Recently, in an interview with Inverse, Andrew Koji — who plays the titular role of Ah Sahm — opened up about the next season after Vanity Fair mapped out its struggle for Season 3 renewal. Young Jun doesn't go into the details. We have a gay hatchet man,' but we never shined a microscope on it. We were all running around, rushing around. Jonathan Tropper, our showrunner, and HBO, they're a dream to work with because they were like, 'Hey Chen, how do you want Hong to look? No, that was always part of Hong's character from the audition. But still, just to bring attention to that and live in that part of the world, at time of the world, you know, with our Chinese American history and race relations. Hong's quirky character brings some much needed humor to lighten the mood of the often violent and serious show material. Chen Tang joined the second season of Cinemax's "Warrior," which follows Chinese immigrants coming to San Francisco in the late 1800s. Warrior Dustin Nguyen. It was a dream come true because this is my first series as a series regular and to be able to work with something that's part of a legacy, not [just] for me personally, but also, Shannon [Lee], his daughter, as our executive producer. So it was always that sort of humor that I wanted to find. To be honest, it doesn't stand out for all the right reasons. I really, really enjoyed the fact that that they gave everybody humanity like that. Cinemax The historic lack of equity and inclusion in Hollywood begins behind the camera and shapes the sort of narratives that make it to our screens. Warrior star Dianne Doan on Season 2 of the Cinemax martial arts show, her hopes for Season 3, and her role in the Agents of SHIELD final season. Chen Tang: When I first heard about it I was like, Wow. You want to be fat? Based on a '70s treatment from Bruce Lee, the Western follows martial artist prodigy Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) as he immigrates from China to San Francisco during the late 1870s as tensions between Americans and Chinese immigrants are at an all-time high. Yeah. The actor, who most recently appeared as Yao in Disney’s live-action Mulan, joined the cast of Warrior this season as a newcomer to the Hop Wei Tong. These are not new problems. She's a former culture columnist for San Diego CityBeat. I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. We're in media...This thing is real. A lot of people say, 'Oh my God, this is so shocking.' I couldn't help but feel like that had a double meaning, knowing your love for Bruce Lee. I'm an honest guy. "It's the most underrated show ever," Tang said when asked why people should tune into the series. Me, Jason Tobin, and Andrew Koji, we had instant chemistry.”. They were like, we’re not trying to tell the historically accurate drama, we’re trying to tell a pulpy kind of fantasized version of it. INTERVIEW – Jonathan Tropper, Executive Producer of Cinemax’s ‘Warrior’ Talks a Darker, More Character Driven Season 2 Posted on October 1, 2020 October 4, 2020 Author Ron Seoul-Oh Warrior is the greatest martial arts show in the history of American TV. You don't see it handled like that all the time. There are things people don't realize about the other parts of the country until you drive through them. Jonathan Tropper, known for the Cinemax original series Banshee, is the showrunner.. They really don't just go, 'Oh, it's an Asian story.' I wanted to start off asking what drew you into this show? Interview: Chen Tang on the newest member of the Hop Wei on Cinemax’s WARRIOR Now that Warrior Season Two has officially kicked off, this week’s episode “Now How We Do Business” brings newcomer Hong to the Tong, played by Chen Tang (Mulan, Fresh Off The Boat). On the character and development of the show and showrunner Jonathan Tropper: “Yeah, that’s all kudos to the showrunner and the producing your writing team. Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy in Warrior. That energy just came from set. OK. Just two words, plain and simple: Bruce Lee. Tang lost about 18 pounds for his role on the show by eating just one meal a day after finishing up Disney's live-action "Mulan" in which he played Yao. That's crazy. ... Bruce Lee Cinemax Editor's Picks Interview Producer's Picks Salon Talks Salontv Shannon Lee … And how it actually came out on set was… sometimes the only thing I would be doing in a scene, I would just try to get Andrew Koji the laugh or smile. That's just another human being and that's the way they really wanted to approach it. Watch videos from Warrior online including trailers, interviews, episode recaps and more. JT [Jonathan Tropper] was a dream to work with. The official website for Warrior, an original series on Cinemax. One of your first lines on the show that you said was: 'I'm just happy to be here.' OK. People feel this way. I think that you know the show better than I do [Laughs]. Tang also said he's proud that the show portrays queer representation without putting it under a microscope, adding that the series doesn't make a big deal out of people's sexuality. We want to see this section of history that nobody talks about, you can barely read a paragraph about it.”