Talking Acting & American Grub with Actor "Poo" Boonthanakit [S6.E26]

Ed interviews Sahajak "Poo" Boonthakit, Thai actor and
entertainer. K. Poo begins by explaining his unusual childhood:
his father was a Thai diplomat and when Poo was a young boy his
family moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where Poo would spend the next 11
years. Poo discusses life in Kenya among Africans and Indians and
white 'colonialists,' but also the incredible natural phenomena
of the African savannah. However, in high school, Poo's family
would move to New York, where he at first became more American
but then later learned 'how to be Thai' from the tight knit
community of Thai expats in the city.


Ed asks Poo about his history as an entertainer, and Poo
explains that in Nairobi his brothers formed an acting troupe
that performed on stage at school and in the city. In New York,
Poo continued by becoming a singer and guitar player at local
Thai restaurants. 


In the late 1990s, Poo returned to Thailand with his
Filipino wife, and they started The Garage, one of the first
American burger joints in Bangkok. Through a stroke of luck,
their young son was cast in a commercial and Poo landed the role
of the father (he was a natural at it). :) This led to a
fascinating career acting in films, from "The Beach" with
Leonardo DiCaprio to "Brokedown Palace" with Claire Danes, up
until the very recent "Thirteen Lives" directed by Ron Howard.
Poo tells the story of his amazing three month shoot in Australia
with the famous director and luminaries such as Viggo Mortenson
and Colin Farrell.


And The Garage is still going strong after twenty plus
years! Poo invites all podcast listeners to join him for some
American grub at the corner of Sukumvit 32 and Sukumvit
Road. 


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