While covering The CW’s Upfront 2022 Red Carpet, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kung Fu stars Olivia Liang (Nicky) and Shannon Dang (Althea). After being given an early renewal, it was announced that the show’s third season will be part of the 2022 Fall schedule on Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT.
Continue reading “Olivia Liang and Shannon Dang Discuss ‘Kung Fu’ at The CW’s Upfront 2022 Red Carpet”
In the second season of Kung Fu, Ryan (Jon Prasida) goes through a lot. The fresh-out-of-med-school youngest Shen sibling was healing from the break-up with Joe (Bradley Gibson) from the end of season 1, but finds love with Sebastian (JB Tadena), the new head chef of Harmony Dumplings.
Continue reading “Jon Prasida on Ryan’s Love Life and His Fighting Hopes for ‘Kung Fu’ Season 3”
Eddie Liu suggested this season of Kung Fu should be called “Daddy Issues.”
It seems like everyone – except the Shen family — are dealing with dad problems. Mia’s (Vanessa Yao) father sold her out to Russell Tan (Kee Chan). Juliette (Annie Q) was straight up murdered by her dad — ollowed by Kerwin (Ludi Lin), whose father took over his body as a vessel.
Continue reading “Eddie Liu on Henry’s Daddy Issues and His Place in the ‘Kung Fu’ Shooby Gang”
*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”
Warning: This interview contains spoilers for this week’s episode of Kung Fu.
This week’s episode of Kung Fu was full of surprises.
Continue reading “Yvonne Chapman Discusses Zhilan’s Plans on ‘Kung Fu’”
Kung Fu’s Althea Shen (Shannon Dang) has always been the soft spot of the series. Contrasting the seriousness of her Shaolin master sister Nicky (Olivia Liang) in the first season, Althea brings humor and levity to the series as the bubbly tech guru — with a great fashion sense.
Continue reading “Shannon Dang on Althea’s New Career and ‘Kung Fu’ Family Drama”
There is so much to say about The CW’s Kung Fu.
It’s just so good.
Now in its sophomore season, Kung Fu is getting darker than ever with its’ big bad Russell Tan (Kee Chan) trying to take down Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) and her family. Things become even more complicated with the return of baddie Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman).
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Star Yvonne Chapman on Zhilan’s Course for the Season”
The first season finale of The CW’s Kung Fu answered a lot of questions for fans, while raising new ones for season 2. Sure, the Shen family seems to all be doing great the last six months — Nicky (Olivia Liang) is kicking butt as the new protector of Chinatown; Harmony Dumplings is doing great; Ryan (Jon Prasida) is a full-fledged doctor; and, Althea (Shannon Dang) is happily married with several job prospects. But, of course, things happen. Russell Tan (Kee Chan) is still up to no good and in search of Nicky’s long-lost cousin, Mia (Vanessa Yao).
Continue reading “‘Kung Fu’ Showrunners Discuss What’s Ahead for Season 2”
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”
The CW’s Kung Fu returns this week for their second season!
We last left the Shooby (Shen family + Scooby) Gang with Nicky (Olivia Liang) defeating Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman) in the battle for the biange — sending the latter to prison; Althea (Shannon Dang) and Dennis (Tony Chung) finally tying the knot with her revealing everything to her newly-wedded husband; Ryan (Jon Prasida) truly coming out to his parents; and, Jin (Tzi Ma) and Mei-Li (Tan Kheng Hua) finally having Nicky back in their lives.
Continue reading “Olivia Liang Spills Some Juicy Details for a Darker ‘Kung Fu’ in Season 2”
There’s another Tan to be weary of this season of Kung Fu.
If Kerwin Tan’s (Ludi Lin) relationship with his father Russell Tan (Kee Chan) was any indication of a problematic family, wait until you meet the doting daughter of the elusive crime boss.
Continue reading “First Look at Russell Tan’s Daughter Juliet on The CW’s ‘Kung Fu’”
Kung Fu season two is set to return in March!
