‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Star Stephanie Hsu Says Watching this 2019 Video was ‘Healing’
Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2022. Nominated for eleven Academy Awards, the movie features a captivating blend of humor, drama, science fiction, and martial arts. The film literally has everything. And while the movie is great for many reasons, Stephanie Hsu’s unforgettable performance as the wonderfully pessimistic Jobu Tupaki has to be at the top of the list.
All the pieces are in place for Jobu Tupaki to become a fan favorite: incredible clothes, a 5,000-level attitude, and some truly awesome fight scenes. However, while being the story’s antagonist, Jobu is also pivotal to its progression, which is a role that requires considerable acting skill. Fortunately, Hsu was the perfect person for the job. And her audition tape is all the evidence we need.
Stephanie Hsu’s audition video for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ went viral
Once in a while, the production companies behind blockbuster movies and TV shows will release audition tapes, giving diehard fans a glimpse at how their favorite actors brought a given character to life for the first time. After all, it’s exciting to see the dawn of an idea that will go on to become a cultural phenomenon.
In December 2022, Deadline shared Hsu’s audition for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Since then, the video has been viewed more than a million times. The video features Hsu mimicking Jobu’s hand motions, delivering an existential monologue, and even singing an impromptu song about the ubiquitous everything bagel, which was deemed so entertaining that it was included in the final cut of the film.
Hsu’s performance was so noteworthy that the film’s directors, the Daniels, rewrote the character in response to it. You can attribute it to her natural talent, considerable theater background, or perhaps a supernatural inspiration.
Stephanie Hsu says watching her audition video was “healing”
In January, Hsu sat down with It’s Been a Minute host Brittany Luse to discuss the intergenerational healing potential of Everything Everywhere All at Once, where she got her start in comedy, the liberating effects of nihilism, and more. During the interview, Hsu was asked to talk about her experience auditioning for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The actor revealed that watching her viral audition video was healing, saying, “It was amazing and actually really healing for me to see because the movie is so wild and spectacular that you want to talk about the bigness of it, the costumes, the craziness. It was quite healing to witness also, like, oh wow, I guess I really did bring something to this. Just to see the bare bones of that performance and the magic that even happened in that audition room that day.”
Fans react to Stephanie Hsu’s performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Fans of the film have taken to social media to share their thoughts on Everything Everywhere All at Once, with many raving about Hsu’s performance specifically. Most praised her for her range as an actor, highlighting her versatility and skill in moving between dramatic and comedic moments.
One Twitter fan wrote, “Still thinking about the range Stephanie Hsu gave in Everything Everywhere All at Once. She was the perfect pairing to Michelle Yeoh’s character and performance. Honestly, the entire family fit together like the perfect puzzle of chaos. Ke Huy Quan and James Hong gave too.”
Another Twitter user wrote, “Stephanie Hsu deserves all the flowers and nominations under the sun for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s a crime the awards keep snubbing her.”
