Exclusive Interview: Writer-Director Zoë Eisenberg and Stars Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, and Kanoa Goo Discuss Their Award-Winning Film, ‘Chaperone’

Zoë Eisenberg, the writer-director, and stars Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, and Kanoa Goo recently celebrated the debut of their critically-acclaimed feature, Chaperone, at Slamdance 2024. The film quickly became a festival highlight, drawing significant attention for its captivating juxtaposition of living a carefree life with inherent risks and the consequences of seeking refuge in unconventional connections. The cast’s nuanced and layered performances added richness to the storyline, contributing to the film’s reputation as one of the most noteworthy at the event.

Featuring an entirely AANHPI cast, the film revolves around Misha Miyamoto (Akaha), a 29-year-old who resides alone in the house her grandmother left her. She has maintained the same job since high school and finds contentment in the simplicity of her life. Unfortunately, her satisfaction disappoints those around her. Her boss struggles to comprehend her refusal of a promotion, her lack of ambition dissuades potential romantic interests, and her parents encourage her to sell her estate as she has no interest in starting a family. These external pressures leave Misha feeling isolated and exhausted from justifying her choices. When an earnest nineteen-year-old, Jake (Akeo), mistakes Misha for a fellow student, she discovers solace in his lack of expectations and embarks on a relationship with him. However, as their connection deepens, so does Misha’s tendency towards reckless behavior.

Pop Culturalist had the privilege of speaking with Zoë, Mitzi, Laird, and Kanoa about Chaperone, delving into their collaborative process, the empowerment they found in shaping their characters, navigating the evolving media landscape, and championing diversity both in front of and behind the camera, told through a universal story.

PC: Zoë, this is such a character-driven narrative with so much depth and nuance. What initially inspired this film, and what was it like finding your ensemble who brought this piece to life?
Zoë: The inspiration is pretty much similar to the inciting incident in the film. When I was around 29 or 30, a high school kid mistook me for a high school student and asked me out. I was like, “I’m old.” We laughed about it. But then I became obsessed with wondering what kind of woman would not have told them her age and would have thought going to that party that he invited me to was a good idea. That was the inciting incident.

Then the first piece to fall into place after the script and producer was definitely Mitzi. She was the first person that we brought onto the project. We actually attached her two years before we shot.

PC: Mitzi, there’s so much to delve into when you’re playing a character like Misha, who’s messy, flawed, but innately human. While those around her have their own expectations of her, she’s happy with the life that she’s living, and that’s so liberating. But it’s her decisions and actions throughout the narrative that add that contrast and color. As an actress, how did you create the space for yourself to tackle that emotional journey? How have your own experiences as a writer helped you pick up on the nuances that Zoë was trying to convey through this character?
Mitzi: First and foremost, Misha and I have a lot in common. I feel like all artists have something in common with Misha in the sense that we’re compelled to live lives that are a bit unorthodox. We’re constantly challenged. Every year, I look at how much is in my bank or how much money I’ve made, and “society” is telling me to go get a real job. It’s like, “Just stop already.” So we’re constantly having to cleave to what we believe in. In terms of Misha, the hardest thing to let go of was having no aspirations beyond her world. So really trying to imbue a character like that with enough charm and putting all of her value in her relationships with those around her to fill her life rather than having ambitions.

In terms of connecting with the writing and getting all of the beats right, Zoë was such an able steward. With the writing, you just had to follow along. All the pieces were there. It’s so beautifully written and thoughtful. Zoë is such a brilliant director. We got to do several takes of different kinds of tones to really figure out what felt right in the moment.

PC: The performances and writing are absolutely stunning. Laird, you brought such a youthful energy to Jake. For so much of the film, he’s this happy-go-lucky guy who has such a zest for life. There’s a scene at the end where you get to show off your dramatic work as well. How did you prepare for that scene, in particular, which is such a contrast to your character’s development throughout the film? What was it like getting to watch that heartbreaking moment in front of a live audience at Slamdance?
Laird: It was interesting because, as you were saying, juxtaposing it with the rest of the character. It was a lot of fun playing this character on set. But when it came to that, he’s broken up about this idea of this life that he’s built together for them, and now that’s been shattered because she lied to him. Had she been upfront in the beginning, I think it could have been reconciled. But the fact that he’s built all of this in his head and is so hopeful for them moving forward breaks his heart. Maybe it’s the moronic optimism of youth…

Mitzi: Nice one.

Laird: …but he thinks that maybe one day they’ll be together forever. That’s his whole deal. When they find out that they’re not going to have the experiences of growing up together and growing old in the same age group, that breaks his heart.

For me, it was really easy to act out the emotions of being lied to and deceived because it’s such a universal human experience. It was straightforward to get into that for the character. Also, with Mitzi here, it’s never hard to film a scene.

