‘Kung Fu’ Showrunners Give a Season 3 Sneak Peek and Answer Our Shipping Questions

October 3, 2022October 3, 2022 Laura Sirikul

Kung Fu third season returns this week and there’s A LOT to digest after the earthquake of last season that shook more than just the ground — Harmony Dumplings was left in shambles; Althea’s (Shannon Dang) career took a turn for the worse after hacking into everyone’s location (to save them); Dennis (Tony Chung) has been cut off from his family; Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman) is stuck in the other dimension; Henry (Eddie Liu) left on his own adventure; and, Nicky (Olivia Liang) now has to figure out lift without a warrior’s purpose and a boyfriend.

Interview, Television

Vanessa Yao on Mia’s Journey and True Purpose in ‘Kung Fu’

May 11, 2022May 12, 2022 Laura Sirikul

*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.

Interview, Television

Yvonne Chapman Discusses Zhilan’s Plans on ‘Kung Fu’

April 6, 2022April 7, 2022 Laura Sirikul

Warning: This interview contains spoilers for this week’s episode of Kung Fu.

This week’s episode of Kung Fu was full of surprises.

Interview, Martial Arts, Television

‘Kung Fu’ Star Yvonne Chapman on Zhilan’s Course for the Season

March 24, 2022March 25, 2022 Laura Sirikul

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).

Martial Arts, Television

The CW’s ‘Kung Fu’ Season Two Promo Reveals Nicky’s Long Lost Cousin

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022 Laura Sirikul

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.

Interview, Martial Arts, Television

‘Kung Fu’ Co-Showrunner Robert Berens Spills Some Details For Season Two [Part 2]

July 25, 2021July 28, 2021 Laura Sirikul

With the first season of The CW’s Kung Fu now over, many fans have been wondering what’s next for our beloved Shen family. The season finale had Nicky and Zhilan come head-to-head at Pei-Ling’s monastery battling for control of the biàn gé power, with Nicky defeating Zhilan and releasing biàn gé back into nature where it came from.

Interview, Martial Arts, Television1 Comment

‘Kung Fu’ Co-Showrunner Robert Berens Understood the Assignment [Part 1]

July 22, 2021July 25, 2021 Laura Sirikul

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.

Interview, Martial Arts, Television1 Comment

On ‘Kung Fu,’ Yvonne Chapman is Making Evil Look Good

April 26, 2021April 26, 2021 Laura Sirikul

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.”