Exclusive Interview: Brandon Soo Hoo and Kheng Hua Tan Discuss ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ the Film’s Celebration of Culture, Community, and Chosen Family, and More

Brandon Soo Hoo and Kheng Hua Tan are two of the stars of Paramount+’s action-packed animated film, The Tiger’s Apprentice.

Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprentice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians. With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu (Henry Golding), Tom trains to take on Loo (Michelle Yeoh), a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but with evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity. To have a fighting chance against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Brandon and Kheng about The Tiger’s Apprentice, the film’s celebration of culture, community, and chosen family, working in animation, and more.

PC: Brandon, The Tiger’s Apprentice is being adapted from a popular book series, and in preparation for this role, you went back to that source material. What did you want to make sure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new that you brought to this character?
Brandon: There are so many valuable lessons and golden nuggets of wisdom that I would love audiences to take away. But one of my favorite parts of the stories is all the relationships between the characters. They’re so sweet. On the outside, this whole cast of characters are almost like these misfits or outcasts, but they’re able to find solace in each other and find power in community and the importance of family. That’s such a huge theme of the story and it really impacted me when I read it and when I watched the movie. At the very least, appreciate what you have and really appreciate the people around you, not only your blood family, but the family that you choose because that’s so important. It takes a village to accomplish great things.

One thing that I was able to bring to the story that might not have been in the original source material was just myself—myself as Brandon Soo Hoo. That’s a gift as an actor that I get to put a bit of myself into these characters and a bit of my own pizazz into the character. I had the honor of representing this awesome property. It was such a privilege to insert my own little Brandon-isms into it. Raman [Hui], Carlos [Baena], and the entire creative team were so accommodating. They welcomed whatever I wanted to do in the booth. They gave me so much freedom.

There’s a good amount of scenes where they just let the tape roll. They said, “Okay, what would Brandon do in this situation? How does Brandon feel about his snarky remarks back to the bullies? What would Brandon mutter to himself if he’s feeling a bit anxious?” They gave me a room to eat up their recording time. [laughs]

PC: Kheng, it’s great to see you again. There are so many endless possibilities when working in animation. How did that freedom push you creatively? What was it like seeing this incredible film in its entirety for the first time?
Kheng: What I really enjoyed about animation was the very close collaboration that you get with the creators. The first day I was in the booth recording the very first line, I was part of that process, and that’s really precious. After a few more sessions, they’ll show you an initial sketch. Then, they’ll show you a better sketch. They’ll change their hairstyle depending on you. To grow something from nothing, to grow something from a line on a page is something I’ve always considered a real privilege. That’s what makes art really magical. You’re able to make something out of nothing except the mind of a person, and how we can bring our minds together to make it what it is today. A lot of times, especially for film and television, people look at the final product, but there’s really so much more that went into it. I love that.

PC: What this film does so brilliantly is showcase the Asian experience, but in such a universal story. With the film out now on Paramount+, have each of you had time to reflect on your own contributions, and knowing that for so many young audiences, it may be the first time they see their culture and themselves represented on screen? What does this moment mean to each of you?
Brandon: It means so much. This is definitely a story that deserves to be told. Not only is this a powerful story that showcases so much Asian culture, but it’s also a universal story about overcoming hardship, grief, finding unity, and not just through force but through compassion and love. To be a part of a beautiful Asian story that’s also such a beautiful human story is a gift. To put something out in the world that I’m genuinely proud of and believe will leave a positive impact on its viewers, there’s not much more that I could ask for.

Kheng: What I’d like to highlight about The Tiger’s Apprentice is that one of the themes is that nobody is ever alone. I don’t come from North America; I come from Asia where the community and family live in each other’s pockets. I come from a very small country. Within ten minutes, my best friend and I can meet down the road for a cup of coffee if I’m not having a good day. With one phone call, my brother will be at my home helping me to do something. That is the way we live. Many families live like that in Asia. Here in North America, geographically, people are very far away from that. Many young people are very far away from their families. I do feel a sense of loneliness and being overwhelmed, especially in such a great and well-oiled machine that is the entertainment industry here in North America. My message is that you’re not alone. Don’t feel like you’re alone. One, you have yourself, and two, if you look hard enough, you have a whole bunch of people out there who are good people. Practice the lens of choosing good people, and you’re going to be okay. That is the journey that Tom goes through. I was about to give a spoiler, but I’m not because it’s launch day. But the message is that you’re not alone.

Make sure to follow Brandon (Instagram) and Kheng (Instagram). Watch The Tiger’s Apprentice on Paramount+ today.

Photo Credit: Noah Asanias (Kheng)