00:00Finding love is not about finding a right person. It's about being the right person.
00:05When you're positive and very upbeat, eventually the person that will get to you will come eventually.
00:11It takes patience.
00:27Hello, Danny. Welcome to the Variety Studio.
00:30It's really great to be here.
00:32So tell us first of all about your costume. You are Poe.
00:35That's right, Poe from Teletubbies.
00:37In addition to that, I just really wanted to thank the Trixie Cosmetics for gifting me the Trixie Cosmetics Teletubbies set.
00:46So huge thank you to Trixie for this wonderful set, and that helps complete the Poe costume.
00:52How did you end up deciding on doing Poe from Teletubbies as your costume?
00:56Well, the reason why I decided to end up as Poe from Teletubbies is because I noticed that my fellow cast members,
01:03Abby and David, were huge fans of Teletubbies, and they've got their Teletubbie merch.
01:07And I've also said that I would love, and I saw contacted on Instagram that I would love Teletubbies, anything Teletubbie merch.
01:17Because Teletubbies is part of my childhood.
01:19So I was very, they're very grateful and really nice, and they gave me the specialized Trixie Cosmetics brand to promote Teletubbies.
01:28And therefore, I'm just wearing the Poe costume.
01:30I found Poe, I've used the Poe costume quite interesting because the makeup set that they provided is very, the Poe makeup is very easy to put on.
01:40So you watched Teletubbies as a child?
01:43Yeah, that was part of my childhood.
01:44What did you enjoy about Teletubbies? What do you remember about the Teletubbies?
01:47What I really remembered about the Teletubbies is very simple, the way that they dance, the characters, they dance, they interact with one another.
01:56And the story, it's a very simplistic storytelling, as you could just interact with the characters quite well and what their favorite things are.
02:04So let's talk about Comic-Con. What have you seen so far that's really impressed you?
02:09What have you enjoyed seeing? And what do you look forward to when you come to Comic-Con?
02:13So first of all, at Comic-Con, I really love the exhibit hall, everything about the exhibit hall that they have provided.
02:20And there are a lot of fan encounters. I have so many fan encounters from many different fans that have watched the show Love on the Spectrum.
02:29It's really nice. It can be overwhelming and packed at times, but I enjoy it anyways, no matter whether I'm exhausted or not.
02:37And, of course, you're an animator, so I assume you really enjoy seeing some of the animation exhibits, seeing some of the artwork.
02:46What do you enjoy looking at and what are you looking for animation-wise when you come to here?
02:51The best part, what I'm most looking forward to, is because I have one of my students, Maya Viets, from Ohio, premiering her short film called Mela Rocca and Friends, Mela Rocca and Her Autistic Friend Blah Blah.
03:05I'm helping her premiere her short film at San Diego Comic-Con, San Diego International Children's Film Festival on July 27th in Room 9.
03:14I'm really excited. In addition, alongside with the new English, I mean, let me try this again, alongside with a brand new dub by Tara Strong's Voicelings for another short film that was premiered last year by one of my other students from Dini Mation, Peyton Hepler's short film, Isaac and the Firefly Queen, with a new voice cast by Tara Strong's Voicelings.
03:37I was going to say, so you have quite a history coming to Comic-Con. How often have you come to Comic-Con?
03:41I've come to Comic-Con like almost every year as much as I can. I've been to Comic-Con ever since 2011.
03:49Wow, wow. That's a long time. And you still enjoy coming here? You still enjoy looking?
03:53I definitely do enjoy coming here, and I really love trying to do as best as I can to enjoy all four days of Comic-Con as much as I can, no matter the schedule, my busy schedule.
04:04That's great. And you mentioned that a lot of people come up to you, they recognize you from Love on the Spectrum. What is that like for you to run into so many fans?
04:14What is it like for me to run into so many fans? I just felt my heart would definitely glow every time when fans commented about how great I've been and everything I've helped inspire.
04:26They say lots of positive things about how much positive impact I've helped for the autism community, showing them that anybody, even those on the autism spectrum, can date and can find a potential partner.
04:40And also because I'm in a relationship right now, Henry.
04:46Congratulations. I'm sure that's the question that a lot of people ask you.
04:51And is that interesting for you to have people ask you about your personal life?
04:56And what is that like for you to share your personal life with the world?
05:00Well, what is it like for me? Well, for me, I just feel it's really great. I feel so grateful to share my story.
05:07Usually, I'm very positive, very upbeat to share my story about my personal life and especially about my relationship.
05:14Other times, there's some, usually the most positive stuff.
05:18Do people give you advice or do they ask for advice?
05:22They do ask for advice of what can I do to help be able to be better at dating.
05:27And I would give them the advice. The most important advice to them I give is to not just have fun and be your true self.
05:34Remember that finding love is not about finding the right person.
05:39It's about being the right person.
05:41When someone is positive and making a big change, they would eventually find the nice potential partner.
05:48The potential partner will come eventually.
05:51It takes patience, lots of patience.
05:54And also, please set your boundaries from the very beginning when you get to know the person.
05:57And you know exactly the kind of person you wanted to date, the kind of relationship that you wanted to have.
06:06And so, in finding someone like your current relationship, what did you find in Henry, for example, that was right for you?
06:14So, what was right for me with Henry is that he's very understanding about my autism.
06:20He's hardworking.
06:22He's very hardworking.
