After Hours: Dustin Kimura

What did you do to prepare yourself for the role of “Dustin Kimura” in the series Codename: Danger?

My agent called me to let me know there was a casting call and they were looking specifically for an Asian male to play in one of the leads. So of course I’m thinking “oh great, there are only like five of us in Hollywood and it’ll most likely go to Jet Li, Daniel Dae Kim or John Cho.” But it would have been my luck they’d choose Bobby Lee. But I looked over the script enthusiastically, my interest growing more and more as I saw how detail oriented with technology the part called for. That of course caused me to doubt my chances of winning the role even more. The day of the audition I went in, mouth dry and palms sweaty and who do I see leave the audition booth before me? Yep, Bobby fucking Lee. Honestly I was about to turn around and leave right then but I had made the forty-five minute drive through traffic to get there and I needed to just believe in myself and my ability. And I gotta say I pretty much nailed it. Later on I heard that Bobby was only there filming a piece for one of his side projects. Still, it twisted my stomach in knots seeing him.

What’s surprised you the most about being selected for this role?

I was beyond ecstatic landing the part. I had studied the script a week in advance to try and nail the persona that was written. And from what I understood about the character he was originally slated to be a homosexual. I went into the audition with that mindset, play the character as it was written, but I didn’t want him to be overly flamboyant. When I was actually cast in the role I was surprised to see that he’d had a sexual preference change.  

What’s the biggest myth about playing a Federal Agent in Codename: Danger?

That they (Federal Agents) are a bunch of pushovers or blowhards. I think a lot of series depicts the FBI one way or the other. They are either coming into a situation like the big dogs in the park barking orders to the little guy and making them feel like crap or being taken advantage of by other acronyms in the government. I think Codename: Danger takes a nod to both and does it well. Also it mixes the types of cases the team becomes involved in and shows that sometimes you can’t go by the book or stay completely in the black or white, there are gray areas.

What’s the most challenging part about playing a spy?

Well if I told you, I’d have to kill you. Damn I’ve always wanted to say that. Uh, the stunt work I think. A lot of people when they watch the series Codename: Danger, they’ll think that much of what takes place on screen is the work of doubles and a lot of CGI or whatever but that’s just not true. I’ve had two broken fingers, a few sprained ankles and a dislocated shoulder courtesy of some of the action scenes throughout the series seven seasons run.

What seems to be the biggest obstacle for “Dustin Kimura”?

I think that changes often during the series. In the first season it was his ability to operate his job effectively without his equipment which was confiscated by the CIA at one point. Later it became the team itself. There was a time when they lost their leader and Kimura’s friend because she was on the run. During that time they were too involved with trying to clear her name that many things slipped, like Kimura’s personal life. In the final season it’s his past and unresolved conflicts from his home land.

Are there any spoilers you can reveal to us concerning “Dustin Kimura”?

Hmm…let’s see. Oh, pretty soon he’ll have resolution to a long standing conflict. I don’t know if I can go into more details but I think many might enjoy the end of the chapter.

What do you love about being an actor?

The ability to test how well I can lie. Haha no kidding though that’s all acting is, making a lie so believable on camera that the audience falls for it every time. What I love about being an actor though is getting to travel to so many wonderful countries, immersing myself in new cultures and becoming anything and anyone I want then at the end of the day, taking off that mask.

How do you handle negative criticism and rumors?

I think there’s a certain amount of criticism that irks anyone, no matter how much they want to believe they have a stony exterior. Words can hurt and often find their marks. The best way to deal with it though is take it in stride. It also doesn’t hurt to have someone to snuggle up with when things get too tough. I’m grateful to my wife for that.

What is your favorite flavor?

Vanilla…no chocolate…no uh…peach no, mango, yes mango. I love mango flavored stuff.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?

Buy every gadget known to man and then have a field day tearing it all apart, tinkering with it and learning how they worked so I can create the biggest robot known to man. I’d love my robot and teach it human commands so one day it can grow to be a real boy. And on that day I’ll teach it how to do all of my chores so I can devote more time to gaming. Yep, that’s my dream in life!

What is one of your favorite quotes?

“Live for Today”.

Who would win between a ninja and a pirate?

Uh…duh? Ninjas own face! There’s no way a pirate could take on a ninja! They own the night, the pirates wouldn’t stand a chance because they wouldn’t even hear them coming. Forget making splashes or waves in the water, they’d tread across the surface without creating a single ripple, slice through every swash buckling buccaneer and be home before the rising sun!

If you could speak to one type of animal, what would it be?

Cats. I seriously think they are the most evil animal in history. I’d like to be able to communicate with them that way when they are finally all set to prepare their kitty army to take over the world they’ll know my intentions and won’t harm me or my family. And on the other hand, I’d be able to understand what they were plotting and possibly thwart their hostile takeover of the planet. Cats are evil.

What is your favorite fast food restaurant?

Subway, eat fresh!

What cartoon character best describes you?