Since its season finale back in July, there were many new questions that popped up in the finale — Who is Nicky’s cousin? How is she connected to the ruthless Russell Tan? Is Kerwin going to be okay? What’s up the the ‘biàn gé’ flower? How is Zhilan going to get out of prison? What is Athena going to be wearing this season? Okay, the last one is really just for me.
Continue reading “The CW’s ‘Kung Fu’ Season Two Promo Reveals Nicky’s Long Lost Cousin”
Sloclap, the French studio that brought us the 2017 multiplayer beat ’em up title Absolver, looks to bring new life to the genre with Sifu. The studio’s newest title is set to release February 2022 and focuses intensely on the idea of mastering kung fu through death.
Continue reading “Sloclap Studio’s ‘Sifu’ Looks to Rejuvenate the Genre Through Death and Mastery”
As Bruce Lee might say, we must start with dispelling what is not useful and replace it with what is useful. I won’t rehash any arguments comparing Shang-Chi to Black Panther which are based in speculation, impulse-tweeted, or otherwise made in bad faith. The phrase “Asian American Black Panther” has been tossed around (including by me), in various contexts, since Black Panther came out in 2018.
Continue reading “‘Shang-Chi’ Is Not NOT Like ‘Black Panther’”
Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens in theaters tonight! Be safe, be curious!
Continue reading “‘Shang-Chi’ and the Ten Asian American Things (To Be Aware Of)”
Marvel’s Shang-Chi premieres this week. As the first Asian-led Marvel film, there’s a lot of pressure to get this character and story right, given the comic book’s problematic history being rooted in stereotypical Asian tropes. Director Destin Daniel Cretton and screenwriter Dave Callaham did a lot of research on Shang-Chi’s comic book origins and knew what they wanted to do with him.
Continue reading “‘Shang-Chi’ Screenwriter Dave Callaham on Keeping it Authentically Asian American”
Whether it’s an overall sense of fatigue from mainstream audiences who aren’t into comic book films, or perhaps a general sense of pandemic malaise from folks unsatisfied with the state of entertainment these days, it seems like the momentum and good will the MCU has cultivated the past 12 years has turned to mixed sentiment for most of this year.
Continue reading “NOC Review: ‘Shang-Chi’ is Spectacular”
During the global press conference for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings this morning, director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) say they are strictly platonic.
Continue reading “Shang-Chi and Katy are Just Strictly Friends”
The “Chi” part is easy. “Chee.” Rhymes with “Kree.” Technically the “Ch” is not precisely the same as in English “Chad” or “Chocolate,” but it’s close enough for conversation amongst non-fluent Chinese speakers.
The “Shang” is said the same way as the “Shang” in Shanghai, the city in China. But here’s the thing, if you’ve been saying “Shanghai” as if it rhymes with “Fang Sky” all your life, that’s not really how you say “Shanghai.” And that’s okay.
Continue reading “How to Pronounce ‘Shang-Chi’ Because it’s Super-Important for the Marvel Universe”
Marvel Studios released an all-new featurette titled “Destiny” for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In the two-minute clip, producer Kevin Feige, stars Simu Liu and Awkwafina, and director Destin Daniel Cretton talk about Shang-Chi’s backstory and his connection to the Ten Rings and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.
Continue reading “New Featurette & Poster Offer More Details on Shang-Chi’s Backstory”
Marvel Studios is really kicking up the promotion for the September release of the anticipated film, Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.
In the new promo called Need, after going into hiding from his past, Shang-Chi (played by a very ripped Simu Liu) is found by his father, Wenwu (Tony Leung), the leader of the Ten Rings, who wants his son to be his right-hand man and eventually take his place. Shang-Chi doesn’t want to follow that path. In a voiceover, Wenwu tells his son, ‘You can’t outrun your destiny.’
Continue reading “New ‘Shang-Chi’ Promo Teases Family Drama and Shirtless Simu”