Exclusive Interview: Cathy Ang Talks ‘Wallbanger,’ the Story’s Celebration of Female Friendships, and Playing a Baddie

Cathy Ang shines as one of the industry’s most versatile rising talents. With her commanding presence and unwavering conviction, Cathy Ang effortlessly brings her comedic chops and dramatic prowess to life in projects such as And Just Like That…, Over the Moon, and My Best Friend’s Exorcism.

Currently, she stars in the romantic comedy, Wallbanger. Based on Alice Clayton’s 2012 New York Times best-selling book, Wallbanger is an irresistible tale of exasperation at first sight. Caroline is a young, single interior designer living in San Francisco who has been without a boyfriend for some time. She moves into an apartment that seems perfect, only to be awakened nightly by her neighbor, Simon, a.k.a. the “wallbanger.” The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly.

Cathy shines in her portrayal of Mimi, one of Caroline’s closest friends, a character brimming with lovable quirks. Throughout the journey, Mimi stands by her friend’s side, showing unwavering loyalty, and perhaps, finding love herself along the way.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Cathy about Wallbanger, how the film celebrates female friendships, bringing her interpretation of Mimi to life on the screen, and more.

PC: Throughout your career, you’ve been a part of numerous book-to-film adaptations. What was it about Wallbanger and your character Mimi that resonated with you?
Cathy: I haven’t read a lot of romance novels, but the characters felt very real. They’re talking about a problem that I feel like women don’t get to share very often, a lack of pleasure in the intimacy department. It was immediately hilarious.

It was actually like reading a rom-com script. It was so clear. You could visualize everything that Alice [Clayton] was writing. Mimi is the kind of friend that I would want. I love that she’s a go-getter. She’s particular in some ways.

Everything about this project was exciting and a bit new, even if I had worked on projects in the romance genre.

PC: As you brought this beloved character to life on screen, what’s something you wanted to ensure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new you brought to her?
Cathy: Her supportive side is naturally there in what the girls do together, how they talk, and everything. I wanted to make sure that she also felt current. The girls interact a bit differently than when it was originally written. But everything about the character in the book still rings very true, but there were times when there was a bit of improv that we got to do where we brought our own slang in some scenes. But I felt like I didn’t need to do anything to change her. She’s just a fun BFF.

PC: As you were saying, one of the themes of this film is the idea of chosen family. I love how this circle of girlfriends are always there uplifting one another. How did you and Kelli [Berglund] and Abbey [May] build that bond? Who were the women in your own life who have shown up for you in a similar way?
Cathy: I have been very lucky to have grown up with two older sisters who are my best friends, and also sometimes they’re like my mom. But that’s what it’s like when you have a group of girls. I’m very lucky where I’ve had that trio my entire life.

With Kelli and Abbey, it was really nice to get on set and meet actresses who are around my age. We talk about the same things, like how our relationships are going with our partners. It was easy to translate our exact relationship to the characters. We bonded very quickly when we’re dressed to the nines and it’s like 30 degrees outside while we’re filming. Actors get to do that particularly kind of bonding because it’s so funny what we do sometimes on screen. We talked about our careers, the industry, and our lives. I love those girls. They’re so easy to talk to and hang out with.

PC: That chemistry comes across in all of your performances. Tosca [Musk] co-wrote and directed this. How different is the filming experience when you’re working with a writer-director who also has experience in front of the camera? What was that collaboration like?
Cathy: t was very special to watch her. Something that Passionflix does that not a lot of companies do is they take the original writer of the project and they bring them into the family. I didn’t really understand how much input and how many conversations Tosca was having with Alice and how they were building this together. Tosca really cared about keeping it true to the book and making sure that the fans got to see the sequences that they had imagined. It was special to see someone who respected the original art so much. We were on a tight schedule and she got things done.

PC: You’ve been such a pioneer for our community. While identity isn’t the focal point of Mimi’s story, she shows the breadth and range of Asian characters, where they can be all these different things and not the stereotypical depictions that we’ve seen in the past. Have you had time to reflect on your own contributions in this really exciting new chapter in representation with the various roles that you’ve played? What do you hope roles like Mimi will exemplify for our community?
Cathy: I do think about it at times, but I don’t focus on what I’m contributing. I think about how lucky I am to represent characters that I’m really proud of. I like the projects that I’m working on, and the people I’m working with care about portraying well-rounded characters that I have seen and grown up with. I grew up in the Bay. Mimi is very familiar to me. I’m Chinese-Filipina. I understand what it means to be in Daly City and be an organizer. That part is actually in me. Like other roles that I’ve played, I haven’t seen on screen. I felt like there’s a responsibility there to be true. It’s about finding artists like Tosca who want to have conversations with you about making sure you’re telling the story correctly. I hope I can keep doing that. Mimi is fun and cool, and she’s a baddie.

To keep up with Cathy, follow her on Instagram. Stream Wallbanger today.

Photo Credit: Emilio Madrid, Courtesy of Netflix