Bart Simpson. The mischievous brat that likes to prank any and everybody he comes across but still has a loveable quality and knows when to be serious and loyal as both friend and brother.

Do you like to cook?

I do! I’m actually a great cook but my wife and I share that chore in our house. If I’m working late, which happens more often than her, she’ll have something hot and waiting for me. And afterwards we have dinner together. *smiles* I’ve had a fun time introducing her to my native cuisine, the right way, none of that dial up Asian flavor stuff.

What was your first job?

I worked as a bagger at a local grocer in South Korea. I was so good at it that I would be tipped by the customers who frequented the place most.

What is your favorite movie?

Uh it’s a toss-up between Star Wars and the Godfather. Although The Matrix is pretty high on my list too.

What’s your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?

Gaming. Lately I’ve been getting my wife Mica into it too and it’s quite interesting actually. She’s…she’s a real screamer. Well I already knew that *wink* but when we’re under attack holy crap I have to remove my headsets. The woman could break glass! She’s not very good at them though; she dies a lot. But it’s fun getting to save my Damsel in Distress. I absolutely adore the fact that she’s involved enough with the things I love whether or not we win in the end.

Where are you from?

Seoul, South Korea.

Do you have any pets?

Yep! Three. A Weimaraner, German Shepard and a Pitt/Weim mix named Pixie, Thor and Loki; Mica has a thing for mythology.

What is your favorite body part?

Mica’s ass. Even when she comes to bed a little later than me and it’s ice cold. I might scream a little, not gonna lie, but then she wiggles it and nudges closer and I forget what I was so afraid of. Oh…wait…on me? Well you did not specify. That’s easy though. My eyes. That way I can continue to appreciate Mica’s ass.

If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?

Dustin. I’ve already changed it and that was what I chose. It used to be Dae-Jung.

Which celebrity do you get mistaken for?

Daniel Dae Kim. Although I gotta say, I’m slightly more attractive. *Smiles*

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?

The Bourne Legacy, have you seen it? Oh God it was the worst play on spy work I’ve seen in quite a long time. It was slow, chase scenes were beyond boring and the movie just ended. I mean I’m sitting there waiting for something else to happen but nope, roll credits. I mean what was that? How do you end like that? The other movies in the series were great and not knocking Jeremy Renner’s acting because it was spot on but the writing and the direction of that film brought me to tears. Wasted time and money.

Who do you respect the most?

My Grandma Hua because if I don’t, I’d hear about it. But on a serious note, she’s the sweetest, most caring person I know. My family’s elder and that already demands the utmost respect. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her.

Would you like to be famous?

And have people constantly asking for my autograph, taking pictures of me, going through my trash to see what I ate or interrupting me in public just to shake my hand? Who wouldn’t? As thrilling as it has been to see my name up in lights, I enjoy my privacy and the simplicity of my life. Codename: Danger offered me one of the best opportunities of a lifetime but I don’t think I’d actively seek out fame.

Would you live with someone without marrying them?

Yes. I have done it twice to my recollection. Both times Grandma Hua hated it and badgered me endlessly until I told her I was planning on marrying this last one. She kept telling me how dishonorable it was and how disappointed I made her and how she needed more grandkids and I couldn’t give her grandkids shacked up with a single woman. When she started yelling in Korean I put on my headphones and turned Pandora up. 

Do you want children?

Yes. Plenty. And it will be my duty to please that booty countless nights until we reach that number. If I could borrow the motto of the U.S. Postal service *clears throat*: neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night will keep me from the warmth of her thighs. Alright I might have taken a liberty with the ending.

Do you still have your tonsils?

Absolutely! I have plans to die with all of my original body parts. If I have to get something out? It’s getting dry packed and stored in a freezer to be buried with me when I go! In fact, I’m gonna start saving every fingernail and toenail clipping and fallen hair in a box too. Ok maybe not…that just creeped me out. Plus I don’t know how I’d explain it if Mica ever found my squirreled away goodies. Oh honey, that’s, that’s just your dowry! I would definitely be sleeping alone for a week.

What is your favorite ice cream?

Mica dipped in chocolate but for some reason the local stores don’t carry it. I often fall back on my old trusty though, Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey.

Tell me about a favorite event of your adulthood.

Marrying the woman of my dreams.

What features did you inherit from your parents?

My eyes. My Mom to be precise. I did also inherit my smart ass, but that was courtesy of Grandma Hua. Although she’d deny it, then proceed to smart ass you in Korean so you didn’t understand. She’s sneaky, that old woman.

Cops or Robbers: which did you pretend to be as a child?

A ninja, but since that wasn’t a choice let’s go with cops, more specifically a meter maid. I was generally more interested in writing tickets and sending my sisters to jail if they refused to pay me in animal crackers or bubblegum.

What are your hobbies?

Gaming, gaming, gaming, finding new ways to tickle Mica and gaming. I also enjoy reading and by reading I mean listening to my wife read while I massage her feet.

