At Shondaland, we like to celebrate. And by that, we mean we love to turn back the pages to where we started and see just how far we’ve come. After all, at Shondaland, the shows we create — from Grey’s Anatomy to Scandal to Bridgerton — look like the world we live in, and much of that is thanks to the amazing actors who populate our series.
But these actors aren’t just faces who bring your favorite fictional characters to life; they’re also people from a variety of cultures, and those cultures certainly aren’t monoliths. While common experiences can beautifully connect folks within a community, they are far from singular experiences, and furthermore, the individuals themselves within these experiences contain multitudes.
With that, in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we wanted to know more about some of the AANHPI talent in the Shondaland community and get to know their experiences and their culture on a personal level. From childhood to traditions, favorites to first times, here’s how stories and identity come together to inform who they are.
Here, Station 19 star Merle Dandridge reveals how, as the proud daughter of a Korean mother and African American father, her upbringing made her who she is today. From being born in Okinawa, Japan, to attending school in Nebraska and then Chicago, the actress behind Chief Natasha Ross and star of the stage (Broadway’s Aida, Rent, and Spamalot) and screen (The Last of Us, The Flight Attendant) has lived a rich, Technicolor life that has influenced all that we see in her characters.
How would you describe your childhood?
My childhood was so unique because it started overseas. I was conceived in Korea, born in Japan. My half siblings grew up in Korea and came over to America when they were teenagers. In the ’80s, assimilation was still the thing. But we were living loudly, appreciating who we were, our food, and culture.
In the theater department, some people were selling pies or other things to raise money. My mom was making 500 egg rolls to sell. This is in Nebraska, where it was so homogenous and very white. We were bringing all of the flavor unapologetically. We were making our own kimchi, grinding it up into the egg rolls, and giving people some flavors that they didn’t know why, but they loved it. Those kinds of flavors weren’t as appreciated as they are now. We were living loud, even though it might not have been so popular in those days.
Did you have a favorite family tradition growing up?
Every October, we made our kimchi from scratch. The process would begin in the spring when we would plant all of the red peppers, harvest them at a certain time, then dry them for several weeks. When the red peppers were ready, we grinded them up. It was a whole day of red pepper powder in the air and stinging our eyes. But the process of sitting down, peeling every piece of garlic by hand, and making batch after batch of kimchi for the year was special. We weren’t going to get it if we didn’t make it ourselves, especially at that time. So, that’s what we did.
Did you have a favorite show growing up?
My favorite shows were what my mom made me watch. Every Friday night, it was Dallas. And whenever Dallas was preempted by The Sound of Music, that’s what my mom and I watched. My jam, I have to say, was Fame because on network television I saw people who looked like me living and chasing their dreams. There was something about seeing people of color like Irene Cara. I was like, “Oh, my gosh, there is space for me.” And to now be in the Shondaland universe with somebody like Debbie Allen, who has been laying it down all these years … she’s always been so iconic to me. Fame gave me vision and said it was okay to be a dreamer.
Did you have a favorite book growing up?
Charlotte’s Web. Little Wilbur had nothing, and suddenly he became a superstar by just being his own self. And it was out of a relationship. It was out of someone encouraging him, speaking life into him, and telling him it is possible. I think that that’s what we do as artists.
What was or is your favorite food dish?
My comfort food is always going to be ramyeon. That was my breakfast every morning growing up. Something that is a hearty bone-brothy soup base with noodles, vegetables, kimchi, and a cracked egg in. That’s always going to be my go-to. If I’m ever feeling under the weather, that’s what you bring me.
What is the most valuable lesson your parents taught you?
Do everything to the very best of your ability. Discipline. Hard work. And remember that your dreams can be yours if you do that.
When was the first time you remember seeing someone on-screen who didn’t look like you, but you thought, “I could do that”?
Julie Andrews. And honestly, I still study her performances. She was so fresh, so fearless, and also effortless in her technique. In Nebraska, with only three channels to watch, that was something to see.
What was your first job?
My first job was selling Sprint long distance as a telemarketer in high school. Then, to continue the tradition of selling long distance, I had this job when I was in college at Comiskey Park — when the White Sox were still there — in the VIP suites where you would dress up. I was a dancing MCI card. It was basically this cardboard cutout with legs. I would walk around the VIP suite as an MCI long-distance card.
What was your experience breaking into the industry?
As soon as I finished school, I loaded a U-Haul, moved to New York by myself, and got my first job in a non-union tour of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Then, I went right into a European tour of Ain’t Misbehavin’. Right after that, I made my Broadway debut in Jesus Christ Superstar. I wasn’t even union. This is when Backstage was still a paper publication that came out every Wednesday. I would run to the newsstand and highlight everything that was for me. I got to the audition at 4:30 a.m. before anybody and started an unofficial non-equity list. They saw me at 1 p.m. when somebody didn’t show up for their appointment, and I got the job. I stayed on Broadway for about 15 years. I just worked hard and [took] any opportunity that came at me.
How did it feel to see yourself on-screen for the first time?
Uncomfortable. Being a Broadway girl, I’m used to audience interaction. Like Malcolm Gladwell says, you need your 10,000 hours. I really had to learn my relationship with the camera because it’s a different technical aspect. It was a learning curve. It was like going back to school all over again.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
Longevity. That’s something. I’ve been doing this a long time now, and I really can’t believe it. It’s been 30 years, which is wild. And how different every job seems to be. I love being able to be on the stage. I love to be able to be on the screen and play different kinds of characters and do all kinds of interesting things.
What are you most proud of in your life so far?
In my life, I am most proud of my beautiful, loving family. We’ve not had the easiest road, yet we are so connected and constantly learning, growing closer, and loving so deeply. They’re overcomers, and they’re deep lovers, and I love them so much.
What do you hope to see more of in the industry?
I think we’re on a really fantastic road. It’s been a painful couple of years for the industry with the pandemic and with the strikes, but what’s come out of it is deeper transparency and safer circumstances in some ways. I think that has been the catalyst for a lot of forward movement and forward growth.
Who or what inspires you?
I’m really lucky that I encounter extraordinary people every day — at work and in my daily life. If you’re curious about life, you can get inspiration just about anywhere. There are amazing people around me. My current cast in Station 19 are all so soulful, thoughtful, and passionate. I’m really lucky. I get inspired constantly.
It’s springtime right now. I am also really moved by the flowers in my garden. Just how they resurrect themselves. That question makes me a little emotional because we are so lucky to be in a landscape of extraordinary people telling extraordinary stories — to be that seed of inspiration to whoever needs to hear it and to manage whatever they’re facing in their day. Because life can be very, very difficult. We need to know that somebody else is overcoming and got through that moment. So, we have a great gift here.
What do you hope to accomplish in your career?
The wonderful thing about being an artist and creative is that you are never satiated. You’re always constantly curious about new things. Right now, my new learning curve is all of the stories in my heart. Writing them down and creating those scripts. I have been shadowing and learning the craft of directing and making my own films and creating my own music in my downtime, rather than just telling the stories that have been given to me. [I want to] really reach deep and pull out, manifest, elucidate the stories and artistry in my own heart. This phase of who I am as a creator is making sure that what God has put in my spirit is being offered to the world. That’s where I’m at right now.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
