Relaunch! Happy Year of the Rabbit!

Welcome to brand new and improved alex-huynh.com Version 2.0! Check out the new layout and please be sure to follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook!

And Happy Chinese/Vietnamese New Year! May this new year bring an abundance of prosperity, health, and happiness to all! Cheers to achieving greater successes and enjoying more fun quality time with the ones you love in the Year of the Rabbit!

Mystery Show!

me, felicia day, and tara macken

Wish I could tell you about this awesome series I just wrapped, but it’s so secret that even the CIA’s scratching its head! What I can say, though, is that there are some incredibly talented actors and actresses lighting up the screen!

One of the stars is Felicia Day, well recognized for her role in the widely popular web-series The Guild. I had the pleasure to train Felicia in preparation for this role, and she is without a doubt a delightfully hard worker, quick learner, and a super fun and ambidextrous
butt-kicker!

Stay tuned for updates on the release date of this epic series!

Raw Food Diet

Raw Food Cleanse/Diet: SUCCESS!

A lot of folks asked me why I chose to go on this diet/cleanse.

Evolution is occurring. For me, this is a time of renewal in my life. My processes were challenged but I wasn’t gonna give up. I won’t back down. I won’t stop fighting. This life isn’t just for me…its for you all. You deserve better from me, and I can give you better than that.

My relationship with my career, with others, and more personally, with myself is growing and I want to approach this growth with the best possible me that I can. I’m about to be thrust into a brighter future, why not bring a healthier, upgraded version of myself?

These are some of the reasons why I took up the raw food diet/cleanse:

Physically:

Cosmetic – The camera adds ten pounds, how else am I supposed to showcase my thin wiry frame? Plus it cleans out the toxins without depriving me of essential nutrients. Unlike other cleanses, I’m not surviving off only water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. You still get to eat, you just have to find raw alternatives to the things you need (ie. almonds and spinach for protein).

Health - inflammation: with as much pressure as I put on my joints and how much I push my body to the limits everyday, I needed to repair and rebuild myself all around...exceed your own levels to reveal something amazing!

Mentally:

Education: when you're aware of what you're putting into your body, you're also aware of what you shouldn't put into your body. Walking around the grocery store I saw unnecessary things that are really poisonous to your health that any other day I wouldn't bat an eyelash to...no biggie. I worked with a coordinator who deals with diabetes and had to do this for 24 days! Makes my 7 days look like a breeze! Be careful what you put into your body...you only get one body, one life...take care of it so as to live this life the best you can!

Commitment and discipline - Chicken. Fish. Mac and cheese. French fries. Freshly baked cookies. I craved these and could have them had I cracked. But I'm driven to bring forth a better me so that I can offer something greater to this world, so I needed to focus on bettering myself. This wasn't just for my career, it was for myself in the long run. The task of going against the grain and challenging the way you think is uncomfortable, but discomfort gives way to growth!

Emotionally:

I've felt it all! The frustration from not being able to get what I want just yet, the depression of not being able to enjoy my favorite foods, the joy of achieving goals that seemed so difficult once before (i.e. the Snapuswipe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIz2a50vuU0), the fun of sharing this challenge with good friends. Experiencing these emotions, the highs and the lows, colors my days with liveliness!

Spiritually:

Around the world (and even here in the States), there are some people who don't get to choose when or what their next meal will be. They live knowing of their deprivation, knowing that they’re gonna be hungry, but it doesn't stop them from living their lives and doing the best with what they've got. I have the luxury to not only eat but also choose specifically what my diet is and how I can cater it to my needs. How blessed am I? Not only do I get to choose if my glass is half empty or half full, but I get to choose what I'm drinking. Expand this thought to acknowledge that people all over the world are in need, and if I am capable, I want to provide. They deserve better, I can do more.

We can all be heroes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiC_9RHTvsA

Video Gaming

lady gaga's next getup: walking Christmas tree

It’s been a busy past couple weeks and I’m loving it! Now primarily, I’m a film and television actor, but I enjoy doing motion capture for interactive media because it allows my growing skills in acting to work out their imagination muscles. Whereas on a film set you interact with what’s in front of you, on a mocap volume you interact with what you imagine is in front of you...it’s like playing make believe!

My phone rang immediately upon my return to Los Angeles from Madrid. The casting director who had chosen me to play Crosby in Call of Duty: Black Ops had booked me to play a conflicted police officer in a soon-to-be-released action game. The character was really fun to develop, and I had the great privilege to work with CSI’s Archie Kao. Our chemistry was on point and every scene was thrilling to create!

A few weeks later, my good friend Thom Williams asked if I would be available to lend my Wushu abilities to spice up the action in a fighting game. Getting paid to play? I’m in!

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I’m loving it!

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year World! Wishing all of you a blessed new year full of happiness, success, and deeper connections with the ones you love! It’s gonna be a spectacular and fun 2011!

