Fil-Am actor-educator Rodney To finds himself as an Oscar Trophy Presenter

LOS ANGELES — As audiences from around the world tune in to watch the 94th Academy Awards show on their television sets, Fil-Am actor-educator Rodney To is tickled pink as he finds himself to be in the middle of it all as an Oscar Trophy Presenter on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Rodney, whom you may have seen in "Parks and Recreation," "Barry," or "Good Girls," is also an acting and dramatic arts professor at the University of Southern California.

He will be seen next in the Jay Chandrasekhar-helmed comedy "Easter Sunday" starring Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy, who plays a fictionalized version of himself as he attends a family gathering to celebrate Easter Sunday. The film also stars Tia Carrere, Eva Noblezada, Jimmy O. Yang, Tiffany Haddish, Brandon Wardell, Eugene Cordero, Lydia Gaston and Lou Diamond Phillips.

We were able to interview Rodney in between rehearsals and filming and below are excerpts from our conversation.

How did you get the gig of being a trophy presenter for education at the Oscars?

I received a call several weeks ago from an Academy producer informing that I was nominated by several USC Alumni as being someone who contributes greatly to Education and Entertainment. Will Packer, the Executive Producer and director, had the final say apparently.

I was shocked when I was selected and now, here I am! I'm super humbled by the recognition by former students more than anything.

Did you have to go through an audition process or were you just nominated by the school?

No audition, just being selected.

What are the perks of being a Trophy Presenter?

As a trophy presenter, we get to be backstage the whole week and really watch everything that goes into putting up the event. From lights, to set, to cameras, we get to watch how meticulous the planning is.

As someone who cut his teeth in theater, this is not too surprising to me. That said, the Oscars takes an army like I've never seen to put up. Everyone works very very hard and there's a lot of legacy in the workforce I found out.

We had several press opportunities as well. Will Packer really wants to make the position of "trophy presenter" special and has been letting us do some publicity which is fun as well. All in all, I'm glad I get to bring all this information back to my students as well as hip-pocket the experience for myself.

What kind of rehearsals and briefings did you go through?

There were many detailed briefings since there is a lot of history behind the event. We were informed of what we were allowed to say (or not say!) about the Oscars. We were taken through our own process of handing over trophies and boy is it specific! No one in the building knows who wins till they open that envelope! There is a lot of practicing different scenarios. I'm thrilled to know they cover all their bases that way.

Do you know which categories you will be presenting?

I do know, however, I hesitate to say because, as we all know, things can change in an instant.

Photo courtesy of Rodney To

Who are you looking forward to meeting in person at the Oscars?

Honestly, I'm just looking forward to being amidst the buzz and energy of the Oscars. I'm experienced enough now to know that "it's not about me." I just want to be a (close) fly on the wall of this celebration of all things filmmaking. I'll be in winking distance of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nicole Kidman, Simu Liu, Andrew Garfield, the Williams Sisters, etc. so I'm just glad to be in the presence of greatness. And if I get a chance to meet Steven Spielberg in person, I'm going to hug him and thank him for producing Jo Koy's upcoming movie "Easter Sunday" which I'm in.

Who are you wearing?

I am fortunate that they will be dressing me, so I haven't eaten rice in a few days and I'm about to strangle someone. But today I put on my tux for the first time. I am excited to find out who it's from. I have an idea, but again, one thing that is constant about this business—change.

What are your greatest fears during the event?

My greatest fear during this event is that I forget to take it all in. I am aware that the event is celebrating the work of the films being honored, their teams, their cast etc. It just so happens there will be tons of celebrities there as well.

I just want to witness the lesser-known actors and winners who are getting to participate in the "Olympics of Hollywood" and send good energy their way at every given turn. As I get older, I get more sentimental, and I want people who've earned the right to be there get their due. And if I can contribute by sending off good vibes, then I've done my job and then some.

Is this a first time that the Oscars is doing this—having educators present trophies? How many are you and do you know anybody else in the group?

This is not the first time they are making the position specific, but this is the first group of folks in Education. There are six of us and I didn't know a soul. Again, a cherry on top is getting to meet folks from across the country and witness them experiencing Hollywood for the first time.

Do you see this as a chance to network or even be discovered?

I don't see this as a networking opportunity or a chance at being "discovered." It being a celebration, I'd like to hope that my celebration is that my work in both Hollywood and Higher Education made enough of an impact that people believed I should represent. So, I'm just going to be here to represent.

Also, I'm the only Asian American presenting, so that's quite an honor as well. We're just trophy presenters, but representation matters even in these positions. So, I'm going enjoy the ride.

Photo courtesy of Rodney To

How do you plan to prepare for the event? Are you going to a spa to be treated, etc.?

I really don't have time to do anything special that way. I'll be going to Jo Koy's Netflix taping on Friday, so that's as special as it gets. The cast of "Easter Sunday" will be there to cheer him on—as will countless others—so that's my "special preparation" and I'm thrilled with that.

What is your partner James Leo's reaction to this? Is he also attending as your plus one?

James is thrilled. He is the most excited person about anything that happens in my life. I'm the same way with him. I'm a very lucky man.

Unfortunately, tickets are controlled by the Academy and there are no "plus ones" allowed. He'll be attending the Governor's Ball with me, and we're stoked.

Who was the first person you called to announce the gig?

Jimmy (James). And then my agent, Adrian Hamerski. If Jimmy wasn't coming with me, I'd ask Adrian who has been my second biggest cheerleader. I wouldn't want to celebrate with anyone else. With the exception of my (deceased) Lola Betty who would have been the belle of the ball; wig, dress and all.

You will be seen by thousands of viewers all around the world. How are you going to celebrate your 15 minutes of fame and glamor?

15 minutes? Oof if I haven't already had a little bit of that, then I'm screwed. Haha.

Again, I don't see this as an opportunity for me to be "seen" or any sort of fame-seeking opportunity. I am an actor first, so that kind of stuff comes along with that territory. And although I'm pretty blue-collar as far as a Hollywood career goes, I've done some recognizable stuff that I'm pretty proud of. So, there's where my moments of "fame" reside. I'm just going to celebrate everyone else that evening. This is their night and I'm glad to be invited to the party.

—MGP, GMA News