The cast of Disney’s live-action adaptation of American Born Chinese was already stacked with the likes of Academy Award-Nominees and Golden Globe winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joining Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk), and two-time International Emmy Award nominee Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu, and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).
And now a new teaser reveals the full list of guest stars which includes Ronny Chieng (M3GAN), Jimmy O. Yang (Easter Sunday), plus Everything Everywhere All at Once stars James Hong and Stephanie Hsu, and Turning Red‘s Rosalie Chiang.
The teaser may not seem like much, but there’s just enough to pique our interest. In it, we see your average high school hallway filled with lockers and signs telling everyone about an upcoming dance. However, a light fog starts to roll along the floor, and ominous music starts to play. Suddenly the camera reveals red glowing slash marks on the wall, and a light hanging from the ceiling with sparks coming out of it. The camera then turns again to reveal Jin Wang unlocking his combination locker and opening it to another world where we see the Monkey King making the leap from one mountain peak to the next. After that, the trailer reveals the full cast, along with the guest stars set to appear in the upcoming series.
The Disney+ Original series American Born Chinese, the genre-hopping action-comedy based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, stars Ben Wang as Jin Wang, a young student struggling with his school life and home life, meets the new foreign exchange student at his school, leading him to become involved in a battle between Gods of Chinese mythology. Yeo Yann Yann and Chin Han stars as Jin’s mother and father, respectively. Michelle Yeoh plays Guanyin, the Bodhisattva associated with compassion, and Daniel Wu as the Monkey King. And Ke Huy Quan as Freddy Wong.
Introducing audiences to a pantheon of iconic Chinese mythical characters are guest stars Ronny Chieng as unconventional monk, Ji Gong; Jimmy O. Yang as Dragon King, Ao Guang; James Hong as Jade Emperor; Leonard Wu as Niu Mowang/Bull Demon, who join previously announced guest stars Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu as Shiji Niangniang, the Goddess of Stones; and Poppy Liu as Princess Iron Fan. The series also welcomes Lisa Lu as soon-to-be retired acupuncturist Ni Yang and Rosalie Chiang as student activist Suzy Nakamura.
American Born Chinese is set to debut exclusively on Disney+ in Spring 2023.
Here’s the official plot synopsis for American Born Chinese:
American Born Chinese tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.