PC: Kanoa, you’ve worked on projects of all sizes. What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as a creative and a storyteller? What was it about this character in particular that resonated with you?
Kanoa: Nice to talk to you again! I love acting so much. I just love making and creating things. There’s value in it all. Working on a TV show feels so big and exciting. It’s this massive machine that feels fun and exhilarating. That being said, there’s something so pure and beautiful in making indies. I think it’s because everybody’s heart is in a very similar place. Nobody’s there to make a dime. It’s this fast-and-furious experience. You become really close to everybody really quickly. It feels like everyone’s intentions are aligned. You’re there because of the story, the writing, or because of the people that you want to work with. That’s what I love about it. It feels so pure. It’s why we’re all drawn to this.

In terms of Vik, Zoë had seen another film that I did called I Was a Simple Man, and reached out to me from there. It was very collaborative because the first iteration of Vik was very different. He was much older and quite a caricature, I would say, on paper. Not a dig on your writing, Zoë. When we met, I just loved Zoë’s energy. As Mitzi was saying, this script was so strong. I was like, “I want to do this, but I feel like I’m not the obvious first choice.” Thank you for being flexible, Zoë. My way into the character was to find that childlike, carefree spirit and essence that’s in me as well. It worked that Misha and Vik are super tight. They grew up as best friends and siblings, so fostering that closeness and that easy rapport together was my initial way in.

PC: Mitzi and Laird, something that Zoë did so brilliantly with this screenplay is the dynamic between your two characters is less about that romantic connection and more so about the impact that they have on one another. How did you build that bond on such a tight filming schedule? Was there a moment when you were filming when you realized you had the dynamic needed to bring this pair to life?
Mitzi: We had a chemistry read before we started. I read with a few people, and Laird came in with such confidence. Laird was also not what we were looking for at all. We were looking at kids. [laughs] I was like, “This is what Misha would do, right?” This is what the movie’s about. So we have to be willing to go there. We have to be open to these juvenile, seventeen-year-olds. I did have chemistry with some of them, and I judge myself for. Then Laird came, and he had this youth that exists in a high school student and this optimism. It’s this youthful jesting and jousting. That worked really well with me, right off the bat. His way in was teasing me. You can tell me if I’m wrong. That’s what I felt. That really worked for me. So then that built instant chemistry between the two of us. He’s also a pretty good-looking guy. It made the script more interesting that he looked older but is young. I look younger, but I’m older. Then it becomes about what does that say about society and faux pas. My way in was just teasing incessantly.

Laird: Like what Mitzi was saying, it definitely makes it much more of a gray area, which is really cool. It adds a great dynamic to the script because you can’t totally judge her character solely predicated on legality. Now, it’s he’s legal, but there’s a bunch of other questions that need to be asked. With Mitzi, I remember coming into the chemistry read and it just clicked. We just got along. We had the same kind of humor when we were interacting with each other.

On set, we were constantly messing with each other all the time. So it built this chemistry. We had this chemistry offscreen that happened, and it obviously translated to the screen. It just happened. There wasn’t anything that we worked on. It just spawned, so to speak.

Mitzi: There was no acting at all. There was no effort whatsoever. [laughs]

Laird: What I meant by that was that the director wasn’t like, “You have to spend time together. You have to build your chemistry.” We just walked on set and it went from there.

PC: Zoë, it’s been so important to you throughout your career that the stories that you create and the people that you work with on screen and behind the camera reflect your community. What has it meant to you to have this film, your cast and crew as well as yourself, celebrated on such a global scale with the world premiere at Slamdance and getting to see the response with how it’s resonated with so many?
Zoë: It’s pretty shocking, to be honest. This is the tenth film that I’ve been involved with, mostly as a producer. This is the first one that I’ve written and directed. But to get into Slamdance was a shock. Our film was really buzzy. We don’t know why other than an excellent publicist. People were excited about our screening. The screening sold out in advance. All of us were really hopeful going into the weekend, at least I was. To see the film appreciated and understood is what all of us could hope for. You make something and you hope they understand it and that they like it. People seemed to like it. We’re pretty, pretty stoked. We won the Grand Jury Award for our category. That was a shock as well. So I was pretty stoked. I’m back in the jungle now in the middle of nowhere, and I’m still pretty stoked.

PC: So well deserved. I feel like this film is going to open so many doors for all of you. Kanoa, in a similar vein, the last time that we spoke, we discussed how our community was often overlooked for leading roles. But now we have projects like Chaperone that features an entirely Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders cast at the helm, and there are so many stunning performances across the board. How do you hope this project continues to open doors for our community? How does the scarcity of these types of roles and projects fuel your performance in the film?
Kanoa: It’s so cool to get to go home and make TV, movies, anything. It’s people like Zoë. She’s said in other interviews that it’s intentional to hire people that reflect the community, but it’s also a byproduct because that’s where she lives and that’s what she’s seeing and living. Of course, she’s going to write these stories and these characters. That’s so important.

One of my favorite things about this piece is that it’s a story that could have been anywhere. It just happens to be reflected in this local Hawaiian community and with people that reflect the people of Hawai’i, which is Native Hawaiians, mixed, Asian, and AAPI. It’s all of that. Yet, it’s not necessarily a piece that’s shoved in a performative way into your face. It’s just that those are the people in the story. That’s valuable to see, and that’s not to say that those stories that are a bit more intentional with that activism aren’t important. They absolutely are, but people are seeing these normal stories with people that look like us which is really valuable. I hope that this film doing well at Slamdance attracts the right type of distributor and gets it seen by a wider audience because it absolutely deserved it.

