In ‘The Brothers Sun,’ Michelle Yeoh again leads an immigrant family with dark humor — but new faces

In 2021, Sam Song Li was cast in an independent film as the ancestor of a character played by a pre-“Shang-Chi” Simu Liu. To general audiences, the non-speaking cameo may seem insignificant. But for Li, it was a pivotal moment.

A producer told him she cast him after consulting more than 200 people for the role, for which he was “on screen for about 30 seconds,” Li recalled to the Associated Press.

“I remember hearing that and being like, ‘You know what? I think I’m pretty good at it,” he said.

Nearly three years later, Li is one of the leads in an all-Asian cast, and like Liu, he plays opposite him. Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. He and Justin Chien play the descendants of a Taiwanese triad leader in the new Netflix series “The Brothers Sun,” which premieres Thursday.

An elixir of crime drama and comedy, “The Brothers Sun” shakes up the stereotypical way Hollywood has often portrayed Asian immigrant families. The genre-bending show aims to feature fresh faces like Li and comedian Jenny Yang, a practice that doesn't always seem to be the norm when it comes to actors of Asian origin.

Best known for her stand-up comedy and sketch comedy, Yang made her television acting debut as the assassin Xing.

“I had heard about the project before a casting notice came out and I was jealous. …Why am I not involved in all of this? Yang remembers.

She credits casting director Jenny Jue for going “the extra mile to scour the internet and scour her networks for talent that might not have been seen before.”

Jue, whose previous projects include “Inglorious Basterds,” also grew up in Southern California with a high school boyfriend who “dabbled” in a Taiwanese gang. She highlighted that history when she lobbied writer and executive producer Brad Falchuk (“American Horror Story,” “Pose,” “Glee”) and executive producer Byron Wu to come on board the project. But she also candidly explained that she saw this as a huge responsibility to the Asian American community.

“I really want to see some new faces here. You wrote roles that were too distinctive, layered and nuanced. I don’t just want to embody the same faces we always see in these roles,” says Jue, describing his pitch. “Even in the final casting, I didn’t know if any of them had their SAG card other than Michelle Yeoh.”

Yeoh was the only big name Jue thought he should have. The producers agreed after she put them in a first screening of “Everything Everywhere All at Once”.

“I knew some really talented actors who had been cast in Mama Sun. But Michelle just has a really innate maternal quality. And she can also be very tough,” says Jue. “That’s what we really needed for this role.”

Li likens working with Yeoh to “playing basketball with Steph Curry.” And when the cameras weren't rolling, “she's someone who walks into a room with so much grace, so much love for everyone and she really listens to people in a very intimate way.”

There have been some naysayers on social media, including Asian Americans, who lamented Yeoh's continued casting in roles that could have been a stepping stone for other actors. This brings to mind the criticism of Liu — who played a Ken in “Barbie” – was confronted for seeming to land the lion's share of “Asian male” roles.

The double-edged sword of being acclaimed for breaking barriers then criticized for seemingly taking too many opportunities, it's more often than not a scourge for actors of color. Yang understands that some of these complaints come from a desire to uplift more people. But one person's success doesn't have to be divisive, she says.

“Of course everyone wants to work with Michelle Yeoh. Of course, everyone wants to see what she can do next. So I think we can have both,” says Yang. “I think we can have the ability to bring out as many talented voices as possible. Let us continue to emphasize this point. But let's celebrate when someone's talents are highlighted.

Li, whose only previous television credits were guest spots in an episode on “I have never,” “Better Call Saul” and “Home Economics” had their share of rejections. But he chooses not to take it personally.

“I think a win in our community, whatever it is, is a huge win for all of us,” Li says. “I've never had a single moment where I was like, 'Wow, I could have done better. »

A 20-year casting veteran, Jue agrees that it can feel like you're seeing a lot of the same faces from a marginalized group. It is “the product of a lot of decision-makers and senior managers who don’t know there is anything else.”

She remembers trying to dialogue several times with producers and directors about the diversification of ensembles at the end of the 2000s. She often heard “no” without explanation. It felt like it was easier not to have a conversation at all, Jue said. But there was a seismic shift in 2020, with the racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd.

“The conversations I have with producers now are much more open,” Jue says. “It's a real safe space where I tell them, 'I will never use anything we talk about against anyone in these rooms.' We just need to really talk openly about what you like, what you don't like, what you want to see and how we can add more diversity in a way that feels really natural.

For so long, too, the stories of Asian immigrant families on screen tended to be depressing, exaggerated tales of struggles against racism, money, or some other outside force.

“The Brothers Sun” is the latest in recent productions, all starring Yeoh, which depicts parent-child conflict in an Asian American household. with humor and action. “Everything, everywhere, at once” and the Disney+ show, “American Born Chinese” were applauded for their amusing and inventive stories. It's not a trend but an indicator that audiences are moving away from “known tropes” regarding Asian immigrant stories, Yang says.

“I feel like it's part of a bigger desire to see family shows that are fun and entertaining or about family dynamics, but with heightened situations,” Yang says. “That’s what television is for, baby.”

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Tang, based in Phoenix, is a member of The Associated Press' Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @ttangAP.



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