Page 7 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - March 31, 2021

Hill’s Career Is Taking Flight
FROM PAGE 6
ing opportunity, and my goal has been to just really give it my all because I know it could have legs that are very long.”
MARCH 31, 2021
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 7
Looking ahead, Hill hopes to do more film and televi- sion, as well as indie work. His dream role, of course, would be to play a superhero with powers, and would love to find roles in the Star Wars, Marvel and DC universes.
“But you know, it’s hap- pening right now (with Magnum P.I.). TC is a su- perhero,” he says about the character he plays in the show. “I have the cool van and I’m the only one with a vehicle that’s faster than the Ferrari. I’ m a youth league coach. I’m military. I come to the rescue a lot, and I’m very protective and honor- able.”
While home is still New York, Hill has found his time in Hawai‘i to be very heal- ing, noting that his gemstone is the volcanic glass obsid- ian (he typically has one in his pocket). He also enjoys stand-up paddling and has discovered a passion for the Japanese martial art iaido, which he does six mornings a week.
Many also see his charac- ter as “the moral compass of the show.”
He also practices qi gong and kendo twice a week, as well as a guided (Buddhist) meditation called om mani padme hum on Sundays.
(Above) Stephen Hill plays helicopter pilot and military veteran Theodore “TC” Calvin in the TV series Magnum P.I., and (top inset) with Roger E. Mosley, who played TC in the original Magnum, P.I. and returns as Booky. PHOTOS BY KAREN NEAL/CBS
on Saturdays, and (that was the day) everybody spars,” shares Hill. “They learn
Stephen Hill (second from left) stars alongside Tim Kang, Jay Hernandez, Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton and Amy Hill in Magnum P.I. SCREEN GRAB PHOTO COURTESY CBS 2020 CBS BROADCASTING INC.
“I aspire to be more like TC.IthinkIamlikehimin a lot of ways, but I think he’s definitely morally superior than me.”
“When I was a kid, I was doing karate in Harlem when I went to see my dad
technique during the week and I’ m not there, so they would bring me in the hall- way and teach me technique for 30 minutes and then I would go out and spar with everybody, and I would just end up throwing blows and not using any technique whatsoever.
out here and the brotherhood with these guys.
a taste of home, he goes to Jersey Mike’s for a “hoagie or heroes” with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano.
“For a long time, I felt like I missed out on certain things because I was in a family where my parents had separated, but now this is my choice. I can’t point to anybody and say, ‘Oh, I can’t go out there because of you.’ It’s my responsibility, and to be at this age, to take on something where I have to be dedicated and challenge myself, is really cool to me. I just like being able to come
“There are a lot of fight- ers on this island and a lot of fighting styles, but literal- ly with this sword you have an imaginary opponent. You really learn to fight against yourself — your own lazi- ness, your own ignorance, your own fear and you go within.”
As his career continues to soar, Hill seems to have found a balance between fame and success, while hav- ing gratitude for the dream he is living. He’s a Libra af- ter all.
When he’s not busy film- ing or practicing martial arts, you might find Hill at his neighborhood Thyda’s Tacos food truck in Kaka‘ako, his favorite steakhouses (such as Hy’s and Stripsteak) or his most recent dining discov- ery, W & M Bar-B-Q Burger in Kaimukī. He’s also a reg- ular at Raising Cane’s and when he’s in the mood for
“I am just a normal guy with an awesome opportuni- ty,” says Hill. “I’m not any more special than anyone else. I just have an awesome opportunity and I’ ve aligned with what I really want to do. There are plenty of people out there that just haven’t had that opportunity to align themselves with what they actually want to do in the world.”