Exclusive Interview: Vanessa Yao Discusses Joining the Cast of Kung Fu, Her Character’s Future, and More

Chinese-Canadian actress Vanessa Yao has built a name for herself overseas with her transformative performances in projects including Father and Hero, Soul Breaker, and Blackfox Ridge. This year, she made her return to the States as the newest cast member of the CW’s Kung Fu.

Adapted from the popular ’70s series, Kung Fu follows a young Chinese-American woman, Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), whose quarter-life crisis causes her to drop out of school and make a life-changing journey to a monastery in China. When she makes her return home, she discovers that her town has been overrun with corruption. Nicky must rely on her community as well as her martial arts skills to protect those she cares about the most and seek justice for those who are unable to.

Vanessa stars as Nicky’s cousin Mia who has been on the run and living on her own for years after suffering an unimaginable loss.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Vanessa about joining the cast of Kung Fu, exploring Mia’s strengths and vulnerability, her future, and more.

PC: One of the central themes in Kung Fu is about creating your own path. How did you discover your passion for the arts and storytelling?
Vanessa: From a young age, I acted in minor roles here and there. I could tell that I really loved it from that moment. When I was in school, I absolutely loved public speaking and getting to write my own stories and tell them to the class. I loved seeing everyone laugh and engaging them through public speaking.

Then later, I was engaging audiences through my music, concerts, and piano playing. I knew that it was something that I was really passionate about.

Flash forward, I decided to go back to my roots in China to study acting. I started looking for more opportunities. I did my bachelor’s degree in film at the Beijing Film Academy. After graduating, I worked there for three years before auditioning for Kung Fu. They flew me out and here I am!

PC: You’ve done tons of projects in Asia, and Kung Fu marks your return to the States. What has that transition been like? How similar or different are those filming experiences?
Vanessa: They’re very, very different. In China, I was only doing movies. This is the first time that I’ve actually done a show. Film and TV are very different. It took me a bit to get used to it. In film, you have more time to feel out each emotion. In TV, it has to be much faster. You don’t have the time to feel it out from beginning to end. You have to speed through it. It’s definitely more challenging. Also, you don’t get the full script. You go episode by episode. You don’t really know the full arc of the character. You’re very in the moment. But in movies, you know where the story is going. In TV, you don’t. It’s really fun to do. I’m very, very present. I can only concentrate on what I need to do for this episode.

PC: Did you feel any pressure heading into Kung Fu given how successful the series has been and also the fact that you’re joining a cast that has a season under their belt already?
Vanessa: Absolutely. I was very, very stressed because I knew they had a very successful first season. I could tell the chemistry that they had with each other without even seeing it in person. I was really worried about being the new person coming in, how they would feel about me, and if I could prove myself and have a place there. That was all my anxiety. But I didn’t have to worry about anything because they are all so nice. They were super, super nice. I was shocked at how nice and genuine they all were. At the end of the day, it was more about me trying to distance myself from the actors because that’s how my character comes into the show. I was very stressed about it, but I’m so, so honored that they chose me to be a guest star in Season 2.

PC: We learned that Mia has suffered a lot of trauma in her life, which is why she’s guarded about the people she lets into her circle. As an actress, how did you create the space for yourself to dive into that arc?
Vanessa: I feel like it’s been quite parallel to my own life. I feel like I’ve always been more guarded as well, personally, so I feel like parts of Mia are very real to me. I haven’t been through the trauma she’s been through.

To play Mia, I just have to amplify that guardedness and that need to protect myself. It’s been a lot of fun to get the justice that the character needed because that trauma has been so great. It was so heavy. When I went to work every day, I wanted to see her win. I wanted to see her be happy. I wanted her to get justice for everything that’s happened to her. It’s really, really wonderful when you have a character that’s been through so much because you feel for her when you step into her shoes. You want the very best for her.

