Filipina actress and Montreal native Carolyn Fe is joining the cast of Blue’s Clues and You! this week, an achievement she hopes will diversify children’s TV programing in North America and inspire other struggling actors to chase their dreams.
Since the show began back in 1996, North American hosts of Blues Clues have always been Caucasian. Diversity didn’t come until much later, when Filipino actor Joshua Dela Cruz was hired on to host the reboot in 2019. That fact is what Fe said first confused her about the audition posting calling for a Filipina actress.
“I still had the thought that it would be hosted by a Caucasian, so why would a Lola….but then I did the audition and that’s when I realized…oh my god. We’re doing the Filipino flip here!”
Meet @TheCarolynFe, she’ll play Lola in the new #BluesCluesAndYou. She says it’s a great platform to showcase the Filipino culture.
“We have been present, silently present… Now, it’s our turn to share our culture,” she says. pic.twitter.com/DdIPp7OyYf
— Arvin Joaquin (@arvinjoaquin) November 13, 2020
Fe was only eight years old when her family moved to Canada from Quezon City, at a time when there weren’t many Pinoy people on TV. Now, she hopes to be that representation, seeing this role as an opportunity to share the wealth of Filipino culture with the rest of the world.
“Filipinos have been in North America since the 1500s,” she said.
“We have been present, silently present. I think it’s about time we come out and, share our culture. Now we are going to be represented in the biggest way. I mean, this is huge!”
Fe shared her excitement with OMNI Television, noting the importance of her debut as Josh’s Lola, which is Tagalog for grandmother.
“Lolas are the coolest people in the world! They have life experiences and a lot of stories to tell. Just because when we get up out of the chair our backs may hurt, doesn’t mean we’re not badass!”
She also hopes to be an inspiration for aging actors scared to make the jump from corporate into the entertainment world.
“I would like women of my age range (I’m 59) who dream of stepping on to the stage, I want them to see that it is possible. If you want something, you can go ahead and get it. If you have a dream, it doesn’t have to be on the stage, just go get it.”
The first Blue’s Clues and You! episode featuring Lola Fe is set to air Friday, November 20th.
