My Exclusive Interview with Amy Okuda of The Guild

It seems like only yesterday I was telling you guys all about The Guild (for whoever hadn’t already heard) and how it was my NFT (new favorite thing). Maybe it was only last week or so… but when I latch onto something, I do so with passion and dedication the likes of which they appreciate in the armed forces! (But I would never join, I’m a pacifist – except when it comes to destroying spiders in close quarters to my being.) In conclusion, spiders should beware, and I love The Guild so much I begged Amy Okuda (Tinkerballa on The Guild) to answer some questions for you guys. Now that I’m finally out of jail for some bogus harassment charge (psh), I can post the answers!

We discussed Christmas presents, season two of The Guild, those now infamous DDR skills of Felicia Day, the hazards of working with Jeff Vork, and why you wouldn’t see the characters of The Guild on a reality TV show.

Amy Okuda (center) at Comic Con with Jeff Lewis and Robin Thorsen

Tinkerballa is often seen playing a Nintendo DS (full disclosure: I had no idea what it was exactly called until I Googled a bit), no matter what else is also occupying her attention. I think this is quiet a feat since I can hardly talk on the phone and walk without tripping, I mean – uh, anyway! Through WatchTheGuild’s YouTube page I learned you actually do like to play your DS. Are you actually playing your DS (very ‘method’) when you’re shooting? What are your favorite games?

Amy Okuda (AO): HAHA. No, that is actually Felicia’s DS, and it’s never turned on…I just poke at the buttons on a blank screen…My own DS is actually Pink , which would have probably fit Tink’s character well, but I forgot to bring mine on the day of the shoot, so we just used Felicia’s… My favorite game that I ALWAYS play is Mario Kart. I also got into that game Brain Age, but nothing will replace Mario Kart.

Can you single out one of the most memorable scenes of The Guild that you’ve filmed? (And don’t leave us hanging or we’ll cry – tell us why?)

AO: I think all of the scenes we get to all film together are pretty memorable and fun. Most of the time it’s just me talking to a blank computer. So when all of us get to be on set together, I have a really good time.

Given that you recite lines like, “I was being raped by goblins and you’re standing there with your staff up your ass!” and your fellow castmates have other hilarious gems like, “These aren’t hams I’m smuggling!” (Robin Thorsen as Clara, re: her breasts) is it difficult for you to control the impulse to laugh while filming scenes? How long could the gag reel be if you guys didn’t edit it?

AO: OMG, it’s SOO hard to not laugh when we are shooting together. The person that makes me laugh the most on set is Jeff who plays Vork. He’s just so funny and awkward, it’s amazing.

Christmas is coming up, what do you think Tinkerballa might ask for?

AO: Hmm… I don’t know what Tink wants, but I definitely know what Amy wants…ANYTHING FROM TIFFANY’S! Hah I am just kidding. Tink might ask for a PS2, or that new World of Warcraft extension that just came out… But I’m sure she would have gotten that the day it came out in stores… haha.

With the exception of the blind, one can’t help but notice how bright and colorful Tink’s room is. I have to know, is that someone’s actual bedroom or is it all a set? Because colors are able to affect us in such potent-yet-unconscious ways, is it impossible to be sad in that space? (I feel like I could watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in there and shed not a single tear!)

AO: It’s actually a bedroom in Felicia’s house. I don’t really know if the room ALWAYS looks like that, but they do a great job dressing it up to make the room very “Tink”. I love how it’s so girly and pink but then you see random Skulls or munchkins with their butts hanging out scattered around the room.

The Guild Season One is on DVD to buy, NOW!

Season two has finally begun, so I will go off my (super-pretend-and-in-no-way-actually-real) hunger strike! Can you tell us if we’ll get to meet Tinkerballa’s once-mentioned boyfriend?

AO: I don’t want to give anything away for the upcoming season, but I can say that Tink does have some sort of interaction with a male figure in season 2.

Since you’ve been a professional dancer, do you think you can give (or have already given) castmate Felicia Day (who plays Codex & writes the show) a run for her money at DDR? (Fans can see Day’s energetic DDRing on YouTube.)

AO: Of course not! Have you seen that video?! Felicia Day is a DDR master. No one can top that.

(Editor’s note: Sounds like a challenge to me…perhaps a one Mr. Sandeep Parikh would like to try?)

If members of The Guild (the characters, not the actors) were going to be on a reality show, which would you pick for them to all be on together? And for a bonus round question: If you could spend a day as a cast member on any reality show series (more than a day might be dangerous to your health and/or sanity), which would you pick?

AO: I think The Guild characters would be the worst people to put on a reality show because they wouldn’t do anything but play games. There wouldn’t be enough drinking, partying, hooking up, or fighting which MAKES reality shows these days… But if i could be in a reality show I would definitely want to be on one of The Real world/Road Rules challenges on MTV. I would probably suck at the challenges and get kicked off first, but they always go to the coolest places!!

I’m hoping to see you in more and more acting projects because you’re all kinds of talented. Are you happiest acting in the comedy genre?

AO: AWW YAY THANKS! Hopefully you will see me in more stuff in the future after I graduate college, but yeah, I do love comedy. I’d also like to try some drama stuff too, like my dream is to be on Grey’s Anatomy… HAHA. Well, my real/big dream is to have my own TV show, sitcom or drama. I’d take either. HAHA.

In five words or less, what can fans expect from season two of The Guild?

AO: Lots of laughs . Yay!

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And we’re ready for season two, which begins today!

Season Two Trailer of The Guild

Official Site: http://www.watchtheguild.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/watchtheguild

MySpace: www.myspace.com/watchtheguild

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Guild/6068232341

Buy an official Guild t-shirt for someone special, like maybe the Tom Lenk-looking dude at the library you’ve been stalking! I mean, what?! Me? No. No. I don’t even GO to the library! I mean, sure I go, but like, um… what?

I am so leaving now. I need a Diet Coke. And maybe a good alibi…

The photo is from BobbyProm at Flickr.

P.S. Thanks to Whedonage.com I learned: “You can follow these members of The Guild on Twitter: Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, Vork, Kim Evey,  Greg Benson (as Mediocre Films)”