"Magnum P.I." has found a home for its fifth season on NBC, premiering Sunday, February 19.
Last summer, CBS cancelled the Hawaii-based crime drama Magnum P.I. The fans wouldn’t have it. They took to social media and even put up a billboard on Times Square to save the show. They succeeded.
Magnum P.I. found a new home with NBC. The two-episode premiere of the fifth season airs Sunday, February 19, and will stream the following day on Peacock. The modern take on the classic 1980s series centers on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who becomes a private investigator in Hawaii.
Amy Hill plays the role of Kumu on Magnum, PI.
Amy Hill is a series regular, playing the part of Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta. “I discovered my life purpose as a child in Deadwood, South Dakota,” she said in an exclusive Forbes interview. “There weren’t a lot of things to do on the farm or other children to play with, so I watched television. I would often reenact scenes that I saw. I had a very active imagination. Later, I would create shows in my backyard. I’d write, direct and cast myself as the lead. In high school, I gathered up courage to join the drama department, and my teacher inspired me to follow my heart.”
Hill has been inventing characters and casting herself in plays her entire life.
The greatest challenge Hill has faced in her career is a pervasive fear of diversity. Her father is Caucasian, her mother Japanese. “We are all more similar than we are different,” she says. “The good news is, there are more diverse writers, producers, directors, and actors than ever before. This makes for a much more exciting expression of creativity.”
Hill enjoys inspiring others to follow their heart. “Open yourself up to life. Explore the planet and other cultures. You will discover what makes you feel alive,” she says.
Perdita Weeks plays the role of Juliet Higgins on Magnum PI.
On Magnum P.I., Perdita Weeks plays the role of Juliet Higgins, whom she describes as “the major-domo of the estate of elusive author Robin Masters. She is currently putting skills learnt in the service of MI6 to partner with Thomas Magnum as a private investigator.”
Weeks, who is British, started her career as a child actor in commercials at age 6, when she was scouted by a talent agent. At 21, she got her first major role, in the miniseries The Promise. She learned to speak some Hebrew to play an Israeli who was returning to Israel for her national service. “The project required immersion into an entirely new culture, which I thoroughly enjoyed,” Week says. “This gave me a desire to throw myself into the industry.”
Weeks, who has been in commercials since age 6, is passionate about travel and learning in her ... [+]
The greatest challenge Weeks has faced in her career is “never knowing what you will be doing next year. It is pretty hard to plan anything!” Also, she has to spend large swathes of time away from family and friends. At the same time, she loves how her job allows her to travel and work with creative people. Finally, she enjoys the mental challenges, from learning another language or accent to or learning how to live in another country, as she is doing now.
To people looking to tap into their life purpose, Weeks offers this advice. “I think a state of constant learning and expansion is something that we should all strive to achieve. Find a space where you are not too comfortable. Also, be prepared to be the hardest worker in the room. Finally, remember that Morgan Freeman did not get his big break until he was 49 years old, so keep trucking! It just might not have happened yet.”
