I just want you to finish this sentence. Finish it with Fukuhara. How about that? Favorite Asian food. Oh my goodness. Sushi. Sushi. Ramen. Wait, which one? Which one? Which one? I had dumplings last night. I love I love it all. I had Korean barbecue. I had that a couple of days ago. She is literally slaying her way through Suicide Squad. But a very sword-free Karen Fukuhara is on the couch with me. You don't have a sword hidden somewhere?

It might be hidden somewhere, but I won't tell you where.

That is so katana of you. I got to say thank you for coming by.

Thank you so much for having me.

Love you are you are killing it when it comes to the fashion. Um, I've seen all your red carpet looks. I want all of your outfits. Please give them to me immediately. Um, can we talk about that first because I want to know how you choose what you're going to wear, what your style has become, especially as you've done a lot of press for Suicide Squad.

Yeah, well, I work with uh an amazing stylist named Jessica Paster. And she just pulls the most beautiful, gorgeous designer pieces out there for me and then I get to decide and decide this one, that one, that one, that one and then I have to go to work.

Are you literally pointing?

Yes. I like that one. I I want to try that one on. It's like a big party, you know. You girls are at it and then you try everything on, you get it tailored and I didn't realize the power of tailoring until this press tour. Oh. Yeah, because I'm so short.

Okay. So, everything kind of

Like I can relate. I can relate. Yeah. For Asians. Exactly, exactly. Sometimes on auditions they lie. But anyway. No. But um yeah, no, the power of tailoring it makes everything look so good.

Nice. Well, it's do you know, you're working it, you're working it. You look great.

Thank you.

Let's talk about Katana. Such a big deal that she is part of the Suicide Squad that you are making your big film debut in this movie. I want to know when you knew acting was what you wanted to do because you're probably a lot like me. We didn't see a lot of girls who look like us.

Who look like us. Yeah, exactly. Growing up, I've always thought acting and uh the acting career was the most prestigious thing, which is really kind of odd I think, you know. We grow up thinking being a doctor or a lawyer or a policeman. Those kinds of jobs are are um, you know, prestigious.

Prestigious, prestigious.

Prestigious. Okay. Prestigious. Prestigious. Um but I knew I always wanted to do it, but I didn't really have the means to know what steps to take. I come from a first-generation immigrant family and none of us knew what an agent was or what acting classes we were supposed to take, there are so many in L. A. So upon graduating college, I really sat down and thought about what I wanted to do. You know, this is when all of my friends are working towards what they're passionate about. Uh they've already started working towards their goal and I kind of hit a wall because I didn't know what to do at that point and then I realized, oh, well, this is the time to really really pursue and and be courageous and take the first step.

Yeah, and you didn't even have an agent when you

I didn't have.

How did so I mean, you kind of went from like zero to 60.

Yeah, well, I I used to do hosting and reporting for a Disney show and uh another sports show that I still do to today.

Oh, wow.

Yeah. But you know, that and acting is a little bit different. So this is my first film. Yeah, making a splash.

You did your own stunts. Mm-hmm. Can we talk about this too because you actually started karate. So it's not like martial arts is this foreign thing to you, but you did train with people

Yes. Uh very closely. And one of the things they teach you is like how to fake like taking a punch or taking like

Funny thing is in Suicide Squad, there is not a moment where Katana is hit.

Nice. So you didn't have to learn that. Not much. I mean, there is there are moments where I get hit a little bit, but not a face punch or nothing to the face.

Were there any tricks of the trade that they taught you though about, you know, looking looking bad ass.

I did I did do a couple uh practice rounds just to make sure, you know, if on the day if director David Ayer wants me to take a hit,

Sure.

I know how to do it.

Okay. So how do you take a hit? How do you take a hit? Really?

You just kind of you just see it coming and then you just go in the direction of the punch. So if it's coming this way, you just go like that.

Really? Seriously. If I'm coming this way, just go like that. So if I went so if I went out you right there.

Yeah, go for it. Go for it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Okay. I won't even catch you in because you just have to react, right? All right. All right. Wow. That was pretty good. Okay. Now do me. Okay. Oh. That was you have to go up. You have to go up. Okay. Let's try again. Let's try again. Oh. Did I do it? Probably not. Okay.

No, you know what? You made it. You made it. You made it. Yeah, totally.

Well, what's the biggest thing that has changed for you since being a part of the DC universe?

