This post was updated April 30 at 7:52 p.m.

Alumnus Terry Hu is paving the way for Asian and nonbinary actors in the film industry.

The former neuroscience student turned actor will be appearing in Hulu’s upcoming comedy film “Prom Dates,” which is premiering May 3. Hu is best known for their roles in Disney’s “Zombies 3,” Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” and the Oscar-qualifying short “Americanized.”

Hu spoke with the Daily Bruin’s Sydney Gaw about their journey navigating the film industry as a first-generation Chinese American queer actor, as well as their career progression from STEM to the arts.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Daily Bruin: You’ve mentioned in previous interviews that you were originally discouraged from pursuing a career in acting. How did you respond to these sentiments, and what has your journey as an actor been like?

Terry Hu: As a kid, there were no roles for Asian people, let alone roles for Asian queer people. … I didn’t see a lot of Asians on screen, so I probably had some level of delusion to enter it (the film industry). Honestly, anyone in this industry needs to have a bit of that for anything because it’s so competitive. … I didn’t plan on pursuing acting as a kid – it was a dream, but it was never an actual plan until I was in my early 20s.

DB: As an openly queer nonbinary actor, what has your experience been like navigating the film industry?

TH: I’m really grateful because a lot more roles have come out specifically looking for BIPOC actors or specifically looking for nonbinary actors. It’s very encouraging because even five, 10 years ago, you would have never heard of this. I’ve gotten to go out for a lot of those roles, and I’m really excited to keep going in that direction. … I’m lucky to have had some roles reflect it (my identity) because that feels good and affirming.

DB: From your recent projects, what were some memorable moments on set, and how have these experiences allowed you to grow as an actor?

TH: It (“Zombies 3”) was my first feature film, so it was cool navigating that. I had to dance for it, which I hadn’t really done before. With each project, I have learned a lot. The biggest takeaway I’ve gotten from all projects is things that will help my mental health. For instance, when I filmed “Zombies 3,” I was living in Toronto, … and it made me realize how easy it is to fall into a bubble and to forget about your life back in Los Angeles or home. It was helpful for me to learn to stay grounded, and something I’ve talked about in a lot of interviews is how important your mental health is in this process.

DB: During your time at UCLA, were there any creative outlets on campus that allowed you to channel your passion for acting?

TH: I minored in theater, and that was really a nice outlet. Although, theater and TV/film are very distinctly different, but it was lovely to take theater classes. One of my professors, Thomas Orth, … pulled me aside one day when I was going to go to physical therapy school, and he was like, “You should pursue this (acting).” … There were a lot of outlets through his class and through all the (theater) classes and just encouragement.

DB: What experiences influenced your decision to pursue acting instead of neuroscience or physical therapy?

TH: I graduated college with my neuroscience degree, and then I applied to physical therapy schools. … The summer after I graduated, I was taking the GRE and such, but I was going on Backstage.com, which is this free online site for people to see auditions. So I was going on there regularly because I was curious. I think that I always knew, “Maybe I’ll do acting,” but throughout college, I was like, “Yeah, I’m majoring in neuroscience, but maybe I’ll be an actor one day.” … So I went on Backstage.com, and I saw this open casting call. After a couple months, I heard back from that open casting call, and they liked me. This was right when I was hearing back from schools.

I remember I signed with this commercial agency, and they were like, “You should not go to school,” … and I was like, “That’s so much easier said than done,” but I decided to defer. So I was like, “Let me just give it one year.” And that was kind of the thing that made me brave enough – that I signed with an agency and I had school options. … Things worked out, fortunately.

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DB: What was it like preparing for your role as Angie in “Prom Dates,” and what can you tell us about this character?

TB: Angie is one of the love interests to one of the leads, and I thought this role was really fun. It’s such a funny script. It’s such a feel-good movie. I like it because Angie is this cool kid that plays in a band and is just chill. It was nice to be able to tap into this one facet of me because I’m really a huge goofball in real life – I’m not chill at all. I’m not super cool and suave, but I go out for a lot of these roles, and I think Angie is one of them. It was just fun to tap into that section of me and expand it, even if that’s not who I am. … It’s such a fun movie and role to have been a part of, so I’m really excited for everyone to see it and to see the feel-goodness of it.

The takeaway from both Angie and this entire movie is definitely about friendship. I want everyone coming out of it feeling like, “I’m excited for summer, and I’m excited to get out there and meet new people and shoot my shot.” … It’s nice to be authentic to yourself and follow who you love and what you love because you never know where it will take you.

DB: What advice would you give to aspiring actors who may be interested in pursuing a career in the film industry but are afraid to stray from their current career path?

TH: If there is another world or industry or skill set you enjoy, do not feel ashamed at all about pursuing that skill also. Because acting is a long game, you’re going to do a lot of waiting. There’s going to be a lot of rejections, and it’s going to be really hard if you don’t have anything else that you enjoy because your purpose is going to be tied to this thing that requires so much validation. … Don’t be afraid to work on something that’s outside of the industry, because you can support yourself, and that will help your mental health and your craft.