What song inspires you the most?

“Eye of the Tiger” I mean…Rocky, hello? You play that and watch the whole room get up on their feet and sing along!

What is your favorite sport to watch?

The RFL – Robot Fighting League; that includes ComBots, BattleBots and Robot Wars. I often think about entering a champion of my own because I know I could supremely crush my competition but then I think how incredibly unfair that would be to my opponents. It’s a sport, look it up!

What's under your bed?

Probably Mica’s cell phone, she’s always losing that thing. Old remote; electronic pieces to random objects, magazines, stray clothes, socks and stuff. I probably shouldn’t mention this but there’s a box too. I’d probably lose about three inches if I talked about what’s in it but yeah. There’s a box.

Who was your first kiss?

First grade, recess, Byeon Hana near the swings. She smelled like Green Apple Jolly Ranchers and Elmer’s Washable School Paste. Man I could eat that all day. Paste…not that I ever did. Just saying.

If you dyed your hair, what color would you pick?

Orange. With my squinty eyes and defined bone structure I think I could probably pass as a Jack-o-Lantern on Halloween.

What is your favorite sound?

Hmm…probably Mica’s laugh or the sound of a noob biting it at the end of my Tomahawk, Ballistic Knife or M16 in CoD. Or my desktop, laptop, home entertainment system and gaming consoles powering on. It’s seriously the sound of happiness. If I could bottle those jingles I’d probably walk around smiling all day long.

If you were a Superhero, what would you call yourself?

Dynamotronic. I’d have the ability to control and manipulate electronic devices with my mind, electro static grip and a pair of specially designed blades that shoot lightning bolts. I’d ride on a jet powered board sort of like the Green Goblin that spits out fire and other projectiles when needed. My sidekick would be TechnoTron, a robotic tiger with the capability to turn into any mechanical object or weapon. Not that I’ve given much thought to it.

What’s your cell phone’s ringtone?

AC/DC’s Back in Black. Every time I get a call I’m tempted to just let it ring so I can hear it all the way through.

How many speeding tickets have you received?

Uh…haha you mean in the last week? Month? Year? What am I working with here? Over time? Wow! Well…I started driving when I was 14, officially I guess when I was 15. I got my first ticket for gunning it through a school zone because I had a curfew and didn’t want to wait for the bus to let the kids out. Did you know fines are nearly tripled in those areas when school’s in session? Yeah. That wasn’t fun to have to explain to Grandma Hua. Boy she slipped into Korean and a few other languages I didn’t even know she spoke. Actually now that I think about it, she was probably just speaking gibberish to fuck with me. But man was her face red! And counting the one I got last week taking Mica to Atlantic City, I’m gonna just round and say 40? I have a heavy foot. It’s hard to control sometimes.

How many times did you move as a child?

Once, I went to live with my Grandma when I was 10. Well twice if you count my family coming to the States.

Were you ever afraid of monsters under your bed?

Ha! No, never. When I was 8 I created an electronic bedroom sweeper. It was this sweet little invention that I placed on the bottom of my footboard and it had a blade attached to one end that would swipe beneath my bed to take care of anything hiding under there. My Dad made me take it apart though when Buttons, my sister’s cat, lost part of her tail but she shouldn’t have been in my room.

What is your greatest fear?

Dying unloved. It’s a strange thing for an actor to say or anyone in the public light. While you have legions of fans, listen to me, legions of fans. While there are a lot of people who like you and appreciate your work and “love” you, it’s not a profound love that you can feel every day and every night. Don’t get me wrong though, I love and am grateful for everyone who enjoys what I do and value me as their favorite or one of.

What are you best at?

Anything electronically operated. Computers, televisions, games – if it has a CPU I’m there. I think my skill set made me a real asset to the series because I didn’t have to fake a lot of what happened and offered real insight into the technical side of things for scripting purposes. Plus, I got to play with all these neat toys that were fresh on the market because they added authenticity to the show.  

What kind of woman would you like to marry?

The one I did. It was a very pleasant surprise having her cast as my on-screen love interest. That’s one blind date neither myself nor my character minded much. And it doesn’t hurt she’s the epitome of sexy.

How many languages do you speak?

Three. Korean, English and Mandarin.

Do you have any closing words?

May the force be with you! Goodbye and good luck!

That’s our time with Dustin, thank you for coming out today!

Thank you for having me, it was a blast.

Thank you out there for joining us! Stay tuned for more interviews with other Codename: Danger stars and many more!

*Author's note: You may be curious about the arrival of Dustin Kimura from Codename: Danger and saying to yourself "I thought this blog was for After Midnight". Well that is true, you've not stepped into a time portal and warped to the Twilight Zone, do not adjust your computer screens! After Hours is going 'global' so to speak. Instead of limiting this blog to the behind the scenes action of After Midnight, I've decided to open the interviews across the board. Look for more characters from Beauty, Cold Blooded and of course Codename: Danger! After all, tis the season to be merry and sharing is caring!*