Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Abominable’s Albert Tsai

At only fifteen, Albert Tsai is one of the most exciting young actors in Hollywood. He’s brought dynamic characters to life in series including Dr. Ken, 9JKL, and Coop and Cami Ask the World. This fall, he’s added another major accomplishment to his already impressive career, voicing the character of Peng in Abominable. It’s not only his first voice-over role, it’s also his feature film debut. Pop Culturalist sat down with Albert to chat about Abominable.

PC: Tell us about Abominable, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Albert: Abominable is the story of a teenage girl named Yi who finds a yeti on the roof of her apartment building. She and her friends, Peng and Jin, name him Everest and embark on an epic adventure across China to reunite him with his family in the Himalayas. I play Peng, a fun-loving, energetic kid who quickly bonds with Everest. He has a ton of fun on their adventure together! Peng is also the optimist of the group. Abominable is my first major voice-over project, and when I read the script, I instantly knew I wanted to be a part of this movie.

PC: How similar or different are you to Peng?
Albert: I’m similar to Peng in many ways: we’re both fun-loving, confident, and foodies! We’re also both very energetic and playful. However, I would say I’m a bit more cautious than Peng since he likes to jump before he looks, so to speak.

PC: What can you tease about the dynamic between Peng, Yi, Jin, and Everest? What do they learn from each other on their adventure?
Albert: Peng, Yi, and Jin grew up together in the same apartment building and they’re really like a family. Peng looks up to both Yi and Jin, while they feel a sense of responsibility towards Peng, especially Jin. As for the dynamic between Peng and Everest, they become best friends and love playing as they go on their journey throughout the movie. Peng, Yi, Jin, and Everest all sort of learn from each other’s best qualities as they bond on their adventure.

PC: This is your first time voicing an animated character. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the transition like going into this form of acting?
Albert: Working in voice-over is a very different experience than live action because you don’t see any of the other characters or the sets. You have to imagine in your mind what your character is doing or thinking and portray that through your voice. The other difference when it comes to voice-over is that you don’t get to use any facial expressions or body language to portray your character, it’s just your voice, so the tone of your voice has to tell the story.

PC: You’re best known for your roles in Coop and Cami Ask the World and Dr. Ken. How did those projects help prepare you for Abominable?
Albert: My past acting experiences have definitely prepare me for Abominable since a lot of voice-over acting is being able to portray the character and land jokes with just your voice, so being on comedic shows helped with that. There were parts of my characters on both those shows that I was able to infuse into Peng as well.

PC: What has being a part of this project meant to you and your career?
Albert: Being part of Abominable has meant so much to me and I’ve learned a ton from being able to see the entire process of creating an animated feature film, from just a script to storyboarding to finally 3D animation like you see in the theaters. I’ve been recording for Abominable since I was twelve, so this whole experience and the character of Peng will always have a special place in my heart.

PC: What do you hope audiences walk away with after seeing Abominable?
Albert: I hope audiences walk away from seeing Abominable touched because the movie really is such a heartwarming story about family and friends and how far you are willing to go for those you love. Another big theme of Abominable is perseverance and how you should never give up, even if things seem impossible.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Albert: Reign on The CW

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Albert: Home Alone

PC: Favorite book?
Albert: The Harry Potter series

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Albert: Wicked or Mamma Mia!

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Albert: Celine Dion

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Albert: Designated Survivor Season 3

PC: Hidden talent?
Albert: I know how to use a puppet!

To keep up with Albert, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch Abominable in theaters now!

Photo Credit: Wes Klein