PC: Showrunner Christina M. Kim has said that one of the reasons why you stood out in the audition was your ability to embody Mia’s strength and her vulnerability. Which of Mia’s layers has been your favorite to explore in Season 2 and why?
Vanessa: I love how protective she is about her mom. In everything that Mia does, there’s an underlying note related to undoing the guilt that she has. She ran away from home, and because of that she never got to see her mom again. Her mom was killed. There’s so much guilt there. There’s an underlying note about how bad she feels about what happened with her mom and how much she loved her. She wishes she had another chance, but she doesn’t.

PC: You and the cast are in such a unique position where you get to see the fan response in real time through social media. They’ve expressed how much this series has meant to them and how it has made them feel seen. What has that meant to you to be a part of this production and see that fan response?
Vanessa: It’s honestly heartwarming because I’m so critical about myself. To be very honest, when the show premiered, I wasn’t wrapped yet. So I was very afraid to watch it or read anything that would derail me or make me question if what I was doing was good enough. The cast was so supportive. They were like, “We have the best fans. They’re so supportive.”

They’re so loving. They love the show. I was like, “Okay, maybe I’ll be okay. Maybe I can take a look at what everyone is saying.” When I did, I felt all the love. You can feel how passionate they are about this project. It validates what we’re doing. It makes us feel really, really great that everyone loves the show. We’re doing the best that we can to bring more representation to TV with these wonderful characters.

PC: You’re one of the actors that get to take part in these action-packed fight sequences, but you also have a lot of really emotional and vulnerable moments. Is one more challenging?
Vanessa: The emotional scenes are not that hard for me because the writing is so good. I can tap into it right away. I understand why she feels the way that she does. The action is really hard. The stunt team is so professional. They’re incredible. It’s amazing what they do. I would 100% say the action sequences. There’s so much action from episode to episode. I love that there’s so much action and that every character does it, especially with Mia and her hybrid blood. Whenever I watch her sequences, I’m like, “Damn. She’s vicious. She fights in a different way.” It’s interesting because each character fights in a different way. She fights differently than Nicky or Zhilan.

PC: Nicky has emerged as Mia’s mentor/shifu. What has it been like getting to collaborate with Olivia? Who were the mentors in your life that shaped the artist you are today?
Vanessa: That’s a great question. Olivia is so professional. Whenever there is a closeup of a character, usually the other actor will not be on screen. But Olivia will deliver her lines exactly the same way she does if the camera was on her. It gives me a lot to play off. That is such a professional and genuine thing to do. I really, really appreciate her doing that. That happened throughout the whole season. No matter where we are, what scene we’re doing, she always did that for me. I did it for her too. I want everyone to know that she did that. I don’t know if people talk about that enough.

As far as mentors, I’d say my mom and dad. They’ve always been pretty harsh on me, which is quite an Asian thing to do. [laughs] It’s made me more ambitious. I always wanted to reach for more. I always worked my hardest. I feel like, without the influence of my parents, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. At the moment, you’re like, “They’re so mean to me.” But now, I’m like, “That was great.” I work really hard now. I always want to do more, more, and more. That’s because of my parents.

PC: I love that. With each episode, we’re learning more and more about Mia. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding her. We know you can’t say too much, but is there anything you can tease about Mia’s arc for the rest of the season?
Vanessa: In Episode 5, she finds her dad. He has betrayed her completely. That was the last of her family. It’s her last glimmer of hope. He doesn’t even want her. He doesn’t care about her at all. She’s betrayed by her dad. In Mia’s mind, she has nothing left. What’s left for her? When she meets up with Nicky again, she sees her in a different light. She realizes she cares.

That hits her differently. It took that happening for her to come to that realization. I really, really loved the last scene of Episode 5 where they’re eating together as a family. I love how they were able to capture her transition from being uncomfortable and shy to feeling safe. That’s so important for someone who has gone through trauma.

To keep up with Vanessa, follow her on Instagram. Watch Kung Fu every Wednesday at 9/8c on the CW.

Photo Credit: Evaan Kheraj Photography