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Kung Fu in the News and Media


Trini
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Should some of these hints/previews be in the Speculation and Spoilers thread?  I personally try to watch the episodes "blind" but I love clicking on these teasers afterwards.

Ratings went up for Episode 3, for some reason, up 37% from last week and slightly higher than the Season 2 premiere.  Thank goodness!  I hope the streaming over the week has been high, so people are "catching up". 

https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/kung-fu-season-two-ratings/

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Interview with showrunner Kim, and Olivia Liang and Eddie Liu: '...How the show nails the specificity of the Asian American experience'

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Kim told Insider that it was important for her to give viewers "a three-dimensional view of one particular family" — in this case, lead character Nicky Shen (played by Olivia Liang), her parents, and her brother and sister.

"The Shens are like all of us," Kim said. "They're hard-working, trying to do the best that they can. But they're extraordinary because they have Nicky, who is special."

"It was really fun to write for this family where you have a strong mother figure, a loving father, and these sibling dynamics that were really based off of my own family," she added.

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Growing up on the West Coast, where there is a significant Asian immigrant population, Liang said that she, personally, has "never felt out of place" — which is a sentiment that is shared by the Shen family, who live in San Francisco's Chinatown. That the show can "seamlessly move through being American and Asian, and more specifically Chinese," is especially meaningful to Liang in the current TV landscape, where there is still a dearth of Asian-led projects.

 

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36 minutes ago, Camera One said:

Should some of these hints/previews be in the Speculation and Spoilers thread?  I personally try to watch the episodes "blind" but I love clicking on these teasers afterwards.

I was debating where to put it; but it's on all the show's social media, so I figure it's public. I do try and note when things talk about stuff that hasn't aired yet. ::shrug emoji::

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Video interview with Yvonne Chapman at Nerds of Color:

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We got to chat down with Chapman over Zoom to talk about this season of Kung Fu, including Zhilan’s attempt at redemption, what seeing Pei-Ling meant, her relationship with Kerwin and Nicky, and just everything you’ve been wanting to know about the mysterious Guardian.

 

 

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Video of Kung Fu panel at WonderCon yesterday (April 3)...

CW Kung Fu Wondercon 2022 panel part 1
Daniel Alvarez    Apr 3, 2022

CW Kung Fu Wondercon 2022 Panel part 2
Daniel Alvarez    Apr 3, 2022

 

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Kung Fu's Robert Berens Teases Season 2's Big Mystery And What's To Come For The Shens - Exclusive
BY CYNTHIA VINNEY     APRIL 13, 2022
https://www.looper.com/830839/kung-fus-robert-berens-teases-season-2s-big-mystery-and-whats-to-come-for-the-shens-exclusive/ 

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The Shens' goal in Season 2 is to try to keep Mia safe from Russell Tan, but despite the nefarious moves he seems to be making in their city, the one question neither they nor the show has answered is what exactly Tan is attempting to accomplish. According to Berens, fans will eventually learn what Tan's endgame is, but it's not going to happen anytime soon. "What drives [Russell Tan] and what his ultimate plan is [are] the big [mysteries] of the season," Berens revealed. "We're a lot more open with our demi-bads, Zhilan and Kerwin and certainly Juliet this season, where we understand what's driving them. Russell is a little more sinister and mysterious, but let's just say that question will be answered, and it's going to surprise and excite a lot of people when the answer finally comes."

 

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(edited)

Interview and photoshoot with Eddie Liu: https://www.gr8tmagazine.com/art-culture/eddie-liu

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You’ve been spending most of your time shooting the show in Vancouver these days. What do you usually get up to on the weekends?

If I'm not on my couch recovering from filming Kung Fu, I'm probably with my Kung Fu castmates. And we're probably eating. Fortunately during season 2 we were able to branch out and enjoy the city more and do fun things together like take group workout classes, go to the movies, or play laser tag. And then we'd go eat something after that. We're also big on having game nights at home. Did I mention we like to eat together?