Rockin' the Slopes!

red bull gave me wings...

On the rare occasion that there’s a little bit of free time between the busy seasons of the entertainment business, I like to take mini-adventures to unwind. This winter I flew to the east coast to spend some quality time with my family and plummet down the snow capped mountains of Pennsylvania. Three straight days of awesome conditions, heart-pounding thrill rides and good times with great people! Living is good!

...to dive down mountainsides!

Asian Cup 2011: Morocco and Spain!

One of the best things about the work that I do is that from time to time, I get to travel to some of the most amazing locations in the world and meet incredible people!

An email popped up in my inbox asking if I’d be interested in coordinating and starring in a commercial with my teammate Fernando Chien for the Asian Cup 2011 Soccer Tournament. Without hesitation, I jumped on the opportunity!

We spent a week in Marrakesh, Morocco (I’ve always wanted to go to Africa!) and Madrid, Spain (I love Spain and put those six years of Spanish lessons to good use!). Our stay was richly colored by the beauty of the culture as well as the people’s charm, and the shoot was undeniably fun! Check out some of our videos from the trip and the commercial for the Asian Cup 2011 Soccer Tournament!

                             **********
BEHIND-THE-SCENES with ReelKick

ACTION PRE-VISUALIZATION & OUTTAKES

ASIAN CUP 2011 “WARRIORS” FINAL COMMERCIAL

do something everyday that scares you!

making friends with locals who taught us how to sell like pros

our welcoming committee at the desert shooting location

desert nomads

entertaining strangers

Reelkick: Me, Thayr, Fern

preparing to fly!

Funny or Die

It’s the weekend, what should I do? Well what else but shoot a sketch for the comedy website Funny or Die!

My big brother James Lew put together a team of riff raffs to battle it out with one of his buddies for the online short. I can’t divulge his friend’s name until the video is released, but let’s just say women were and still are drooling over him from some of his notable roles on television. What I can say though is that he’s a classy guy and really fun to work with!

My role in the video is definitely some ‘below-the-belt’ humor. When you watch the video, you’ll feel my pain. No really, it’s a good kick in the pants, but it’s also pretty darn hilarious!

Aim High!

Me and my homies: Jackson Rathbone, Myself, Frosty Silva, Holland Diaz, Chris Brewster

Reunion with my crew from Airbender...and what a coincidence!

I just booked a role on the Warner Bros. webseries called “Aim High!” My buddy Jackson Rathbone stars in the show, and my Reelkick teammate Chris Brewster will be coordinating the stunts.

The really great part of this story is that the casting department was magnificently accommodating to my busy schedule.

 I couldn’t make it to the session with the director because I was working on a TV show so they brought me in to put me on camera. After the session, they showed the producers and I was given the thumbs up for the role! I’m super excited to be working with my friends again, this is gonna rock!

Climb On!

Let’s face it: I’m sheepish around heights.

So when my awesome friends (and fellow stunt folks) Matt Berberi and Tara Macken asked me if I wanted to go rock climbing, I was slightly hesitant. They said that if anything, I could hike with them to the rock wall and just enjoy the day outdoors. So in the spirit of living every moment of my life as a new adventure, I accepted with open arms.

take a moment, just breathe...

We met up with our guide, stunt rigger and climbing legend, Jeff Constine. Upon introduction, he fitted me for a harness and had me carry rope up to the climbing spot. Once we were there, there was no backing down…get on that wall!

My friends are so tricky.

The first climb was rough, shaking off nerves mostly, but after that one was out of the way, climbing some of the other routes was somewhat of a breeze. Then came the real challenge…Jeff set up a route that spanned a hundred foot vertical, and it was no breeze.

look up, smile at the sun...

The first 50 feet was extremely difficult. A nearly vertical incline, it was mentally taxing because you really had to make solid moves. The next 25 feet was slightly simpler but physically exhausting. At 75 feet above the ground, my body wanted to give up. At this point, all the ghosts of my past, my pains, and my inner critic tried to flood my mind and make me give up.

keep climbing up toward greatness!

But my friends weren’t going to let me. I wasn’t going to let me. Never back down...gotta live fearless! So after fighting and defeating my inner demons (and a couple fist pounds to the wall), I took it one step at a time. Focus on the moment, look at what’s in front of you and make your educated moves with faith in something greater and believe in yourself. Get a good footing, don’t look back, just keep climbing up toward the sun. I stayed centered and took one great leap of faith to grab a stronghold, and as I pushed up, I noticed I was at the top of my line. I had reached the top.

Hanging off the side of a gloriously challenging rock wall 100 feet above the earth tested my outer and inner strength. As I exhaled and relaxed my body, I opened my eyes to what I had just accomplished and took in the view. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

I never thought in my life I would have done anything like this, but with the support and encouragement of really great friends, an awesome guide, and an unstoppable spirit inside me, I did it. I can do anything!