06:24He definitely is independent with his own, apart, with his own house.
06:29Let me try this again.
06:30Henry is very independent with his own place.
06:34He has a nice, hardworking job.
06:36And most importantly, he understands my autism and accepts me for who I am is the most important thing.
06:43So, the best relationships usually comes from the most important things, being able to understand each other.
06:51What has it been like for you to be on television and to watch yourself?
06:56Do you watch yourself?
06:57Do you watch Love on the Spectrum yourself?
06:59I do watch the episodes of Love on the Spectrum and seeing myself through this own journey
07:03and getting to see the fan reactions of how I acted, certain parts.
07:08Yeah, they can be, it's really nice, but also can be cringy at the same time, seeing myself on TV.
07:14But you're happy that you did it, it sounds like?
07:16It does, yes.
07:17And I'm very grateful to be part of all three seasons of the show.
07:21Just wanted to give a huge thank you to Keanu Cleary and Northern Pictures for having me be part of, like, all three seasons.
07:27I'm very grateful.
07:28Oh, and by the way, Love on the Spectrum Season 3 got nominated for five Emmys.
07:33Congratulations.
07:35That is fantastic.
07:37When you talk to fans, what do they usually ask you?
07:40What is something that is probably perhaps the most common question that you get asked?
07:45The most common question I would often get asked, well, they don't, most of them don't really ask questions about it.
07:51They would say good comments about, I really love you on the show.
07:54You're my huge inspiration.
07:56And other times they would ask me, like, what are, can you give me some dating advice for my son, daughter, whatever?
08:04So it's, it really depends on the context.
08:07And, and back to your animation and your, you know, the, what, what sort of really inspires you with animation?
08:15What, what draws you to, are there specific pieces of animation that you've seen at this Comic-Con that impressed you?
08:22Or what, what kind of draws you to, what, what types of animation are you drawn toward these days?
08:27Well, animation has been my life ever since I was a little kid.
08:31I grew up watching cartoons.
08:33And I really love all the, the variety of different styles of animation.
08:37Whether it's some cartoons from the West, American, Canadian, anime, or from France, you get it.
08:44There's, everybody's styles are completely different.
08:46And I love to see the variety of different styles of like animation being made from different parts of the world.
08:52It's good to take some inspirations from like everybody's work.
08:55And one of the advice for those who wants to get into animation and wants to create their own style,
09:01always take inspiration from different pieces of it.
09:04Don't just steal some, don't just copy somebody else's, just take parts of it and put in your own intake to it.
09:10What is your dream project?
09:12Is there a certain company that you would like to work with animation wise?
09:17Is there a certain film that you'd love to work on?
09:21So for me, I've always wanted to create an animated series because I have done a senior thesis film from Woodbury University called The Audition.
09:30I wanted to expand it to a television animated series about a Zodiac themed circus that travels to different parts of the world.
09:38And when they do their circus shows, they must learn how to like solve problems when things don't turn out well.
09:45That's great.
09:46That's great.
09:47And are you still filming new seasons of Love on the Spectrum?
09:50Well, that's a good question.
09:52I cannot reveal any of the details for season four yet, but I will give you some more details eventually by the time Love on the Spectrum gets released.
10:01It sounds like there'll be a happy story for you if the show does return for a fourth season.
10:06Anything else that, you know, when you talk to your fans, the kinds of advice that you give in terms of relationships and your experience on being both on television but also finding love while you've been on television,
10:23what advice would you give others who may have that similar experience?
10:26First advice is be your true self.
10:29Second of all, just set your boundaries from the very beginning when you get to know the person.
10:33Go on at least four to five dates before you just express your love.
10:38And if you get rejected, there's always another chance to find somebody.
10:43Always find another plant to grow.
10:46If you fail to grow another plant, grow another one.
10:51And remember, finding love is not about finding a right person.
10:56It's about being the right person.
10:58When you're positive and very upbeat, eventually the person that will get to you will come eventually.
11:04It takes patience.
11:06That is excellent advice.
11:09While you're here in San Diego and at Comic-Con, is there anything in particular that you are excited to see or looking forward to?
11:15A panel, a booth, anything that you sort of really wanted to see this time?
11:21Well, I'm really excited to see most of Comic-Con, especially getting to see all, I would take any opportunity.
11:29So what I'm most excited the most is having my student from Dee Dee Mason be able to premiere her short film,
11:35plus being part of the San Diego International Children's Film Festival booth at Comic-Con.
11:38So we're going to be screening, we're going to be premiering our two films, Isaac and the Firefly Queen, the new Voicelings dub,
11:47and Mellow Rock and Friends, Mellow Rock and her autistic friend, Blah Blah, produced, created by Maya Vietz,
11:55going to be premiering in Room 9 at 2.15 by the San Diego International Children's Film Festival.
11:59So don't miss it.
12:01Excellent. And your final piece for Emmy voters, as they decide whether or not, what should win the award this year?
12:10What is your advice to Emmy voters, or your suggestion to Emmy voters in picking Love on the Spectrum as their choice?
12:17So the most important thing is a choice for anybody that is voting for the Emmys.
12:22Choose the best category that definitely fits anything that is the most authentic and real as possible.
12:27All right. Well, Dani, thank you so much for coming by.
12:31No problem. Anytime. Thank you. It's great having you.
12:34We good?
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