Tina Cohen-Chang
| Tina Cohen-Chang | |
|---|---|
| Glee character | |
 Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen-Chang on the Glee Live! In Concert! tour. | |
| First appearance | "Pilot" |
| Created by | Ryan Murphy Brad Falchuk Ian Brennan |
| Portrayed by | Jenna Ushkowitz |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | High school student |
| Nationality | Chinese American |
Tina Cohen-Chang is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jenna Ushkowitz, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Tina was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. Initially, she is a shy and insecure performer with a fake stutter, and member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set.
Storylines
Tina auditions for the glee club with the song "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry. Throughout the episode it is made clear that she speaks with a stutter.[1] Her first solo performance as part of the club is "Tonight" from West Side Story. Fellow club member Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) had wanted the solo for herself, and quits New Directions in protest. Tina feels bad that she caused Rachel to quit, but Mr. Schuester continues to support her.[2] In the episode "The Rhodes Not Taken", Tina and Mercedes are both taught to shoplift by new glee club member April Rhodes (Kristen Chenoweth), and Tina later appears with suspiciously new clothes. Tina goes on a date with Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale), and confesses to him that she has been faking her speech impediment since the sixth grade, explaining that, as a painfully shy girl, she had wanted to drive others away. However, she says that, since she has joined the glee club, she no longer wants to do that. Artie, a paraplegic, is hurt that she lied to him, as he had thought that they had a connection.[3] In the episode "Hairography", Tina is awarded lead vocals on "True Colors".[4]
After a few months, Artie forgives Tina, but makes misogynistic comments about her appearance, suggesting that she should begin wearing more revealing clothes if she wants to be with him. Tina shouts at him, prompting Artie to apologize, and the two reunite.[5] In the episode "Dream On", Tina tries to help Artie achieve his dream, which is to dance. Of course, this proves to be impossible, as Artie can barely walk even with crutches. During a vampire craze at McKinley in the "Theatricality" episode, Principal Figgins bans Tina's gothic wardrobe. After dressing like Lady Gaga, she learns to be theatrical and scares Figgins into letting her wear her regular clothing by dressing as a vampire, which Figgins seems to believe is real.
The season two premiere, "Audition", exposits that over the summer, Tina began dating Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.). She cites Artie's poor and occasionally chauvinistic treatment of her as her boyfriend; she and Mike had grown closer as camp counselors together at "Asian Camp".[6] Tina and Mike begin to have problems during the club's duet competition ("Duets"), but resolve them when they perform "Sing!" from A Chorus Line: Mike speaking the lines, Tina singing, and both dancing to complex choreography. During the club's production of The Rocky Horror Show, Tina co-performs the role of Columbia with Brittany. After neither is awarded a solo for Sectionals, both Tina and Mercedes lead the group in singing "Dog Days Are Over". Tina dedicated her performance of "My Funny Valentine" to her boyfriend Mike, but broke down during the middle of it; later, in "A Night Of Neglect", she sang "I Follow Rivers" by Lykke Li but was booed of the stage by Sue's gang of saboteurs. She and Mike currently have the longest-lasting relationship on the show, and she reveals in the third season episode "The First Time" that she and Mike had first slept together over the summer—she describes it as magical. She also helps Mike with his singing, to the point that he's able to win the part of Riff in McKinley's West Side Story auditions.
Songs
Development
In casting Glee, series creator Ryan Murphy sought out actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles. Instead of using traditional network casting calls, he spent three months on Broadway, where he found Ushkowitz, who had previously starred in the Broadway revival of The King and I.[7] The Glee casting associate in New York had previously cast Ushkowitz in Spring Awakening.[8] Ushkowitz was initially given little information about Tina's back story, and believed that her stutter was real. She was pleased when the truth was revealed, however, explaining: "It would have been fun to keep it because that just gives her one more quirk, but this opens up a whole new set of doors for Tina."[9] Ushkowitz has created her own back story for Tina, and believes that she is rebelling against her mother rather than genuinely being a Goth, explaining: "I don't think her room is filled with dark posters and heavy metal stuff—I just think this is a phase she's going through. There's definitely a lot of options for all the characters to evolve and change next year. I'm totally rooting for Tina to join The Cheerios or something crazy like that."[9] Ushkowitz is close to her co–star Kevin McHale, and the two of them are in support of the relationship between their characters, referred to by the portmanteau "Artina", for Artie and Tina.[8] McHale described Artie and Tina's relationship as being similar to the one between Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) in the ABC comedy–drama Boy Meets World, and believes they will always be together.[10] The two characters did break up between seasons one and two, and there are no plans yet to bring them back together in season three.[11]
Although a number of the student cast members will be seniors in the third season and will be graduating when it ends, it was stated at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con that Tina will be a junior, and hence not graduating with them.[12]
Reception
"True Colors", featuring Ushkowitz as Tina on lead vocals, was released as a single, available for digital download,[13] and was included on the soundtrack album Glee: The Music, Volume 2.[14] The song charted at number 47 in Australia, 38 in Canada, 15 in Ireland, 35 in the United Kingdom, and 66 in the United States.[15] Following the broadcast of "Theatricality", "Asian Vampires" became the fifth most discussed topic on the social networking website Twitter, in reference to Tina's storyline.[16]
References
- ^ Ryan Murphy (director, writer), Brad Falchuk (writer), Ian Brennan (writer) (September 2, 2009). "Pilot". Glee. Season 1. Episode 1. Fox.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Brad Falchuk (director, writer) (September 23, 2009). "Preggers". Glee. Season 1. Episode 4. Fox.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Paris Barclay (director) Ryan Murphy (writer) (November 11, 2009). "Wheels". Glee. Season 1. Episode 9. Fox.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Bill D'Elia (director), Ian Brennan (writer) (November 25, 2010). "Hairography". Glee. Season 1. Episode 11. Fox.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Ryan Murphy (director, writer) (April 20, 2010). "The Power of Madonna". Glee. Season 1. Episode 15. Fox.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|series link=ignored (help) - ^ Mullins, Jenna (July 25, 2010). "Live from Comic-Con: Glee Tackles Britney Spears, a New Love Triangle and...a 3-D Movie?!". Retrieved 31 August, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Martin, Denise (April 26, 2009). "Video: 'Glee' team rewrites the school musical". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
- ^ a b Shen, Maxine (November 23, 2009). "'Gleek' goddess". New York Post. News Corporation. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ a b Weiselman, Jarrett (November 18, 2009). "Jenna Ushkowitz: I'm rooting for Tina to join Cheerios!". New York Post. News Corporation. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ Wieselman, Jarett (May 18, 2010). "Kevin McHale talks Glee finale, summer tour and ArTina". New York Post. News Corporation. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- ^ Masters, Megan (July 24, 2011). "Glee @ Comic-Con: Sue Seeks Office, Good Love for 'Klaine' and Mercedes, Spin-Off Update". TV Line. Mail.com Media. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- ^ Taylor, Brittany (July 24, 2011). "Con fans 'Glee'-ful on news of returning stars". Sign on San Diego. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
- ^ "Glee Cast". iTunes Store. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ Stack, Tim (November 12, 2009). "'Glee: The Music, Vol. 2' track listing revealed!". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
- ^ "Glee Cast and Jenna Ushkowitz - True Colors". aCharts.us. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ Relaxnews (May 26, 2010). "Current Twitter trends: Lee DeWyze, Asian Vampires, Oil Spill". The Independent. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
