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Juniors Cecilia Catalini and Mario Esteb never thought they would have the opportunity to talk to an actress they watched during their childhood, Brenda Song, much less moderate a conversation with her.

“ I told Cecilia that this is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life, but I’m super excited and getting to talk with (Song) for five minutes (before going on stage) has calmed me down a lot,” Esteb said. “Never in a million years would I think I’d be interviewing Brenda Song in college.”

On Monday night, University Union and BIPOC Student Success hosted Brenda Song to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. UU Co-Performing Arts Director Lorelai Soper noted that bringing in speakers like Song, a prolific actress, will bring more attention to the month.

Song began her career as a child model before transitioning to acting when she was a teenager. Her Disney channel show, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” launched Song into mainstream stardom during the early 2000s. Since then, Song has starred in many different projects including “The Social Network,” “Dollface” and “Running Point.”

When she was 3, Song attended a modeling school after getting scouted. Though its enrollment fee was expensive, Song’s grandmother spent her life savings to watch Song to pursue her dreams.

“ My grandma just wants me to be happy and is willing to do and sacrifice whatever it is for any of her grandchildren,” Song said. “ The most important thing for her was for us to find a dream and to pursue it regardless of what that was, and that is my goal with my kids.”

Syracuse University students hold up flyers showcasing Brenda Song’s event. On Monday, Song spoke to students in Syracuse University’s Goldstein Auditorium about the tribulations she faced in her career and how she overcame them.Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

Soon after modeling, Song pivoted into a defining role of her acting career. Though Song was blessed with many beautiful experiences working in the industry, being a child actor was an isolated time for her.

Song’s breakout role as London Tipton in “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” was her first taste of being typecast in the industry. She wanted to expand her career, but her performance as Tipton limited how others perceived her acting range. While Song credits the character for launching her to stardom, she said it was a “double-edged sword.”

As her career progressed, Song met the harsh realities of being a minority in a mostly white field. Though Asian American representation has improved over the decades, she recalled being refused certain roles because of her identity.

“ Being an actor, knowing that sometimes you go into an audition room and no one’s even listening to you because every other girl is Caucasian, it’s really discouraging,” Song said. “ But all of these things that I used to be nervous about, it  really taught me to embrace who I am and  that’s what makes me uniquely me.”

After landing her role as Christy Ling in “The Social Network,” Song recalled asking director David Fincher why she was picked for the role after years of being labeled as “that actress on Disney Channel.” When Fincher said he’d never seen Song on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” Song realized her insecurities had been holding her back more than anything else.

For sophomore Sofia Quintero, attending the event allowed her to gain insight into what the entertainment industry holds for her. As Quintero plans to head into the music industry, Song’s insight gave a fresh perspective on her future.

“ It’s just nice to hear people of color, especially women of color speak out about these things and know that you’re not alone,” Quintero said.

While talking about Song’s career at Disney and her start into acting gave the audience an insight into the industry, Catalini and Esteb had the opportunity to discuss topics Song rarely gets to address, making the overall conversation more impactful for them.

“We’re both half Filipino, so we have the unique position of asking her these questions she might not normally get when she’s doing press for movies,” Catalini said.

Since “The Social Network,” Song has since embraced her identity by building herself around the character she plays. In the Netflix series, “Running Point,” she plays a chief of staff of a basketball team. Song said she portrayed a role that felt “organic and natural.”

Throughout Song’s lifetime in acting, she’s experienced doubts over her career, especially after graduating from college. She gave the audience some brief pointers that she wished she’d had.

“ The world is your oyster. Who’s telling you that you have to stick to one thing?” Song said. “Embrace where you are and know that all you can do is do your best today and tomorrow.”

Published on April 8, 2025 at 1:06 am