“The Edge of Seventeen” Star Hayden Szeto Talks Awkward High School Years and Being Asian in Hollywood

All photos courtesy of STX Productions

In the teen comedy THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig delivers a story that captures the teen angst of a John Hughes-esque movie with the unlikely heroine Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), an awkward, cynical misfit whose best friend ends up with her overachieving “Golden Boy” older brother. On top of that, her relationship with her mother is anything but great, she has a borderline stalker-ish crush on a boy that doesn’t realize she exists, and the only friend she has at school is a brutally honest teacher that is uninterested in her trivial problems. The only bright spot in her crumbling adolescent life is Erwin, played by newcomer Hayden Szeto, an equally awkward classmate that may have more feelings for her than she thinks.

Szeto is certainly a stand out in The Edge of Seventeen with his pitch-perfect performance of the adorably anxious Erwin in his major motion picture debut. Seventeen is already progressive in that it has a very real lead character that delightfully embodies teenage cynicism that many could relate to, but it also is progressive in that there is an Asian male as a romantic lead — something you don’t see in Hollywood often. We had a chance to talk to Szeto about being the leading man, his experiences as an Asian American/Canadian in Hollywood, and how the character of Erwin is similar to his high school self.

Does the movie reflect your high school experience at all?

Definitely. I think Erwin, the way he was written, is every kid who tries to fight over that awkwardness of growing pains. I think Erwin really represented that strength that I wish I had at that age. This was the perfect opportunity for me to redeem my high school self, and I definitely related to his struggle, but I never had his strength. If you look at everything he does, it takes a lot of balls.

He’s kind of like a skittish, but brave puppy in that way.

A puppy that’s trying so hard to be a wolf.

Erwin is an aspiring animator in the film. Were you involved in the arts at all during high school?

It’s funny you ask that, because he’s so similar to me. My father is a painter in China, so I actually grew up around the arts. My dad taught me how to sketch, how to paint, how to do all those things. He always wanted me to be a painter, but I wanted to be an actor. It was so funny when I got this role, I said “Dad, look! I’m acting like a painter!”

That’s very interesting to have your dad encourage you to pursue the arts. In many Asian American families— or in your case, Asian Canadian — parents tend to dissuade their children from pursuing a career in the arts.

I was fortunate to be born into a family of a painter and an artist.

You’re like an anomaly.

Exactly. My grandpa was a famous painter in China and then my family from my dad’s side is just full of artists, painters, sculptors, poets, and anything that’s related to the arts. I was very fortunate. I get to be this anomaly. They were very supportive and my dad was actually relieved. He was like “Good, your doing something in the arts.”

That’s pretty cool — and as a first generation Asian American, it’s kind of alien to me.

I know. It was alien to me, too, because I grew up in a predominantly Asian community as well, so I know what it’s like. I was nervous to tell my dad that I wanted to be an actor. When I told him he was just like, “Yeah. Do it.”

The topic of diversity has been on the forefront in Hollywood and Edge of Seventeen subtlety addresses that with two Asian leads — you and Hailee Steinfeld (she’s half Filipino). It’s subtle because ethnicity doesn’t come up in the movie, but it’s progressive because it’s two Asian leads.

That’s what’s so beautiful about it.

Was Erwin written as an Asian character? And were you surprised to see an Asian male as a romantic lead? Because you don’t see it that often.

Yeah. When I got the audition, he was written as Erwin Kim. He was specifically meant to be Korean American. I’m like, “This can’t be a significant role. This can’t be anything. He’s just probably a side character.” I guess I am a victim of being desensitized to it in my many years auditioning as an Asian American.

I went in for my first audition and they really loved me, and they sent me the script. I read it and I was reading the script and I’m like, “No way.” At the time, I was not focused about how big of a deal it was that an Asian American was written like this. I was focused more on the part. I’m like this is really good role. And I was like, “I need to get this part.”

For the longest time, I had tunnel vision. I needed to do a really good job and portray this character well and give him strength, because I saw him as an architect. I didn’t see his ethnicity yet. I saw him as an architect and he’s a typical nerd, — the awkward nerd in every school, but you got to make sense that he gets the girl in the end. I got to make him likable. I got to give him redeeming qualities, because you cannot get a girl just by being awkward. That stops being cute after a week.

It is refreshing to see a character like this, though. We know he’s Asian, but it’s not his main attribute of the character. But we are seeing more and more representation in television and in film. That said, how has your experience been when it comes to auditioning for roles in Hollywood as an Asian actor?

I’ve always found that film language is like 20 years behind how real life actually is. You can see how much media effects people’s perception of you. I’ve heard some absurd things like, “Oh, you’re very articulate for an Asian American.” I’m like, “What are you talking about?” We’re all human beings. We’re capable of learning. We all have a brain. We’re capable of going to school and we’re capable of speaking.

Someone actually said that to you?

Yeah. It’s ridiculous. I also once heard a casting director say in front of me, “Oh, he’s too good-looking to be Asian.” At first, I’m like, “This is a compliment about my looks!” and then I’m like, “No wait, no it’s not.”

But on the flipside of things, Hollywood is progressing with shows like Fresh Off the Boat and Master of None. Those give the Asian community proper representation and it connects with mainstream audiences.

The variable, again, is exposure and opportunity. But for that to happen you need to have soldiers ready to fight. We got Randall Park, Constance Wu — we’ve got such talented people and they’re ready, and now the opportunities are flooding in. We have a chance and a platform to show that. Edge of Seventeen is going to push things forward.

Dino-Ray Ramos | Staff Writer