Fil-Am actor Alain Uy hopes to play Aswang again on Grimm

Aswang as it appeared on Grimm

By now, many Filipinos have watched the "Mommy Dearest" episode on Grimm featuring our very own monster Aswang. The  storyline paved the way for Fil-Am actors Tess Paras and Alain Uy to guest on the the show.

Thanks to Facebook, I got to chat with Alain, who portrayed the aswang Sam. The character had to protect his pregnant wife from his deadly mother - flying all the way from the Philippines to quench her thirst for embryonic juice.

Alain Uy

You were awesome on Grimm! I feel proud we share the same surname! Hehe. And of course, you're Pinoy too. Congrats! 

Alain: Thank you! And thank you for watching the episode. So happy that I got to be a part of such a great show.

How old are you? Did you grow up in the US?

I'm 35 years old (getting up there hahaha). Born in Dagupan City and moved to Los Angeles when I was 6. So I basically grew up here in Los Angeles. But I have many fond memories of Philippines.

How was it like portraying an aswang alongside fellow Filipinos in Grimm?

It's funny, I was just talking to my friend about this yesterday. It's rare that I get to play an actual Filipino character. So it's always amazing when I get to do so. And with this Grimm episode, it's even more incredible to play such a well rounded, well developed, and well written character such as Sam. I loved working on this character. The cherry on top is the fact that he's an Aswang. (Hahaha). When I read the script, and found out that I get to morph into one of the creepiest and scariest thing I grew up fearing as a child, I nearly fell of my chair from excitement!

How did you land the role?

I landed the role by auditioning for it. It was actually only one audition. The casting director put me on video tape and submitted the tape to the producers who were in Portland (that's where they film the show). Typically, the producers ask for a second round of auditions. But not for this. I was actually away filming another project in Punta Cana when my manager called and told me that I got the job. It was a pleasant surprise.

How does it feel that a lot of Pinoys here were all praises about the episode?

Quite honestly, I didn't even know they had aired the episode back there yet. (Note: It aired on Jack TV last Monday) But it's humbling to hear that  the general response overall have been very positive, not just in the Philippines but here in the States as well. It was ranked #1 that night. One of the highest rated and most watched shows that night.

So it feels great to be a part of its success - albeit a small part.  All praises and credit go to the writers and producers at Grimm. They're the ones who decided to develop this storyline. But to answer your question, it feels amazing to know that a lot of Pinoys also received it well. It's actually quite exciting to read all the Twitter responses and the like.

Would we see you back in Grimm?

I spoke to one of the executive producers, Norberto, who also directed the show and he said there's a good chance that they explore Wu's storyline even more. And so the hope is that we do get to comeback and play again. But you never know. I'm hoping. But I'm also not holding my breath for it. Perhaps your blogger fans can help us get back on the show through social media support. .

Alain practicing his "scared shitless" face.

Do you have upcoming projects where we could watch you? 

I don't have many acting projects on the horizon. I'm up for a few roles - but nothing booked yet. I do a lot of voice over work too. I'm actually a character on the new Battlefield 4 video game.

The character on Battlefield 4 is Jin Jie. I play a Chinese dignitary. I did a lot of performance/motion capture on this - so it wasn't just voice over. I'm actually in the game - my face and likeness... Super cool! I also got to act and play with one of my really good friends, Michael K Williams. We've worked together on numerous projects in the past so it was great to work with him again on this project.

I've also been doing more directing recently. I'm directing a new music video by a group called Fitz and the Tantrums. And I'm also directing a music video for Tiesto too.

Wow. Looking forward to seeing your music videos. Thanks again! I'm sure your role in Grimm will open more opportunities for you because You're so AWESOME!

Thanks for the compliment. Happy to answer questions for you!