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You first began your career on the stage. How do you think this has shaped you as an actor?

When I was kid and fantasizing about being in a movie or television show, I didn't have an interest in doing theater because my favorite things to watch were movies and TV shows. As it turned out my theater training and little bit of background in theater work was absolutely crucial in shaping me as an actor. It gave me a foundation to build my skill set from to even begin to approach acting. I could take it on as a craft as opposed to some ethereal thing that I've seen other people do and "maybe I'll just give it a whirl and see what happens." ....


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Interview with Shannon Dang at Pop Culturist:

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Shannon: In Season 1, Althea’s story arc was a lot heavier than in Season 2. Althea has always provided the levity in the family. That was in contrast to the deep stuff that she was going through. But in Season 2, I love that she has healed and blossomed. She has left the past behind her and grown. Now, she wants to be her own boss. You see her going back into the workforce and wanting to be the CEO of her own company. How does she combine tech and her brilliant skills with her love for helping Nicky and her quest, her community, and her family? I feel like it’s a great contrast. It’s been a fun two seasons.

 

Edited by Trini
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Interview: 'Tzi Ma Chats Kung Fu Season 2, How the Series is Not a Reboot but a Reclaiming, and More'

excerpt:

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Tzi: Everybody calls this show a reboot; I call it a reclaiming. I couldn’t ask for a better scenario. We’re not only reclaiming martial arts, we’re also reclaiming the fact that the hero is a young Asian American woman. The cheongsam, which is a traditional Chinese women’s gown—we’re reclaiming that too! You see our characters wear it. Also, the male version called changshan. My character wears that. We’re reclaiming that in our show as well.

 

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Interview with Vanessa Kai; mainly about her role in the last episode ("The Alchemist"): 'Vanessa Kai ... Talks Season 2, Transforming Into Xiao, and More'

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... And how has it been? It’s been fantastic. It really has. I think that what I tried to do for the work is I try to do my best to understand and learn the heart of the art form. In addition to the choreography, what I strive to really embody it so it looks natural, like it’s something that we do all the time. And it’s not always familiar with my body, so I do my best to show up and train as often as I can. Andrew Chen and the entire stunt team have been fantastic. Truly, truly fantastic. I went in and asked and they try to teach me loosely all the all the fundamentals so, ultimately, I can convey that as naturally as I can. Whether that’s sword or bo staff, or wushu, or Wing Chun; it’s stances, it’s just a very well rounded…I wouldn’t say education, but training, certainly.

 

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CW Spotlight with the Kung Fu cast: AAPI Heritage Month 2022; they talk a bit about portraying Chinese and Asian-American culture on the show:

(has a few short clips from the next episode)

 

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Interview: 'Gavin Stenhouse Previews “Disclosure”'

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GAVIN STENHOUSE: I think it will be very pivotal for for Evan's character development, It may be the first time that Evan is able to really get his hands dirty, operating outside of the constraints of the DHS office now, finally, having spent maybe a week or so lamenting his misfortunes in the apothecary bar day drinking with Althea. It’s going to be a fork in the road, and it’ll be interesting to see which path Evan’s going to take.

 

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Interview with Ludi Lin: https://pop-culturalist.com/exclusive-interview-ludi-lin-talks-in-a-new-york-minute-kung-fu-season-2-and-more/

excerpt:

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Kung Fu is your first studio TV show, and you’ve been learning more and more about this character as the series has gone on. How much of an adjustment has that been for you as a creative and the way that you approach this character?

Ludi: It’s super interesting because it is such a long process. I’ve had so much time with this character, and I never know where his story is going. For anyone who saw the first season, you know it left off on a major cliffhanger. I didn’t know whether I would be back after that. That’s always an ongoing discussion that involves the studio, myself, and how much the fans like him as a character. The mere fact that I keep coming back means there’s something more to be told. As it goes on, things will become more and more interesting. I’ll leave it at that. But also TV has taught me a lot about how to work and what working on a film set really means. I also got a chance to shadow a director. Writing and directing are at the core of storytelling. If we want to tell our stories in the way that we want them to be told, it starts there.

