Page 14 - aruba-today-20240105

a14 people & arts
Friday 5 January 2024

In 'The Brothers Sun,' Michelle Yeoh again leads an immigrant

family with dark humor — but new faces

By TERRY TANG never been an instance for
Associated Press me where I went, 'Wow, I
In 2021, Sam Song Li was could have done it better.'"
cast in an independent A 20-year veteran in cast-
film as the ancestor of a ing, Jue agrees it can feel
character played by a pre- like one sees a lot of the
"Shang-Chi" Simu Liu. To the same faces from a margin-
general public, the non- alized group. It's "a product
speaking cameo might of a lot of decision-makers
seem insignificant. But for Li, and higher-level executives
it was a seminal moment. not knowing that there's
A producer told him she anything else out there."
picked him after looking at She recalls trying to have
more than 200 people for dialogues with producers
the role, for which he was and directors about diversi-
"on screen for like a whole fying ensembles numerous
30 seconds," Li recalled to times in the late 2000s. She
The Associated Press. would often hear "no" with-
"I remember hearing that out explanation. It was as if
and just feeling like, 'You having no conversation at
know what? I think I'm good all was easier, Jue says. But
enough for this,'" he said. there was a seismic shift in
Almost three years later, 2020, with the racial reck-
Li is one of the leads in an oning after the murder of
all-Asian cast and, like Liu, This image released by Netflix shows Joon Lee as TK, Sam Song Li as Bruce Sun, Michelle Yeoh as George Floyd.
acting opposite Oscar win- Mama Sun, Justin Chien as Charles Sun in an episode of "The Brothers Sun." Associated Press "The conversations I'm hav-
ner Michelle Yeoh. He and ing now with producers are
Justin Chien play the scions that might not have been Yeoh was the only big ping stones for other actors. much more open," Jue says.
of a Taiwanese triad leader previously seen." name Jue felt they had to It's reminiscent of criticism "It's a real safe space where
in the new Netflix series "The Jue, whose previous proj- have. Producers agreed Liu — who played a Ken I tell them 'I'm never gonna
Brothers Sun," dropping ects include "Inglorious after she got them into in "Barbie" — has faced for use anything we talk about
Thursday. An elixir of crime Basterds," also grew up in an early screening of "Ev- appearing to get the lion's against anybody in these
drama and comedy, "The Southern California with a erything Everywhere All at share of "Asian male" roles. rooms. We just really need
Brothers Sun" shakes up the high school boyfriend who Once." The double-edged sword to talk openly about what
formulaic way Hollywood "dabbled" in a Taiwanese "I knew of some really tal- of being cheered for you guys like, what you
has often portrayed Asian gang. She pointed to that ented actors who were breaking barriers and then don't like, what you want to
immigrant families. The history when she lobbied considered for Mama Sun. dinged for seemingly tak- see and how we can add
genre-bending show aims writer-executive producer But Michelle just has a re- ing too many opportunities more diversity in a way that
to be a vehicle for fresh Brad Falchuk ("American ally innate, motherly qual- more often plagues actors feels really natural.'"
faces like Li and comedian Horror Story," "Pose," "Glee,") ity. And she can also be re- of color. Yang understands For so long, too, Asian im-
Jenny Yang, a practice and executive producer ally tough," Jue says. "That's some of these complaints migrant family narratives
that doesn't always feel like Byron Wu to board the what we really needed for come from a good place on screen tended to be
the norm when it comes to project. But she also made this role." of wanting to elevate more depressing, overdone tales
actors of Asian descent. a heartfelt pitch about Li likens working with Yeoh people. But, one person's of struggles with racism,
Mostly known for stand-up how she saw it as a huge to "playing basketball with success doesn't have to be money or some other out-
and sketch comedy, Yang responsibility to the Asian Steph Curry." And when divisive, she says. side force.
is making her television act- American community. the cameras weren't roll- "Of course everyone wants "The Brothers Sun" is the lat-
ing debut as the assassin "I really want to see new ing, "she is somebody who to work with Michelle Yeoh. est among recent produc-
Xing. "I had heard about faces here. You've written walks into a room with so Of course everyone wants tions, all featuring Yeoh,
the project before any roles that are too distinctive much grace, so much love to see what she can do that paint parent-child
casting notice was seen and layered and nuanced. for everybody and she re- next. So, I think we can conflict in an Asian Ameri-
and I was jealous. ... Why I don't just want to shoe- ally listens to to people in a have both," Yang says. "I can household with humor
am I not involved in this?" horn the same faces that very intimate way." think we can have the abil- and action. "Everything Ev-
Yang recalls. we always see into these There have been a few ity to uplift as many talent- erywhere All at Once" and
She credits casting direc- roles," says Jue, describing naysayers on social media, ed voices as possible. Let's the Disney+ show, "Ameri-
tor Jenny Jue with making her pitch. "Even the final including Asian Americans, keep pushing on that. But, can Born Chinese" have
"the extra effort to scour cast, I wasn't sure if any of who bemoaned Yeoh's let's celebrate when some- been applauded for fun
the internet and scour her them had their SAG cards continued casting in parts one gets a spotlight on their and inventive narratives.
networks to look for talent other than Michelle Yeoh." that could have been step- talents." This isn't a trend but an in-
Li, whose only previous TV dicator that audiences are
LIKE US ON credits were one-episode moving on from "well-trod-
guest spots on "Never Have den tropes" about Asian im-
I Ever," "Better Call Saul" migrant stories, Yang says.
and "Home Economics," "I feel like it's a part of a
has had his share of rejec- greater desire to see just fun
tions. But, he chooses not entertaining family shows or
to take it personally. about family dynamics but
"I think a win in our commu- with heightened situations,"
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ nity of any kind is a huge win Yang says. "This is what tele-

for all of us," Li says. "There's vision is for, baby."q