love with a new performance, I go all in and practice extra hard to see how far I can go. When I feel curious, I also feel focused. I find that it helps me with acting, voicing, dancing, modeling, playing piano… and even baking.
What do your plans for the future include?
I just finished more voice roles with Netflix, and it’s always an amazing experience! Because my roles are often from oversea stories, I learn so much about characters with different cultures. I can’t reveal anything right now for my next project, but I’m really excited to be a part of an animation. I always wanted to be a cartoon character too, and I thought I was dreaming when my mom told me the studio called us.
When I get any news, I always can’t wait to share it with my fans on Instagram, so you can follow me for my next roles.
How does it feel to be an actress in the digital age (now with streaming services and technology being so prevalent)
I love showing all sides of my personality. TikTok and Instagram let me share my passions. It’s so awesome when people recognize me for my performances. Sometimes, an audience member comes up and tells me they feel alive after seeing me dance.
I feel the same in acting when I get to tell stories people haven’t heard before. It makes me feel so happy to see that I made a difference.
Which actors would you like to someday work with as your dream acting partners?
That is a hard question. I look up to a lot of actors. Dove Cameron has such a great personality. She seems very nice, and I would like to partner up with Dove. My dad and I have a tradition of watching these old Hong Kong action movies on the weekend. But recently I just saw Shang-Chi with my brother, and wow teaming up with Michelle Yeoh would be a dream come true.
As a Latin ballroom dancer, what’s the best performance you’ve ever done?
I’ve been competing in Latin dancing, and I feel thankful to travel for my performances. When I am on the dance floor, it has this feeling just like when I perform a new character in a movie. I was recently at the Hollywood Dancesport Competition, and my coaches helped me create a new dance to show off my personality.
I love how the dance shows how relaxed I feel while showing off my energy. Also, I’m so proud to win 2nd place in the US Embassy Dancesport championship. I want to thank my coaches, Shirley Ballas, Natia Kuprava, and Viktor Shumylo, for their tireless effort to inspire and motivate me.
In your opinion, what are the most important traits a dancer should have?
Dancing and modeling taught me to focus. Sometimes at competition, I feel like I get distracted by thinking about the last steps. But that’s when I remember I need to focus, and then I pull myself back in. It’s just like acting in front of the camera.
The whole crew and cast are all watching you, and from the corner of my eyes, I see my mom glaring at me telling me to relax. But then I catch myself, and I think that oh wait… I’m here to tell a story. I need to focus on my performance if I am here to make a difference.
What does the word success mean to you?
I still have so much to learn about dancing and acting. I feel very lucky that my mom and dad support me. Right now, I think success is to never give up on auditions and competitions and to saying yes to new experiences.
I want to tell more stories in front of the camera with movies and films, and I’m training hard to win the world championship in Latin Dancing. I hope I can get there one day.
To learn more about Reagan To, follow her on Instagram.