 

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Interview with Vanessa Yao: https://www.ksitetv.com/kung-fu/kung-fu-interview-vanessa-yao-mia/228814/

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Having been familiar with the show, was it exciting for you to be like, “wow, now I get to hang out with the Shens and I get to interact with characters like Zhilan?”

Yes! I was honestly a bit nervous as well, because they did really well on Season 1. And me coming into Season 2, I was very nervous to meet them all in real life as well, when I just saw them on television. But they were so nice about it, and I want to do my part, also, for this season and they want to just continue the good work that they’ve done already. So, yeah. I definitely came in quite nervous and a bit insecure, but it got better as it went on. But they were so nice, so welcoming… the nicest people.

 

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Interview (with video): 'Vanessa Yao traces Mia’s journey so far...'

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... We asked what the dynamic is like when it’s all three of them together, and while Yao can’t give away any spoilers for the end of the season, she did give us something physical to look out for the next time Mia, Zhilan and Nicky are all together.

“What I can say is — I don’t know if you guys will notice, but our fighting styles are different! So it’s quite interesting, a fun fact, but all three of us like when we are in the stunt warehouse practicing, we each have our own style and it has to do with our own personalities, the characters’ personalities, so in the future when more things happen, that could be something that people can note, and maybe they’ll notice. [With Mia] there’s no structure to her way of fighting. She’s very rough and she fights with a lot of her fists, so she just wants to get at it and just take you down. And for example, Zhilan, she uses a lot of claws, you know, to create damage and then for Nicky, it’s more… It’s monastery, right? Open hand. I just love how they put so much thought behind that as well.”

 

Interview and photo spread: '... Vanessa Kai Is On The Rise'

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... There is also a lot of martial arts training and stunt choreography involved in the show, so physical recovery is very important – I take a lot of Epsom salt baths and use arnica and make sure to take my time stretching. Cooking is also very meditative for me and helps ease my mind and my emotional well being to know that what I’m cooking will help nourish my body and help support how I show up for work. My go-to dishes are usually ultra loaded salads, Thai curries and baked salmon with vegetables and potatoes.

If I feel I’ve done all I can to prepare, then once I am on set, I can allow myself to have a bit of a laugh and chat with my wonderful castmates and crew in between takes. And if there’s a moment where I feel I need to conserve my energy and maintain focus, my immediate go-to is to be quiet and still.


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Interview (video): 'Kee Chan Talks About Playing a Relatable Villain and Shares His Unlikely Path to Acting'

 

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Interview: 'Tan Kheng Hua Chats Kung Fu Season 2, Cast Traditions, the Heart of Every Asian Family, and More'

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Tan Kheng Hua: I would say that a lot of my favorite scenes are with my husband, Tzi Ma. I love exploring heartbreak and themes about parenting. We get a lot of scenes to explore those themes. They’re beautifully written. There’s a scene of me in front of the fridge in Episode 3, Season 1. I love that scene because it shows a husband who loves his wife very much but is gently highlighting a flaw in her character in an intimate way that only a husband can do. I love that scene. In Season 2, no spoilers, but there are some scenes in Episode 10 that I really love.

 

Interview and photos spread with Vanessa Yao:

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What is your favorite part about your character Mia? And are there any similarities between Mia and Vanessa?

I love how strong Mia is. She’s been through so much but nothing holds her back from getting what she wants. The hard shell and vulnerability are definite similarities between Mia and I. It’s been such a journey to help her find the justice she deserves. 

Having only worked on feature films in China, take us through some of the learning curves on set that you faced?

I speak Mandarin fluently but I didn’t know that just learning how to speak the language would not be enough. I had to learn to also emote and bring value to the foreign words. 


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Feature and photo spread in Emmy Magazine: 'Kung Fu's Progressive Pivot'

There are quotes from the whole cast except Tan Kheng Hua.

