*This interview contains spoilers from tonight’s Kung Fu episode ‘The Enclave’*
Vanessa Yao really had to dig deep into her role as the new girl on The CW’s Kung Fu.
Continue reading “Vanessa Yao on Mia’s Journey and True Purpose in ‘Kung Fu’”
It’s fair to say that Evan (Gavin Stenhouse) has had it rough on The CW’s Kung Fu. In the first season of the series, Evan’s had to deal with the return of his first love Nicky (Olivia Liang); the breakup with his longtime girlfriend; Nicky ultimately choosing Henry (Eddie Liu) over him; and, realizing how shady the District Attorney’s office, where he works, is.
Continue reading “Gavin Stenhouse on Evan’s Rogue Mission and Finding His Place on ‘Kung Fu’”
Warning: spoilers for this week’s episode of Kung Fu, “The Alchemist,” below.
With Kung Fu’s midseason return tonight, we learn something shocking about Mia’s (Vanessa Yao) destiny as a hybrid.
Continue reading “Vanessa Kai on Pei-Ling’s Big Reveal and Wild ‘Kung Fu’ Theories”
It’s hard to not associate the actor with the character they portray on television/film, especially if the character is as sinister and haunting as the enigmatic villain Russell Tan on The CW’s Kung Fu.
Of course, this isn’t the case for actor Kee Chan, who plays Russell Tan.
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Star Kee Chan on Finding Humanity in the Villain”
Robert “Bob” Berens has a really difficult job.
As co-showrunner of the first drama on a broadcast network centering around a Chinese American family, Berens knew he had a responsibility to get Kung Fu right. The 1971 series of the same name starred David Carradine, a white man playing Chinese, and had a dfew other problematic moments. Along with fellow co-showrunner and executive producer Christina M. Kim, Berens really wanted to do right by the Asian community.
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Co-Showrunner Robert Berens Understood the Assignment [Part 1]”
Jon Prasida understands everyone’s frustration when it comes to his character in The CW’s Kung Fu. Prasida’s character Ryan, the handsome medical student and only son of the Shen family, had finally gotten the acceptance he’s been longing for from his parents over his sexuality. Even more exciting, his parents like his new boyfriend, Joe (Bradley Gibson). But, with the last episode, which ended on the last day of Pride month, Joe delivered some devastating news — he’s accepted a job in Chicago, which means he’s leaving San Francisco. Feeling frustrated, Ryan walks away before discussing it further with Joe.
Continue reading “Jon Prasida Knows Nothing… About Ryan’s Love Life on The CW’s ‘Kung Fu’”
Kung Fu’s Gavin Stenhouse knows he’s pretty privileged.
As the only non-BIPOC person in the predominantly Asian cast on The CW’s Kung Fu, Stenhouse understands the responsibility of being part of this monumental drama — the first Asian American-centered drama on primetime television. Stenhouse has been using his platform to lift up his costars and the writers of the series instead of putting his own input when it comes to the cultural nuances of the Chinese American experience.
Continue reading “Gavin Stenhouse Just May Surprise You on ‘Kung Fu’”
Today is the last day of shooting on the first season of The CW’s Kung Fu and the cast has been sharing their thoughts on social media. Shannon Dang, who plays Althea Shen, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, shared the following tweet:
Continue reading “Shannon Dang Loves Being the Big Sister on ‘Kung Fu’”
When Yvonne Chapman first received the call that she was cast in the reboot of The CW’s Kung Fu, she was over the moon and immediately called her husband and friends. It all happened so quickly for the Calgary native. When Chapman first auditioned for the role of the villainous Zhilan — an ageless Guardian who is determined to collect all the mythical swords that, if in the wrong hands, could destroy the world — she immediately fell in love with the character.
“The entire time I was like ‘oh man, I really hope I get this,’” Chapman revealed on the phone with The Nerds of Color last week. “I remembered in that time with my friends and my husband that I [had a] feel in my gut. I just felt like it was really right for me. It was just hoping that other people felt the same.”
Continue reading “On ‘Kung Fu,’ Yvonne Chapman is Making Evil Look Good”
It’s always awkward having the potential new guy in your life meet the ex-boyfriend-guy who is still in your life.
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Sneak Peek: When Henry Met Evan… (Exclusive)”
Presented by CAPE and The CW, join the cast of Kung Fu — Olivia Liang, Shannon Dang, Jon Prasida, Kheng Hua Tan, Tzi Ma, and showrunner Christina M. Kim — and The Nerds of Color Editor-in-Chief Keith Chow for a conversation on reclaiming martial arts, shattering stereotypes, and being an Asian American family on primetime TV.
Continue reading “Q&A with the ‘Kung Fu’ Cast and Showrunner”
When Olivia Liang first hears what outlet I’m from, she tells me that she just got off a panel for Kung Fu moderated by my editor-in-chief, Keith Chow. I asked her how it went and she said it was ‘really good.’ Knowing she’s been doing interviews and panels all day, I told her I’d be quick with my questions. Liang has been doing press non-stop for the past two weeks and doesn’t look to be slowing down as the series is set to premiere on The CW. Fortunately, Liang knows it comes with the territory when you’re starring in a network television series, especially one that is breaking barriers as the first predominantly Asian cast centering around an Asian heroine and her family.
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Star Olivia Liang is Fighting on Her Own Terms”
It has been almost 50 years since the premiere of 1972’s western martial arts series Kung Fu, which starred white actor David Carradine yellowfacing as a mixed Asian Shaolin monk. Back then, that was the norm for Asian character roles. But now, Kung Fu is getting a complete reboot/retelling of the story and righting the wrongs that were made from the original. Developed by Greg Berlanti and Wendy Mericle, the new series centers around a Chinese American woman, Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), who returns home to San Francisco, after spending three years at a Shaolin Monastery in China to escape the familial pressure to be successful and marry into a nice Chinese family. Her time at the Monastery is cut short when her mentor/teacher, Pei-Ling (Vanessa Kai) is murdered by a mysterious assassin. With nowhere else to turn to, Nicky returns home to face the family she abandoned and somehow find Pei-Ling’s killer.
Continue reading “Action-Filled ‘Kung Fu’ Reboot is Relatable for Asian Americans”