I just love hearing the feedback from the fans on social media. Um when I signed on to do the role, I never knew that Katana had such an effect on people and uh it it's amazing to see all the cosplayers at Comic-Con and hearing all the parents talk about how they're proud of me and how thankful they are to have, you know, an Asian-American actress. It's huge. take on the role of a DC Comic superhero.

What's been the most special fan interaction that you've had so far?

I spoke with the mother of two Asian daughters and she was saying, you know, I I've never thought that they could dress up as an Asian superhero for Halloween. That's awesome. That that was very touching.

That's really sweet. I heard Margot Robbie had a tattoo gun. Yeah. On set. Yeah. And she got a little handsy with it. Yeah. Did she leave you with a souvenir?

You know, professional that she is. Who knew? Who knew? Margot Robbie was also she can do anything. She really can. She really can. Um yes, I got one on my ankle and it was the most painful thing that I ever went through.

Did you get it infected? Can we see it? Do you have it? Well, I have it down here. Let's see. We'll find you. Oh, there it is. Here. So, Margot actually took her tattoo gun and just like inked you up.

It's kind of coming off because it's on my ankle.

Do you have to go call her up for a touch-up?

Yeah, well, she brought her cut uh her tattoo gun to the press tour. Um but we didn't have time. We were so busy.

She did She did a good job. You might need to touch it up though. You might need to like Does she charge for touch-ups? Like what's

You know, I hope not.

I hope you get a discount. I hope you get the squad discount.

I I probably will. I hope so. I hope so. Yeah.

You have some other heavy hitters in this cast as well. You have Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Will Smith. Um was there anyone who you bonded with in particular while you guys were shooting?

You know, we all kind of bonded together. We went through this extensive rehearsal process for a month and a half in pre-production, which kind of bonded us emotionally. You know, we went through our deepest, darkest secret secrets and

Yeah. Yeah. Who cried the most?

Probably me. Yeah. Probably me.

Don't lie. You know, if if someone tells it or you know what? It was Will. No. No. No. Will doesn't Will doesn't cry. Oh, okay. Will Will's a man. It was Joel Kinnaman. Was it Jay Hernandez?

My lips are sealed. My lips are sealed. I think that really kind of just got us together and now we're this great big family.

Okay. Well, on to something a little bit more wholesome before we go. Um, I just want you to finish So, we're just going to finish this sentence. Finish it with Fukuhara. How about that? Okay. Finish it with Fukuhara. Okay. So, I'm just going to rapid-fire a bunch of sentences and you have to just bust through them. Just like Katana would. Just slay it. Okay. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready? Okay. The last movie I saw was

Oh. Uh uh Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Ah. The last person I texted.

Jay Hernandez.

Oh. Oh. Uh, favorite Asian food. Oh my goodness. Sushi. Ramen. Wait, which one? Which one? Which one? I had dumplings last night. I love I love it all. I had Korean barbecue. I had that a couple of days ago. All you can eat in L. A. Oh. Yeah. They're legendary, you guys. Legendary. Favorite favorite favorite non-Asian food.

Oh. Favorite non-I love Italian food. So pasta.

Okay. Carbs. Carbs. Rice's cousin, basically. Yeah. Favorite karate finishing move.

Oh. Uh Roundhouse kick. Uh

Oh. My celebrity Suicide Squad would consist of

What what do you mean?

Who's who's your who's your dream squad?

Oh. Oh. I already got my squad.

Yeah. Yeah. So Jay Hernandez and Will Smith, right?

Oh yeah. Yeah. Margot Robbie, Viola Davis. That was that was an easy one.

My biggest fear is my

uh being alone.

It's that's that's gotten very dark and heavy, but Okay. Oh, wow. Dying alone. Okay. Well, we're all leaving after this. So, you're just left on the couch by yourself. I'm sorry. Totally. And finally, I am happiest when When I'm with my best friend.

Aw. I want to be your best friend, Karen Fukuhara. You're awesome. I can be part of your squad. Do I get a tattoo? Can we call Margot? Yeah. Yeah. I'll do yours though. Yeah. It'll be my first tattoo ever. It'll be very I'm in good hands. I'm in good hands. Karen, thank you so much for coming by.

Thank you so much for having me. Oh, I have a Roundhouse kick, right? Oh yeah. Oh.

We'll work it out. I got you.