Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Trieu.
Elizabeth, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Slate your name — Hi, I’m Elizabeth Trieu. I’m 5’2″ and based in Los Angeles.
Yes, and…
I recently moved back to Los Angeles after a stint in Joshua Tree. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, to Chinese and Vietnamese immigrant parents, I’m an Asian American Millennial with a love for creativity and community.
While I’ve been nurturing my acting career, I’ve recently expanded my focus to building something special: Good Buds — my brand offering floral services, branding, and yoga instruction. The name is a nod to my love of florals, the idea of growth, and the importance of friendship and collaboration.
I grew up in a unique family dynamic, raised by elderly Caucasian guardians while my parents maintained a more hands-off approach. This gave me the freedom and autonomy to explore my own path. As a kid, I drank buttermilk, buttered my toast with “oleo,” and spent hours watching Shirley Temple, I Love Lucy, and Gomer Pyle. I didn’t have a curfew, which allowed me the space to explore life on my own terms, and it instilled in me a strong sense of independence and curiosity.
I often chose to be an observer rather than a participant, listening to and watching the behavior of my friends, family, and even strangers. Being raised by elderly white guardians, I sometimes struggled to articulate my own experience, which felt disconnected from both my cultural background and the mainstream. But I became good at connecting with others who didn’t come from traditional nuclear families—there was a shared vulnerability. Even among friends with more conventional upbringings, I was always welcomed into their homes and treated with kindness and love. Despite feeling like an outsider, my friends provided me with a sense of belonging.
After high school, I followed the traditional path: went to college, got my degree in theater, and moved to LA to pursue acting. But life had other plans. My freshman year, I lost my best friend to osteosarcoma cancer, and by my 20s, both of my parents had passed away. I lived in LA, then moved back to Texas to care for my father, then to New York, Austin, back to LA, then to Joshua Tree, and now, I’m finally back in LA again. It’s been a chaotic, unpredictable journey.
Over the past decade and a half, I spent a lot of time coping with grief and healing. But those experiences shaped me in ways I never expected. My values have shifted, and I’ve learned to approach life with more empathy and understanding. I’ve always tried to understand others’ feelings and circumstances in order to better understand my own.
Acting has been the key to this growth, teaching me compassion, empathy, the art of reading behavior, and the ability to develop character. It’s become my secret weapon in building deep, meaningful relationships and navigating the world around me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yoga has taught me the power of non-attachment, and with the help of gratitude, grit, grace, and giggles, life feels a little brighter. If you’ve ever seen the movie Hook, I relate to being one of the lost ones. My Instagram handle, @trieufio, is a play on Rufio, if that says anything! And honestly, Hook is one of the greatest movies of all time—watch it if you haven’t.
I moved around a lot in my 20s, which made it challenging to feel grounded, especially in my career. If I had known staying in LA would accelerate my success, I might have stuck around, but I wouldn’t trade my time in New York or Austin for the world. In New York, I fell in love with an acting class led by Anthony Abeson and made some of the best friends of my life. I got to perform in an off-off-Broadway show and even had Meryl Streep, her daughter, and Tracey Ullman in the audience one night. We shared an elevator ride down after the show, and Meryl said, “Good job!”—I diiiied. Of course, I did.
In Austin, I had the chance to work with legendary directors like Robert Rodriguez and Andrew Bujalski, which gave me valuable affirmation. I also got to play on set a lot for commercials, and I felt immediately at home.
Between 2012 and 2014, I struggled with an eating disorder. But I took that grief with me into yoga teacher training, which ultimately helped me heal. Yoga gave me the tools to cope, and now I lead with gratitude. Every present moment is a learning experience, and when you live with that mindset, you start to see the bright spots—even in difficult times.
As an Asian American artist, I’ve never let my background hold me back. I’ve witnessed the industry’s shift toward greater inclusion, but I also know we still face challenges with cultural appropriation and stereotypes. Despite that, I’m a “throw paint at the canvas” kind of person, so I say “yes” to almost every audition. It’s a chance to play, to grow, and to step into another person’s shoes and experience life from their perspective. It’s truly one of the coolest parts of this job.
There’s a line from a movie I’m in, Summer Nights, where my character says, “Get some empathy!” It still rings in my ears, and I believe it’s a message the world needs now more than ever.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Sometimes, I think you have to say “I’m a working actor” to truly take yourself seriously in this career. So, on the record, I’m a working actor. Heard?
Being a working actor doesn’t guarantee security—at least, not yet (manifesting that future). So I’ve made it a point to find ways to fill my cup and maintain the flexibility I need as an actress.
2024 has brought a lot of expansion. I’ve been on set for commercials, worked on one of my favorite Apple+ shows, voiced a lead character in a Hulu/Disney+ Korean series, and have been spreading joy with the offerings of Good Buds. The title “working actor” can be tough to meet when you’re at the mercy of the industry, but I’m here for it.
My first job was at an ice cream shop, followed by working at my friend’s mom’s floral shop. Over the years, I’ve gained a lot of experience in the service industry, including roles in hospitality and production. Recently, I had the chance to consult and help brand my favorite sushi restaurant in LA, KOMBU! The owners are like family, and enjoying their sushi is like a hug—every. dang. time. Go for lunch or happy hour. You won’t be disappointed, and it’s dog friendly!
The last job I did before my hiatus in Joshua Tree was assisting florists on HBO’s Loot. One day, we were preparing flowers, and I found myself sitting under a table, glittering branches for an installation. It could have felt tedious, but I saw the value in the work. I knew I was contributing to the magic. A piece of the puzzle. That’s how I feel on set, too—no matter my role, I’m an integral part of the collective that makes it all happen.
Which brings me back to my brainchild, Good Buds. I created a way to implement the “buddy system” in a fun, meaningful way. Good Buds started with flowers—I offer fresh and dried floral services (sustainable, of course!) for weddings, events, hospitality groups, personal projects, and retail. I’ve also made merch as a creative experiment (who doesn’t love a little merch?). All my products are playful and have a friendship element—a token of affection. Friendship everything.
Whether it’s through acting, yoga, or Good Buds, I want everything I share to feel like a nourishing snack of love.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Connection. I’m like a dog (and I love my dog! Shoutout to @lilgemsalad). I love people. I’m the one who’ll say hi or give you a compliment. I’ll lock eyes and smile because it brightens my day—and maybe it’ll brighten yours too. (Sagittarius energy? You bet!) The exchange can be quick or go deep in an instant, sometimes ending in a loving embrace. The sky’s the limit. I get lost in people. I’ll talk to my neighbors on plane rides—I’m that person. We might even cry together. It’s all good.
There are so many things each of us has to figure out for ourselves. We all have our own metrics for what we value and want. Through my experiences, I’ve learned that I want to grow old doing what I love, surrounded by the people I love. I hope to have a long career as an actor, and as I grow Good Buds, I want to feel like a pal to you.
If you’d like to connect, you can find me here.
imdb.me/elizabethtrieu
https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/elizabethtrieu
elizabethtrieu.com
wearegoodbuds.com
for services outside of acting (florals, branding, yoga) please email me at [email protected]
instagram:
@trieufio
@goodbudsfloral
*I’m on the board of a memorial foundation called the QuadW Foundation in honor of my friend Willie Tichenor who died of Osteosarcoma. Cancer can suck it. Donate here: https://www.quadw.org/
Contact Info:
- Website: elizabethtrieu.com
- Instagram:@trieufio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethtrieu
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethtrieu/
Image Credits
Joshua Ballinger. Vanessa Jane.
