WAIMEA – A first-time trip to the mainland is an exciting event for any Kaua’i-raised student. For Joshua “Li’i Boy” Shintani of Waimea his first trip to the mainland was simply amazing, and one that resulted in having his name
WAIMEA – A first-time trip to the mainland is an exciting event for any Kaua’i-raised student.
For Joshua “Li’i Boy” Shintani of Waimea his first trip to the mainland was simply amazing, and one that resulted in having his name featured on the marquee of the Waimea Theater during the Waimea Town Celebration to mark his role in the film “Shallow Hal.”
It all began in March 2001 when Joshua, then a senior at Waimea High School, was standing on the corner in Waimea mauka of the public library, the one along the road that leads up to Waimea High. He’s holding his uke and waiting for a ride home. Then it happened, screen magic struck, not in a drug store in Hollywood like in the 1940s, but right there on the red-dirt dusted streets of Waimea.
“This red rental car comes by and the man driving passed me and stared at me and gave me this look, his mouth was open,” Joshua recalls. “All of a sudden he turns around and stops at the corner where I was at and he asked me to come over, and asked me if I want to be in a movie. An’ I was like ‘what?'”
The driver turns out to be Peter Farrelly of the movie director brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly the directors of “There’s Something About Mary”, writers of “Dumb and Dumber,” and staff writers for some “Seinfeld” TV episodes. Farrelly turns out to be the real thing and happens to be on Kaua’i for a vacation at the Hyatt Regency Kaua’i in Po’ipu.
Farrelly takes down Joshua’s number and drives off. Joshua goes home and tells his mom Sandy Shintani. Soon his younger brother and four sisters, and his dad Keli’i, who is renowned for making unique Westside-style saddles, are in on the news.
“Nobody believed me and they were like ‘right’,” Joshua says.
Things happen fast when Farrelly calls back later in the day with an offer. Joshua remembers his reaction to the good news. “Like wow, I would like your son to come to L.A. for a screen test!”
The next morning Joshua and his uncle Steven Sullivan from Waimea Valley are off to L.A. Upon arrival they see a guy holding their names up on a sign and he leads them to a limo for a lift to their hotel and a videotape screen test at the Farrelly’s office in Santa Monica.
In front of the camera Joshua strummed his uke and played “Never Will Forget Where I’m From,” a song from O’ahu singer Justin’s CD, and said a couple of lines for a voice check. Rapidly his role expands from strumming his uke to a speaking role.
“I kind of did good, so I was happy,” Joshua says.
Joshua and his uncle flew back home on Sunday after a whirlwind tour of Hollywood with staff guys from the Farrelly’s production company. His favorite stop on the cruise was a look at the landmark HOLLYWOOD sign in the hills above the movie town. Joshua’s favorite snapshot of the weekend is a print of himself with the sign in the background, a good photo to show he was really in Hollywood.
Back home in Waimea Joshua tried to keep his shot at big time screen acting quiet. “I told my auntie and a friend of mine, but didn’t tell anyone else it happened,” he says. But word got out and soon everyone at Waimea High was wishing him luck.
The Farrellys liked what they saw and sent a letter to Waimea High asking permission for Joshua to stay out of school for a week in April and Joshua was L.A. bound again. He’s on the set for two days this time and learns about the patience needed when your acting in a movie. “You don’t work hard, you just wait hard,” he says of the long days on the set waiting to go on camera.
Even more exciting is yet another mainland run in May, this time all the way to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Now Joshua is hanging out with the stars. Beautiful Gweneth Paltrow and comedian Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame. And grungy and funny Jack Black. “We talked on the set like that, and hung out a while,” Jason says of waiting on the sidelines during filming in Charlotte with up and coming comic actor Black.
The Farrellys told Joshua to “be myself” in front the camera, he says. “In the story line I’m a friend of Gwenteth’s friend Ralph whose played by Zen Gesner. I said a line to Jack Black. He was funny, and later I asked him about how it is being a movie star.”
After enjoying more days on the set, and getting his picture taken with Gweneth Paltrow Joshua flew home after his scenes wrapped and he finished up the school year at Waimea.
The following fall the Farrellys came through with another trip for Joshua, this time to the premiere of “Shallow Hal” in L.A. at the Mann Theatre in Westwood on November 9. He again got the royal treatment – limo ride, a walk down the red carpet with the stars past banks of flashing cameras, cordoned off rows of movie fans and reporters. “They were telling me to look over here,” he says. He also receives a rare accolade from the Farrellys who decide to keep his real name “Li’i Boy” as the name of his movie character.
The topper was an after-screening party and more hanging out with the famous actors who were by now his good friends. “Pretty cool,” says Joshua, who is now in his first year at Kaua’i Community College taking liberal arts courses. He’s interested in pursuing screen acting too should Hollywood call again.
