Remy Hii, the American Sweetheart

Indie-rock band member and Spider-Man’s romantic rival in “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” Remy Hii lives the life of an idyllic guy.

Australian actor Remy Hii started his career at the age of 19 when he starred in the award-winning play “The Estimator” produced by the Queensland Theatre Company. Born from a Chinese-Malaysian father and a British mother, Hii was blessed with good looks, which made it rather easy for him to land good roles. But being a teenage heartthrob didn’t mean that he skipped the basics of being a good actor and he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in Sydney.

Before landing the role of Brad Davis in “Spider-Man: Far from Home,” Hii starred in one of the most successful Asian-themed movies in Hollywood, “Crazy Rich Asians,” as Alistair Cheng—Nick Young’s cousin. There is a lot more to the 33-year-old Remy Hii than what meets the eye. DA MAN talked to the rising star while doing this photo shoot in Los Angeles.

DAMAN: What made you decide to be an actor in the first place?

REMY HII: An overactive imagination and a mum who took me to the theatre a lot as a kid led to me sitting there thinking “I want to do that!” And then when I grew up, I saw the lack of Asian representation in the shows I was watching a challenge to try and change the industry and be a role model for others

DAMAN: Is it true that you were in an indie-rock band as well during your time at the National Institute of Dramatic Art? Could you tell us a little bit more about it?

REMY HII: [Laughs] Yes! Well done, you did your research! I played in a band with my best friends for six years, and got about as successful as you can get as an Australian indie band. We toured and played festivals and supported some great acts but it definitely got me into trouble at drama school when I had to sneak out of a dress rehearsal so I could get to a gig on time.

DAMAN: In your latest movie “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” you stole the spotlight as Brad Davis, who is a 16-year-old, Peter Parker’s school mate competing for MJ’s affection. Was it a challenge playing a teenager?

REMY HII: Funnily enough, it didn’t! At times I still feel like I’m a teenager trapped in an adults body so I just channeled that energy into Brad. You’re only as old as you feel!

DAMAN: You are portrayed as the perfect guy in high school and in real life; you do have great hair and looks. What is your daily grooming like? What are your grooming essentials?

REMY HII: On set I benefit from having the skills of the best hair and makeup people but in my own life, I’m pretty low key. Number one is a good moisturizer and I recently discovered micellar water, and that was a game changer!

DAMAN: Out of the three lead actresses in the history of Spider-Man movies (Kirsten Dunst, Emma Stone and Zendaya), which one is your favorite, and why?

REMY HII: I think the best actor makes any role completely their own, and nobody owns MJ like Zendaya!

DAMAN: What does being a gentleman mean to you?

REMY HII: It means having respect, for others and also for yourself.

DAMAN: Is there any superhero role you wanted to play? Or perhaps a villain?

REMY HII: I think villains have more fun, but as a kid, I always wanted to play Superman

DAMAN: You did your own stunts while doing “Marco Polo”. Is this something that you have to do in every movie?

REMY HII: It depends on the role. On “Marco Polo” I did all of my own stunts except for one that involved the safety of another actor—(catching them falling off a horse). The physical aspect of my job is a lot of fun and a great challenge.

DAMAN: We heard that you have an interest in photography. What do you like about it?

REMY HII: I’ve always had a passion for photography and a huge respect for those that can tell a great story in one image. Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, Gregory Crewdson, Robert Capa, Ren Hang – these are all some of my heroes.

DAMAN: Other than being an actor, what kind of profession would you be interested in pursuing?

REMY HII: I always wanted to be a paramedic—helping people when they need it most but not cooped up in a hospital all day like a doctor. I need that excitement!

DAMAN: Any dream castmates, writer, director, you would like to work with one day?

REMY HII: Director: Alfonso Cuaron, writer: Martin McDonagh, actor: Jake Gyllenhaal

DAMAN: If you have to choose one career, would you rather be an actor or a model?

REMY HII: Actor!