A star-studded creative cast and supporters walked a purple carpet for the premiere of The Tiger’s Apprentice, in advance of Lunar New Year. Paramount+ hosted the premiere as a family-friendly celebration filled with photo ops, food stations supporting local AAPI small businesses, as well as a special performance by the East Wind Youth Group. Cold Tea Collective was invited to cover the purple carpet and speak with cast and crew, as well as other notable guests.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Laurence Yep, and follows a Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee, voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo, who discovers his lineage of magical protectors. He receives guidance from Hu, a mythical tiger voiced by Henry Golding. Tom needs to train to take on Loo, voiced by Michelle Yeoh, an evil powerful force seeking to destroy humanity. In order to fight Loo, Tom needs to reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his new powers.
With the Chinese zodiac so prominently featured in the film’s plot, it’s reassuring to know that AAPI talent is not only featured in the casting but also behind the scenes; from the directors to the executive producers, giving the film a feeling of authenticity to be proud of and celebrated.
Honouring our animals and elements within
As the film highlights the 12 Chinese zodiac animals we thought to ask cast and guests their zodiac signs and what they found to be their most apparent traits from their sign.
Lead character Brandon Soo Hoo was born in 1995 and is the Year of the Pig. “The pig is considered fortunate and prosperous, and I feel blessed in my personal life,” Soo Hoo shares. “I resonate with the pig’s love for indulging in finer things, especially food and self-care. That’s something I connect with, being a food enthusiast, and I find pigs really cute.”
Sherry Cola is the voice of the Monkey, but identifies with both her character as well as her zodiac: “My Chinese zodiac sign is a snake from 1989. I identify with traits like loyalty and quick wit. I see similarities with the monkey as well,” she says. “Growing up celebrating Lunar New Year, I resonate with the monkey’s qualities. I feel connected to being quick-witted, funny, and always there for friends.”
When it came to things the Tiger’s Apprentice cast were excited about for fan’s to discover in watching the film, the cultural richness, the story’s themes, and inclusivity all came to mind.
“I love the chemistry between all the Zodiac characters in the film, featuring a star-studded cast. The movie is a mystical and long-overdue experience,” Sherry Cola highlights. “The Lunar New Year celebration and traditions play a significant role, adding to the film’s cultural richness.”
“I’m excited for the audience to fall in love with the characters in the film. It’s not just about action; there are emotional aspects,” shares Soo Hoo. “The story emphasizes the value of family, approaching situations with love and compassion rather than aggression. It’s about leaning into your heart to overcome adversity.”
Leah Lewis plays the voice of Rav, who is friends with the character Tom.“The film is an opportunity for the AAPI community to see themselves represented and believe in more possibilities,” shares Lewis Lewis is a Chinese American adoptee to a caucasian family who the actor describes as so graciously and openly encouraging her to celebrate her heritage as she was growing up. “The inclusivity of the cast adds to the excitement, creating a relatable and empowering narrative,” says Lewis.
Deborah S. Craig, who plays the voice of the Pig, shares what she learned from working on the film as well. “I am a transracial, transnational adoptee, so everything I’ve learned about East Asian culture has come from my community of writers, directors, fellow actors, and even in this film, I learned a lot about Lunar New Year and traditions that I’m starting and maintaining,” she highlights.
See more: Leah Lewis podcast and article on The Half of It
Cultural superpowers
On that similar note of inclusivity and cultural richness, we asked the stars of The Tiger’s Apprentice what they would identify as a superpower that was passed on to them from their culture that they are most proud of?
“I feel like the superpower that’s been passed on to me is community. And so it’s my community that has been a superpower for me. Asians really rock!” says Craig.
Kheng Hua Tan who voices Tom’s mother Mrs. Lee, says her cultural superpower is her devotion to family. “For me, family is really everything. It is where I begin and where I end. And definitely my family has passed that down to me. I strongly pass it down to my daughter and I’m hoping she will. I really believe she will pass it down to her own children after that,” says Tan.
Diana Lee Inosanto, voice of Horse, shares about balance, spiritual connectedness and unity. “Learning to be in balance, learning to make connections with people. I would say that it’s been [being] spiritually connected to people that I think has been a superpower in some ways and learning to feel unified with my fellow man,” she says.
Hot or cold tea?
Cast members from the television series Kung Fu were in attendance to support their fellow and onscreen badass mother played by Kheng Hua Tan. And of course, the question that had to be asked: Do you prefer your tea, hot or cold?
“I love my tea cold, so I’m a green iced tea, sometimes matcha kind of guy right now,” JB Tadena says as he pointed at the sweat from this hot afternoon day in Los Angeles.
“I would say generally hot is better for the digestive system. But if it’s boba tea, I have to get it cold. But you know, in the winter I like a hot boba, a warm boba, like a little warm hottish boba. It depends, I would say,” Tony Chung specifies.
Watch The Tiger’s Apprentice exclusively on Paramount+ now.
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