. That’s, to me, one of the big things that I want people to take away from it. We didn't set out to make [the show] timely, we were just trying to tell a story that was true to that time in a traumatized way, obviously. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, most of the cast performed their own stunts, 'Warrior' star Chen Tang said he did all of his stunts on the show except one where he was told he could break his neck, Here's the cast of Disney's live-action 'Mulan' and who they're playing. Jonathan was like, 'It's kind of cool. Warrior, Fridays, 10/9c, Cinemax. They just built Mexico. [But,] somehow he pulled it off. We could always talk to him about, like, ‘I don’t think my character would do this.’ He’s like, ‘Well, I’m gonna tell you why.’ This show is very near to my heart and I’m excited as hell for the world to see [it] because I feel like this show found its footing, it found a deeper feeling of who it was in the season.”. “It also came from character; it was also through the way I see the world. On the Chinese Exclusion Act and the show shedding light on these historical events: “This part of history is never talked about. Andrew Koji (2021’s Snake Eyes: G.I. He is how he is. But, I’m also entering this trio of Young Jun and Ah Sahm. The official website for Warrior, an original series on Cinemax. Of course, I’m going to love these guys.”. We can do a fictionalized version of it. But then, they were like we’re running out of budget! I couldn't stop my tears. So I imagine this show must be particularly dear to you; this is a show he tried making many years ago. I'm in LA right now, but I'm from Jersey. In a December, 1971 interview with Canadian journalist Pierre Berton — Bruce Lee’s only recorded interview — Lee openly talks about The Warrior as … In a conversation with Insider held before the US presidential election, Tang spoke about the underrated gem, which is based on an idea from his childhood hero, Bruce Lee. [Laughs] Why does it have to be queer representation? And, I was always very cognizant of, I’m entering this world. The final two episodes of season two did an incredible job of paying homage to Lee’s groundbreaking work on screen, including specific tributes to Enter the Dragon and Fist of Fury . His last earnest audition was something he self-taped on his iPhone and, believe it or not, he ended up getting the gig. Warrior is an American action-drama television series that premiered on April 5, 2019, on Cinemax. It felt like we were living in several different countries instead of one. Cinemax's Bruce Lee martial arts TV series Warrior effectively ended with the season 2 finale, which aired December 4, 2020. Get info about the exciting first season of Warrior. Was that a bit of the case? That scene was my first day on set, too. One of the best TV shows that you're likely not watching right now is "Warrior" on Cinemax. He just says, 'Oh, it's just breakfast.' ADVERTISEMENT. They were hung up. That's the image that came to me. His father, Jun (Perry Yung) walks in and says, 'What's going on?' 'Yeah, It's representation,' and that's important too — believe me — but damn, man. since, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention”. Joe Origins) returns to lead the cast as Ah Sahm, a fierce fighter with the powerful Hop Wei tong in San Francisco’s Chinatown. But these times haven't changed as much...There's a long way to go. You mentioned on social media that you survived on boiled eggs and Nutribullets in New Zealand for 'Mulan.' If I'm not on a good show, I wouldn't be like, 'Yo, our show's awesome.' INTERVIEW: Get to know Chen Tang, star of Disney’s ‘Mulan’ and Cinemax’s ‘Warrior’ A drive for greatness, rooted in Memphis soul Will Maye November 2, 2020 I read that Bruce Lee was one of your heroes growing up. When I found out I got the job I was just floored. Copyright All rights reserved Theme: News Base by, Rockstar Book Tours: Jack McQuade is ‘The Smartest Kid in the World’ in Chris Grabenstein’s Latest MG Novel. "I'm really proud of 'Warrior,'" Tang said of the show's writing. Warrior ran on Cinemax for two seasons, until the network stopped producing original programming, but now it's on HBO Max. The one thing I will say for Warrior and going into something like the show was it was so refreshing to just be basically on a show that knew what they were. Despite its uncertain future, this Sophomore Season has shown that the Cinemax series can really dig in and explore its complex storylines, historical references, and large cast of characters. Simple as that.". I was struck by how relevant that line felt, along with another line where Mayor Samuel Blake (Christian McKay) says, 'Americans first.' So for me, I saw the world through those through that lens, through those eyes alone. There really were people that died. I basically just ate one meal a day, but because of that I could eat whatever I wanted and I had a protein shake after training. Because the whole episode is so energetic. The only way that we can get closer as human beings is to address it, not to run, not to ignore the problem, not to push it away, not to bury it under things, but to be real with it. We just told the story of the time. Andrew Koji stars in ‘Warrior’ season 2 (Photo by David Bloomer/Cinemax) Cinemax’s critically acclaimed dramatic series Warrior kicks off its 10-episode second