Editor Notes: This article has been updated for Character Media’s upcoming annual issue.
SAG-AFTRA members are currently on strike and cannot promote their film and TV projects. The reporting for this article was conducted before the strike began.
One of the best pieces of advice Daniel Wu has ever received since starting his 20-odd-year career was: “If you can not do action, don’t do action.”
Wise words from action legend Jackie Chan, who, as Wu’s mentor and manager at the time, wanted to ensure that the younger actor did not fall into the industry typecast as he did. Wu took this advice to heart, and, for a long time, didn’t tell anyone he practiced martial arts out of fear that he, too, would be stuck playing the same roles over and over again. If you check his filmography, it’s stacked with arthouse films like “Bishonen,” thrillers like “Devil Face, Angel Heart,” and comedies like “The Heavenly Kings.” But of course, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t utilized his martial arts training.
Throughout his career, especially in his later projects in Hollywood, Wu has begun to infuse his martial artistry with his acting in AMC’s “Into The Badlands,” and most recently, “American Born Chinese,” where he plays Monkey King Sun Wukong from the beloved “Journey to the West” story. In the midst of promoting the Disney+ series, Wu sat down with Character Media to speak about the difference between the Hollywood and Hong Kong entertainment industries, how “American Born Chinese” affected his parenting style and more.
Character Media: How was it seeing yourself in the full Sun Wukong (Monkey King) costume?
Daniel Wu: It was pretty amazing. First of all, shout out to the special effects makeup team because even close up in the mirror, it looked really good. I’ve had various experiences with prosthetic makeup over the years and it’s really evolved to a point now where it looks so realistic. I was just…
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