Exclusive Interview: Dorren Lee Talks Kung Fu, the Changing Media Landscape, and More

Dorren Lee is a gifted storyteller who is best known for the multifaceted characters and narratives she’s brought to life in projects including Shadowhunters, Star Trek: Discovery, and Diggstown. Earlier this year, she made her highly-anticipated return to 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. Dorren shines as Yuen, one of Nicky’s rivals.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Dorren about her journey into the industry, her return to Kung Fu, the changing media landscape, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and the arts?
Dorren: It’s something that I’ve always been fascinated with. A lot of that perhaps comes from being an immigrant. You’re told two different stories: the one of how your parents grew up and saw the world and then the way you’re taught to see the world in school. That got me curious about people, stories, and watching movies and TV. I was trying to see how people live in general, why we do the things we do, and why we have these rules and perspectives about how we should live our lives. It got me really interested in learning about humans.

My parents were very conservative. They’re much more chill now. When I was growing up, they didn’t want me to pursue something like acting or entertainment because it can be very unstable. They wanted me to have stability. That was their main goal for me. So I went to college. I got my degree. Then I saved up money, and I moved to New York City for about eight months. I took some classes and then moved to Toronto. I took more acting classes, and I realized it’s something I love doing. It never felt like homework in the sense that school felt like homework or an obligation. This was something that I needed to seek out for myself.

PC: In addition to the work that you’ve done on screen, you’ve also written and directed. How have your experiences behind the camera impacted the way that you approach your work as an actor and vice versa?
Dorren: It was last summer that I actually got the courage to shoot something that I wrote, directed, and produced. It was an amazing experience. It really changed storytelling for me because I am learning all these different elements that I wouldn’t even think about as an actor like music, coloring, editing, shot angles, and all of that. In turn, it’s also benefiting me when I work in front of the camera.

PC: You’ve had so much success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Dorren: That’s a hard question because I feel like every new experience is a new milestone for me. But this year, I would say it was getting to work on Diggstown. It’s the longest that I’ve been away from home to work on a project. I did a lot of flying and living in hotel rooms. It’s not something that I had experienced before when it comes to work, so it taught me a lot about how much self-care is involved when you’re fully immersed in a project and that it’s something I should prioritize.

PC: You also made your return to Kung Fu this season. How early on did the writers clue you in that they were planning on bringing you back?
Dorren: They let me know the second time that I was there. I worked on an episode with writer Melissa Rundle. The day after, she was like, “I want to work with you again. I need to bring you back in Season 3.” She was telling me all these ideas she had for my character and what the writers’ room had planned for me, so I had a good feeling that I was coming back.

PC: One of the great things about television as a medium is that you get the opportunity to see different sides of each character and how they grow over time. While your character originally was very mission-driven, there’s a moment where she breaks down her walls at the end of Season 2 with Daniel’s passing. How much fun is it for you as an actress to show all those different shades? What was it like getting to collaborate with Olivia and Eddie [Liu] as you portray that evolution?
Dorren: It was really fun to play their rival. I feel like you have a lot of room to get to play. There were a lot of things that Yuen does that I wouldn’t necessarily do in my life, like cast a spell in a jungle. I had the opportunity to experience that and really collaborate with Olivia and Eddie. They’re so lovely. They’re so wonderful and such amazing, giving actors. I’d actually never worked with another Asian actor before, in terms of being my scene partner. But that aside, they’re so wonderful. It was great.

PC: This industry has made slow progress in terms of greater representation and visibility on screen. Kung Fu has been a huge step forward. What has it meant to you to be a part of a project like this? Why do you think it’s taken the industry so long to get here?
Dorren: It means a lot to me to have been able to be on a show like this. It’s a predominantly Asian cast, and they do make an effort to cast all types of Asian people. I remember them talking about that when I was on set. They wanted to make sure they have diversity even within the Asian community. I felt very fortunate to be a part of a show like this. It takes time for change to happen. People are accustomed to having non-Asian people playing Asian characters. People have gotten used to that, and they think it’s okay because it’s what they’re used to. 2020 did change a lot (though I know this show was in the works before then). Social media makes a big difference, too. People are much more vocal. You can see what the masses want. It becomes a bit more transparent with how people feel about shows, and that’s really made a change.

PC: Kung Fu has a fan base like no other. Have you been able to see their reactions to your character on social media? What has that been like?
Dorren: It’s been really cool. Fans message me. They follow the show very closely. They’re reading my articles, and they take the time to do that. The show has the best fans. They really care. They’re on Twitter. They’re attached to the characters. They are the reason why the show is the way it is and why it’s such an honor to be on that show. All these fans can see themselves reflected on the screen.

PC: Mentorship plays such a big role in Kung Fu. Who are the people in your life who shaped the storyteller that you are today?
Dorren: Wow, that’s a great question. I would have to say it begins with my parents. They told me a lot of stories about what it was like growing up in Taiwan and what Taiwanese people do. Sometimes there can be such distinctly opposing ideas and norms. I’ve had to pick and choose what works for me. I’d say first and foremost, my parents indirectly. They wanted me to learn about my past.

I read a lot about philosophy. I feel Carl Jung has played a big part because he talks a lot about how stories connect people together. After I discovered him, he made me realize that this is important work, whereas before I was like, “This is something I want to do. I feel the inclination to do this.” But it’s actually really important.

PC: In the world of Kung Fu, you never know when somebody’s going to pop up again. Have there been any early conversations about potentially bringing your character back again?PC: Outside of this project, what’s next for you?
Dorren: I’m on a show called Diggstown. It’s on CBC in Canada. I’m also going to be working on a feature film called Stealing McCloud. It’s based on the life of John McAfee. We’re going to be filming in Spain next year, and hopefully, it’ll come out shortly after.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role or story that you would love to bring to life, either as an actor, writer, producer, or director?
Dorren: There are so many things I want to do. But off the top of my head what came to mind when you asked that question is that I would love to be in a film or TV show about the Asian community in Mississippi. I didn’t realize that there’s a big Asian community in Mississippi. They owned a lot of grocery stores. They basically were the people that sold groceries to both White and Black people because there was such segregation between White and Black people in Mississippi. Asian people were the go-betweens that served both communities. There’s a story about a grocery store owner whose daughters were going to school. There were only Black and White schools. His grocery store was in the White part of the neighborhood, so he wanted to send his kids to a White school. They were like, “Well, you can’t be here. You’re not White.” They were like, “We’re not Black either.” So he had to start his own school. That story was the catalyst for segregation to end between Black and White people. I don’t think that’s well known.

To keep up with Dorren, follow her on Instagram. Kung Fu returns on February 8th on the CW.

Photo Credit: Vai Yu Law