season on Friday, October 2, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT. I was like, 'No, you know what? That episode was a whirlwind because it was just so fun to shoot, because of all that energy. ET. New episodes of "Warrior" air Fridays on Cinemax at 10 p.m. It often is that people who’ve been through a lot, things don’t matter as much to them. Be fat. That's just their life and they don't shine too much of a microscope on stuff. Is that something that stood out to you about the show as well? There really was that riot that we'll eventually get to the rest of the season. That's about 17, almost 18, pounds from 'Mulan' on to 'Warrior' because I wanted to be sort of like a stray dog. In a conversation with Insider held before the US presidential election, Tang spoke about the underrated gem, which is based on an idea from his childhood hero, Bruce Lee. Videos Schedule Shop. Chen Tang talks “Warrior,” the Chinese Exclusion Act, and Jonathan Tropper With Cinemax’s Warrior drawing their second season to a close, we talked with Chen Tang about his character “Hong” in the drama based on both Bruce Lee’s script treatment and the Tong Wars of the late 1800s. I just loved it and it gave me so, so much of life and creativity to go from. “I can’t take full credit for it because the writers gave me so many great zingers and one-liners and all these things. Menu. This is not shocking. We're small, but mighty," star Chen Tang told Insider. Dianne Doan talks about THAT reveal during the “Warrior” season finale! With … We didn't aim it for anything. Warrior is barreling forward in its debut season on Cinemax, entering the half-way point with tonight's episode. But in doing so, they knew who they were.”, He continued, “And that all comes from the top. In our exclusive interview, she narrates the journey of Mai Ling and fore-glimpses into her power struggle as the Long Zii leader. Everything from the cinematography to the realistic fight scenes (for which most of the cast performed their own stunts) to even the catchy title theme are engrossing, making the show an easy binge. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Lee) who welcomes them with some authentic Chinese Drunken Chicken. Share: Ro. That's made a little more clear at the start of season two, episode six. When things started happening this year, including the Black Lives Matter protests, we were not surprised at all. On Young Jun speaking up to defend him in the Hop Wei when his sexuality is revealed: “Look how much that would mean to someone who has faced repression and discrimination, not only for being Chinese, but for being gay his whole life. I can give you all the kind of feel good answers. "They really don't just go, 'Oh, it's an Asian story.'". With a second season ordered the … Was that always a part of Hong's character or something that you had a hand in developing? The sophomore season of Warrior premieres tonight on Cinemax and actor Dustin Nguyen returns as a series regular in the role of the big baddie Zing, who was introduced at … Sundance 2021: “Mayday” Suffers From A Weak Script and Weaker Characters. It's your role now. It is based on an original concept and treatment by Bruce Lee, and is executive-produced by his daughter, Shannon Lee, and Justin Lin. It was the last episode we shot of the season. They were like everybody is kind of gray on 'Warrior.' Insider spoke with Tang before the US presidential election about creating his character's look, the show's portrayal of queer representation and how it's setting a new standard in Hollywood, and how the show unintentionally draws some parallels to systemic racism in America today. That was really cool. I dropped about seven or eight kilos. Tang, who joined "Warrior" in its second season after his role in Disney's "Mulan" as fan-favorite Yao, plays Hong, a lovable yet dangerous sidekick to the show's lead characters, Ah Sahm and Young Jun, in one of San Francisco's most powerful tongs or secret organizations. Honestly, the first time watching him was the first time I felt truly proud to be an Asian in America. Warrior is about 90% of the way through that sequence. Talking to MEAWW about the Cinemax show, she also spills the beans on her character's relationships with Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) and teases a major spoiler involving her and Hop Wei's brothel boss Ah Toy (Olivia Cheng). I like the way they portray it in the show in saying, 'This is just how it is.' That's the great power of what you and I do. Ro is a freelance entertainment writer, book reviewer, film/tv critic, and Editor for the MTR Network currently living, working, and podcasting from San Diego California. Subscriber I would like to be super skinny.' Original Series. I was like, well, how can I balance this triangle? We were in such a different world when we shot [the show]. Interview exclusive with martial arts actor, Joe Taslim on the Cinemax series “Warrior”, based on a concept created by Bruce Lee & executive produced by daughter, Shannon Lee. