Interview with Erin Gray
Before Comic Con Honolulu, we wanted to give everyone a chance to know a bit more about Erin Gray. Erin was born in Hawaii, and will be returning home this upcoming weekend for Comic Con Honolulu.
Fans can look forward to learning some Tai Chi with you at the convention – what got you into Tai Chi in the first place?
In the early seventies Richard Nixon opened the doors to China and my curiosity was awakened regarding the mysteries of Chinese medicine.
Years later while working with James Garner on Rockford Files, James made me realize that acupuncture actually worked as he had an injured painful knee acquired from a stunt accident that Western medicine couldn’t fix. Rather than becoming hooked on pain medication he found acupuncture kept him pain feel and gave him the endurance and strength to survive long hours on a set chasing bad guys as an action hero.
I loved the idea that in Traditional Chinese Medicine it’s the doctor’s job to keep you healthy. I began getting regular treatments from his acupuncturist and one day the acupuncturist told me “Acting is dangerous to your health” which as an actress only piqued my curiosity even more.
One day I was sent home from production on “Silver Spoons” with the worst head cold I’d ever had. Instead of going home I went to my acupuncturist and 3 hours later energy flowed powerfully through my body and I was completely healed and felt great. That same day I went back to the studio much to my amazement and that of my cast and crew to do a run-through for the Network.
After continuing to see my acupuncturist one day he said that if I learned Tai Chi, it did the same thing as the needles. Wow…if I did these specific movements combined with deep effortless belly breathing I could keep my immune system strong. With Nietzsche’s quote “Freedom is the will to be responsible for yourself,” embedded in my mind, I was propelled to finding a Tai Chi Grandmaster, which was Grandmaster Marshall Ho’o, and I began my studies. That was over 30years ago.
What with being a mom and an actress I felt I needed every help I could get to stay clear of mind, and healthy in body and spirit. In order to better my studies, continue my practices and desiring to be of help to others I began teaching 20 years ago
Are there questions you wish people would ask you at the convention?
Ask me anything about Tai Chi. It’s my passion and contains within its tenets and practices the best tools for managing your life. It is truly is the best gift you could give yourself. It’s something you can do anywhere, any time for the rest of your life.
Ask me about how I got started in modeling and acting? Within my story are some of the keys to a successful in life.
What are you most looking forward to in Hawaii?
I’m looking forward to coming home. Being born in Oahu I’m an island girl at heart. I miss feeling the soft warm trade winds caressing my body, smelling Pikake leis and Plumeria, eating fresh papaya and pineapple, and indulging in the visual delights of just being in paradise.
Erin has also been featured on the Guild in the show’s convention season. You can watch a behind the scenes interview with her below, and then go watch The Guild here.
NASA even got Erin Gray to endorse their Orion spaceship (and she knows spaceships!). You can click here to learn more about the Orion Spaceship.
