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Karen Fukuhara has carved out an impressive career, especially in recent times. Apart from her roles in “Bullet Train” and the popular animated series “Craig of the Creek” on Cartoon Network, she’s earned a strong fanbase through her character Kimiko in Amazon Prime Video’s gritty superhero series “The Boys.” With the show’s ongoing success, it’s highly likely we’ll be seeing more of Fukuhara in the future. However, her journey in the entertainment industry didn’t begin with acting, but as a celebrity interviewer on the Disney Channel.
While promoting “The Boys” season 4 in a Collider interview, Fukuhara revisited her early days on the Disney show “Movie Surfers.” The show comprised of children interviewing celebrities and discussing upcoming films for their viewers. Fukuhara spent some time in the early 2000s as a young entertainment journalist on the show.
“I began as an interviewer. I was part of Disney’s ‘Movie Surfers’ during my middle school years, and I was the one conducting interviews on the red carpet and at press junkets. I even visited the Pixar lot, where I got a firsthand experience of the animation process and interviewed directors and actors.”
While it’s not a traditional entry into the industry, many former Disney stars have built successful careers. Names like Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake come to mind. Fukuhara reminisced about her first red carpet experience, which was for the blockbuster Disney movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” However, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
“My maiden red carpet was for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ and it was the most terrifying experience of my life. We had to chase down celebrities and request interviews, shouting names like ‘Johnny! Johnny, please!’ If they liked you, they’d approach, but if not, you’d miss out on your interview. I felt like I’d let my entire team down, and I was just in middle school. It was incredibly tough!”
Karen Fukuhara’s stint on Disney’s Movie Surfers sparked her desire to act
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Fukuhara would take some time before transitioning into acting, with her debut in the 2016 DC blockbuster “Suicide Squad,” where she starred alongside Will Smith. Her career then took off with roles in “She-Ra and the Princess of Power” and eventually, she featured in the Oscar-winning “The Boy and the Heron,” among other projects, while establishing her iconic role on “The Boys.” But it was her time on “Movie Surfers” that kindled her interest in acting and the film and TV industry.
“Being on that show gave me an insight into the creative and magical aspects of the film and TV industry. I believe that glimpse ignited my desire to be a part of it.”
It’s safe to say things have turned out well. Prime Video has already renewed “The Boys” for a fifth season, which means Fukuhara will reprise her role as Kimiko one last time before venturing into other films and/or TV shows. It’s expected she’ll have numerous opportunities beyond this series.
“The Boys” is currently streaming on Prime Video, and the first two seasons are available on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