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"I love playing a strong woman who stands up for her community, takes up space and uses her voice for good," Liang says. She adds that the series "doesn't make a caricature of Chinese or Asian-American culture, but showcases it."

During a photo shoot for emmy, Liang and other key cast members shared thoughts on their show — now in its second season and already picked up for a third — and on representation in the industry with contributor Whitney Friedlander.

 

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'Sherri Chung On Creating the Score for “Kung Fu”' - https://www.instagram.com/televisionacad/guide/sherri-chung-on-creating-the-score-for-kung-fu/17937109772029411/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

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Composing for an episodic storyline

It’s very intentional and it kind of has to be because what’s interesting about television composing, specifically, is you can’t see the end. You can read the scripts, but it always means something different when you see it. Scripts change so often–they are moving targets. When you develop a theme and concept, you never really know how it’s going to work, so there’s always these little tests that I put it through: “Does it have this music turnout in an emotional sense?” It’s the exciting part of episodic television, but it’s also kind of scary. So, it has to be intentional, but there has to be room for adaptability and flexibility as well.

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Interview with Eddie Liu: https://subjectifymedia.com/eddie-liu-interview-kung-fu-season-2/

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This season is such a whirlwind, as you’ve seen. I don’t think Henry has had much time to really process all the nuances of his really rocky relationship with his dad, but I do think that Henry is open enough to, you know, he’s willing to dig a little deeper past his years of anger and resentment towards his father to understand. At the very core of it all, he knows his father is, in fact, an honorable and a good guy. He’s an honorable man. He’s a good guy. He’s serving a greater purpose, and the crazy irony, after years of resenting his father, is that Henry is so much more like Danny than anyone could have ever expected.

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Interview with Jon Prasida: https://subjectifymedia.com/jon-prasida-interview-kung-fu-season-2/

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The season 2 finale is coming up, and it seems like the earthquake is coming for real. What can we expect to see in the finale for Ryan and for maybe a few other characters?

We can expect to see a resolution, a bit of scariness, because it is a scary scenario, and also a cliffhanger. Every good story, every good season ending, has a cliffhanger, if that makes sense.

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A few more interviews with Eddie Liu:

At Nerds of Color: 'Eddie Liu on Henry’s Daddy Issues and His Place in the ‘Kung Fu’ Shooby Gang'

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Henry is a real team player. He’s gonna find whatever role needs to be done. There is a role for everyone in this team and it goes beyond Henry. You see Althea (Shannon Dang) brings to the table — and Ryan (Jon Prasida), Evan (Gavin Stenhouse), and even Dennis (Tony Chung) as well. We love it when everybody contributes to the team like that and that’s just me speaking as a fan. We, the cast, love seeing the group together because we love to work together but you see that the strength of team good guys – Scooby gang – really lies in its cohesion and unity.

At KSite: (Part 1) 'Eddie Liu on Henry & Tonight’s “Alliance”'

(Part 2): 'Eddie Liu Talks {Spoiler]’s Death, Season 3 & More' -- might be spoiler-y?

Edited by Trini
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Eddie Liu interview at Pop Culturist: "Eddie Liu Talks Kung Fu Season 2, Henry’s Future, and Finding His Community'

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Eddie: I love Terry. I said this to him before, but I was like, “Hey man, I don’t mean to make you feel old at all, but I’ve been watching you since I was young.” It’s cool to work with someone like that. He’s such a pro. He’s an actor’s actor. He’s so kind and an absolute team player. Those are the qualities that we value the most, especially in our workplace. We pride ourselves in trying to be as healthy and positive of a work environment as possible, from the cast all the way through the crew.

As far as fleshing out Henry and who this guy is and what makes him tick, I’ve really enjoyed that work. We’ve seen two sides to him. He has a couple of different modes that we usually see him in; he’s in alert, mission mode, and then he’s his cool, calm, and collected self. I love being able to peel the layers back and show what’s underneath and showing these feelings that he has towards his father, which are resentment, abandonment, and this underlying anger. That hurt sits underneath.

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