Posted in: Disney+, Showtime, TV | Tagged: Doogie Kameāloha M.D., Kidding, kung fu

Doogie Kamealoha: Tinpo Lee on Acting w/ Daughter Peyton Elizabeth Lee

Tinpo Lee spoke with Bleeding Cool about working with his daughter, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, on Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., and his prior TV work.

Tinpo Lee isn't slowing down anytime soon as one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood. Among the projects he's been in over his over-two-decade career include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Passions, Mom, Chicago P.D., Criminal Minds, The Young and the Restless, NCIS: Los Angeles, Grey's Anatomy, This Is Us, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Kidding, S.W.A.T., and more recently, Animal Kingdom, and Kourtney Kang medical series Doogie Kamealoha M.D. that stars his daughter Peyton Elizabeth Lee as the youth medical prodigy, loosely based on the Stephen Bochco and David E. Kelley series Doogie Howser M.D. that starred Neil Patrick Harris. While promoting his horror film Final Destination: Bloodlines, Tinpo Lee spoke to Bleeding Cool about his favorite TV appearances, joining Peyton Elizabeth Lee for her Disney+ show Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., and if he enjoys guest-starring or prefers being part of a regular cast.

Tinpo Lee Reflects on His Favorite TV Roles, Including 'Kidding' and 'Doogie Kamealoha'

Bleeding Cool: You've done so many TV franchises and shows over the years, and I was wondering which stood out the most to you and which one you would like to return to the most.

Oh, wow! There are so many. I would say my time on 'Kidding', which starred Jim Carrey. I had a scene with Catherine Keener that I absolutely loved doing. She's such a wonderful person. That's the common denominator between all these productions that stick in my work is getting to work with artists who are there to do the work, to dig in, collaborate, and make something that we all love, because of what we contribute to it. There was 'Kidding,' I also had a great time on 'Chicago P.D.' Those procedural dramas are great. It's the same puzzle piecing together mentality that is related to 'Final Destination' you're trying to put together. How is it going to happen, or how did it happen in this case? Those are always fun to be part of, too.

I've also seen you've done so much different franchise work in general. I'm thinking just off the top of my head, like 'Doogie Kamealoha M.D.', 'Kung Fu,' 'Magnum P.I.,' 'Veronica Mars,' 'Hawaii Five-0,' and 'S.W.A.T.' Did you follow any of the originals coming in? Was it one of those things where you're just happy to have work?

Well, with 'Doogie,' my daughter (who was also the star), Peyton Elizabeth Lee, so my time on 'Doogie' was particularly special to me, because I got to work with my daughter. Being on set with her is pretty special for me, but I imagine for any dad, getting to do something with their child, especially something that we both love so much. My time on 'Doogie' was incredible, like just being in between takes and being able to look over at her. I was an incredible fan [laughs] from the get-go, which was a pre-determined fandom. What else did you mention?

'Magnum P.I.,' 'Kung Fu'…

'Kung Fu' was really special, and that is an all-Asian cast. Then I got to work with Tzi Ma, and he and I were playing best friends from forever ago. Working with him is working with a legend. That was a special time, and again, the cast was so warm and welcoming, too. As a character actor, coming in cold on the set when a show's been in production for a little while. It can be like showing up at a new high school, but in those particular instances, some of those sets, and 'Kung Fu', in particular, was welcoming to the point of wanting to make something great. It eases the chemistry, work, and makes it so much more collaborative and creative.

Given your run on TV, do you like doing your recurring guest spots or do you prefer doing things in a more recurring fashion or joining a cast like your run on 'General Hospital?'

That's an interesting question, because there are pros and cons to both. I find the piecemeal work to be interesting. You're always doing something new, always digging into something novel, and again, figuring out the puzzle and how it works for you. That's a fun and exciting part of that work for me, but being on a show for a long time, I would liken it to doing a play a little bit in that you live in the character for so long that it becomes second nature.

You're slipping in and out of this other reality so regularly and constantly that it allows you to go deeper. There's a saying about these. Whenever Peyton and I are doing an audition tape, we're always like, "The first take is great, because you've done your homework, and then it's new and spontaneous." The first take is, "Oh my gosh! Right?" Let's see what else we can do, and then you start playing around, and inevitably it gets worse.

Inevitably, it goes on a downward trajectory. You're trying new things, but you're trying too hard, you're forcing things, and forcing things until eventually it becomes something new again. That's the beauty of working on a show in a character for a long period is you get past that low point, and you get to this new high of, "I can live in this other character and completely respond" and again, to use a cliche, "Dig deeper into what they're about."

Final Destination: Bloodlines is in theaters. Doogie Kamealoha M.D., which also stars Emma Meisel, Matthew Sato, Wes Tian, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Mapuana Makia, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Jason Scott Lee,, and Ronny Chieng is available on Disney+.

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