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Get it now on Libro.fm using the button below. "It's just f---ing good. Worth Watching Saturday, March 6 Oprah and the Ex-Royals, Daryl’s … Speaking about areas where you had a say in your character, I know your character on the show identifies as queer. It’s great fun. You can see why, Leary (Dean Jagger), feels how he feels about the Irish and hates the Chinese. Cinemax’s Warrior has spent two seasons delivering on its promise to remain faithful to Bruce Lee’s writings and honor his status as a martial arts legend. I love him like a brother. Warrior followed the lives of various parties living in San Francisco during the real life Tong Wars in the 1870s. I'm really proud of 'Warrior,' and I know a lot of us are and the reason is with the storyline and the writing, everybody kind of has a say. Meeting her, for the first time...I was just so emotional. You want to be ripped? Get info about the exciting first season of Warrior. To actually get to know her, and to be in this circle, it's something else. Chen Tang joined the second season of Cinemax's "Warrior," which follows Chinese immigrants coming to San Francisco in the late 1800s. There really was a Chinese Exclusion Act. There's a line said in season two, episode two: 'We cannot allow anxiety and dread to become the law of the land.' Exactly. Every single detail. 'Warrior' star Chen Tang talks Season 3, Warcraft, and high-school football Chen Tang approached his role of “Hong” on the Cinemax television series … On filming the Western-style standalone Episode Six: “That episode was my favorite shoot. It's just a good show. I wanted to note that I especially loved the moment where Young Jun (Jason Tobin) stood up for Hong when he was being discriminated against at breakfast. Here we are, on the eve of the Warrior season two finale. We'll meet you half way.' And Ah Sahm, he’s brooding, he’s angry and hurt a lot. A lot of things happen. I drove across the country with my brother at the end of 2019 to come out here. And Dustin Nguyen, who plays Zing, directed it, and that was great and had all these ideas. "Warrior" Season 2 airs on Cinemax beginning Oct. 2, and both seasons will soon head to HBO Max. They went ambitious with it. I'll explain what I mean: It doesn't stand out for all the right reasons because it really shouldn't. I had to like pinch myself. You know, they know that there are other things that are actually bad out there. Inside the saloon, Ah Sahm and Young Jun encounter a Chinese cook, Lu (C.S. "I call [it] the little show that could. They were very specific. IndieWire’s Hanh Nguyen had a fantastic interview with writer Kenneth Lin and director Kevin Tancharoen, where they discussed the influences of this episode. What was your diet like for 'Warrior?'. These are age-old things that just happened to be addressed now that...has more of a microscope on it. I love that this show embraces whatever form of love — no matter what it may be — without judgment, whether it's bi, straight, gay, or interracial. Now, in its second season, the series not only explores the conflict between rival Chinatown gangs and the Tong Wars of the late 1800s, but also the discrimination Chinese Americans faced from 1892's Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited Chinese people from immigrating to the US for 10 years. With the election [upon us], what parallels, if any, do you see between this show and what's going on right now in the world? Two, [there's] the happiness with everything that it means to be with Bruce Lee's legacy. 'Warrior' stars Olivia Cheng and Miranda Raison think there's a lot of story left to be told in the Cinemax martial arts drama. After a good but flawed first season for Cinemax’s martial arts drama, renewal looked iffy as ratings were never really high. It's just the endgame. What do you want me to say? And every detail was thought about. Tags Audio Interview Cinemax Warrior. I started watching and fell in love with the show's choreography, fight scenes, and the journeys of Ah Sahm, Ah Toy, and Penelope. Triple meaning: As the character [Hong], I'm happy to be here in San Francisco. Insider: I'm going to be honest: I hadn't really heard of "Warrior" until recently. Three: Being in South Africa, everything that I'm experiencing as Hong, I'm experiencing as Chen in K-Town when we shot it, because I'm genuinely happy to be here. [That's] not to say I didn't have good experiences before, but I was like, Wow. Taking the production costs and difficulty of shooting into account amid the pandemic, most of the ‘Warrior’ cast is already eyeing other projects. These things really happened. And, you know, that gunfight at the end was all one take [because] we just didn’t have the time!”. Speaking in a new interview with Collider, here is some of what series star Dianne Doan had to say about the idea of there being more down the road: Wrapping up the season, we didn’t know if it was gonna be the end, so there are a lot of loose ends. The season finale of Warrior airs tonight, Friday, December 4th at 10pm EST/11pm PST exclusively on Cinemax. Be ripped. Original Series Home. His whole life. This is honest; straight up honest. But I will say that the quirks came from me, they were my creation and my interpretation. With Cinemax’s Warrior drawing their second season to a close, we talked with Chen Tang about his character “Hong” in the drama based on both Bruce Lee’s script treatment and the Tong Wars of the late 1800s. Account active