Actress Kaliko Kauahi returns to television to deliver the laughs and hysterical side-eye in NBC’s hospital mockumentary St. Denis Medical. The workplace comedy comes from the same team behind the network’s hit sitcom Superstore. Best known for portraying Sandra Kaluiokalani on that series for six seasons, she now plays Registered Nurse Val in the medical comedy.
PopWire had the pleasure of speaking with the Kaua’i-born actress where she talked about Hawaiian representation, reuniting with her Superstore co-star, and what she envisions for the recently-ordered second season.
Casey Durkin/NBC
“I’m so proud to be Hawaiian, like all the time, no matter what I would be doing as a career,” Kauahi tells us on Hawaiian visibility in Hollywood. “But to be doing what I love and to be sort of visible for people who maybe never seen someone like me, never seen themselves on screen.
“At this point, you start to see it more and more. I’m so happy that we get more representation, more visibility. But if I can be a part of that to show other people that, yeah, it’s possible. We can do anything.”
In an early episode of St. Denis Medical, Kauahi had the opportunity to share the screen once again with her former co-star Nico Santos, for the episode “Salamat You Too,” an episode that is a favorite of ours and hers. Kaliko expressed that she had loved playing with him again.
NBC
“I actually kind of forgotten what it was like,” she says. “You know, you have a great time. Superstore was amazing. We loved it. We built a family there, but then you got to like move on. And so we put it to rest. We see each other, you know, personally and then we have dinners and stuff.
“But when he was on set, it just all came back like, there’s such a rapport and a relationship,” Kauahi continues. “As a person, as a talent, he’s so wonderful. And we already have that built-in relationship and chemistry. It’s one of my favorite episodes too.”
Earlier this year, NBC announced it had renewed the series for a second season. Because we know very little about Val this time around, the actress shares that it would be interesting to see a little bit more revealed on her personality and personal life.
Ron Batzdorff/NBC
“I do think she’s someone that is really good at her job, can compartmentalize, probably won’t let her personal life be as messy and bring that into work,” Kauahi explains. “So as much as I’d love to see it, I don’t know if that if Val would do that.
“I think it’s really interesting to explore her relationships with other people and also even people in the hospital. I’d love to see more of like a Joyce and Val little buddy scene, see what their dynamic is like. I think they’ve known each other a long time in the hospital and seeing each other change over time and move up. I think there’s a history there that I’d like to explore.”
Ron Batzdorff/NBC
Along with all the humor that St. Denis Medical provides, deep within the series is also a lot of heart. What Kaliko hopes viewers take away from watching is that they know these characters really care about what they do.
“They care about patients; they really do want to help you,” she says. “They are also regular people who need to go home eventually at the end of the day and this is like their day-to-day. I think that what St. Denis Medical does is shows that sometimes you need a little humor to get through the day.
“When we went to the hospital [for research], we met some nurses,” Kaliko Kauahi adds. “Man, they’re funny, because you’ve got to find the humor to get through the day and you need to lean on each other. I think we don’t give them enough credit. I appreciate healthcare workers.”
St. Denis Medical airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