PC: Zoë wrote and directed this project. How different is that filming experience when the person who created these characters and universe is also at the helm directing? What was that collaboration like?
Mitzi: It’s always such a relief as an actor to have full, full trust in your director and writer and not be at odds with them, not feel like they’re using you, not feel like they’re trying to manipulate the story to make a statement that doesn’t resonate with you. It was really important to Zoë that we were all represented fully and that we were able to express all of the colors of whatever we were bringing to the table. I felt very listened to. Getting to go to work and see a bunch of people who look like me and getting to feel at home that way, I feel so incredibly lucky to have that. I hope that we get used to seeing more families of different colors on our screens.

Laird: I’ll second everything that Mitzi said. I’m just coming into this industry. I want to thank Zoë for trusting me with this character. As Mitzi was saying, we had to change up a bit of the characteristics with Jake, and it was definitely a risk script-wise. As far as building this character of Jake, Zoë and I agreed on a lot of the ideas, especially when I was initially trying to figure out who this guy was. When I got on set, she just let us go. When direction was needed, we got it, but as for our creative process, we were allowed to do what we needed to do and build the character how we needed to build it, and do whatever felt good to us, which was a huge relief. That’s freedom in our field. Then to see in the final cut that what we did worked, it’s euphoric.

Kanoa: Making something is lightning in a bottle when it comes together and it works, especially under the constraints that this film was made. We had thirteen shooting days. You’re relying on your instincts. We as actors do rely on our director Zoë. When that person wrote the script as well, it’s even more information that they have. It’s her everything.

As Mitzi said earlier, we would strategically play the scene in multiple different ways and try to hit different energies. We all agree that watching it all come together in this cohesive way that’s powerful and compelling is amazing and a testament to Zoë’s talent to be able to see that as we’re doing it.

Zoë: You’re all being so nice to me—thank you.

Mitzi: Zoë was also so generous with her backstory. She wasn’t hiding anything from us, so we didn’t feel like we needed to hide from her. Zoë is now just a very dear friend to me.

Laird: I was definitely worried on set because I was having so much fun. I was like, did I do what I needed to do?

Mitzi: We had to rein it in a little bit.

Laird: It was really cathartic to see it on screen and see it all worked out. Thank you so much, Zoë.

PC: Zoë, this is also your solo full-length directorial debut. What was the most surprising part about this experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Zoë: The most surprising part was the joy that the cast and I had working together. I agree with them that we got to play, and that was fabulous because we didn’t have a lot of time, right? We had thirteen days, and that was with an additional rain day, which is instantly. We had eighteen locations. We were running around all the time.

The biggest takeaway would be that more time would have been better. But we were really able to lean into what we did have, which was the relationships that we were building with one another that were coming through on screen.

PC: Outside of Chaperone, what’s next for each of you?
Zoë: Since I am primarily a writer, I have a novel coming out on February 6th. I’m supposed to be talking about that, and I’m stoked to. It’s also set in Hawai’i, so hopefully, you’ll like this one; it’s called Significant Others, and you can find it on the internet.

Mitzi: I have an advanced copy, so my plan is to read Zoë’s book. We’re coming out of the strike, so I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s very slowly thawing again as far as the industry, so seeing where that goes and being open. Getting to play Misha was a great education in agency and accountability. Whatever life you want, you have to choose it. You have to actively choose the things that you want to do. Through COVID, the strike, and acting in general, I had to ask myself every day, what do I want to be doing? What makes me truly happy? I’m on the journey of figuring that out right now. I’m doing a lot of environmental sustainability work when I can, so that’s the thing that matters the most to me. Also writing and illustration in addition to acting hopefully and seeing how all these things fit together.

Kanoa: Agree with Mitzi, it’s been such a bizarre year. Thankfully, I was nice and busy the first half of the year. Now I’m feeling what everyone else is feeling, and I’m like, “Let’s get back to it.” But I’m waiting to hear on a couple of things, staying open and seeing what’s next. Being able to look forward to this film and Slamdance was such a treat, especially coming out of the strikes. It was something to look forward to. Zoë and I are actually thinking about writing something together, which is really exciting.

Zoë: Remove the qualifiers, we’re moving forward.

Mitzi: Excuse me?

Kanoa: Okay, okay, we’re going to. I’ve been feeling something inside of me to want to actually commit to writing something. Zoë is my friend now. I’m really looking to her to help hold my hand through it. We’ll see what comes out of it. It’s very early.

Laird: It’s the same for me. I’m reading for stuff and waiting to hear back on a few things. But I also have two other films coming out this year so I’m really excited to see what’s going on.

Make sure to follow Zoë (Instagram), Mitzi (Instagram), Laird (Instagram), and Kanoa (Instagram).