Exclusive Interview: JB Tadena Talks About Joining the Cast of Kung Fu, What Audiences Should Know About His Character, and More!

JB Tadena is one of the fresh faces joining 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.

JB’s character Sebastian is a man of mystery who joins the series as a flashy chef who begins working at Nicky’s family’s restaurant.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with JB about Kung Fu Season 2, what audiences can expect from his character, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
JB: It goes way back. I remember watching Days of Thunder, the Tom Cruise NASCAR movie, as a kid. It was really exciting. I remember jumping at the end of the movie when he and Robert Duvall were racing and they had that freeze-frame. I was like, “I want to be an actor.” My mom was like, “No.” She shut it down almost immediately. [laughs] I kept that artistic side of me in the back of my head for my entire childhood.

I was in show choir when I was in high school. That gave me the performance bug. When I went to college, I put it all to the side. I started doing engineering as an adult, but I needed something more artistic. Something was missing in my life. I started taking theater classes at Studio Theatre in DC. That’s where the bug really started to creep in.

PC: What was that moment where you knew you wanted to pivot from engineering into acting? How challenging was that decision?
JB: It wasn’t a real pivot. It was gradual. I was doing the nine-to-five and then doing theater at night. It was an exhausting transition, but I had to fulfill that side of me. But my father got sick around 2008. He passed away in 2011. While in hospice, he pulled me aside and said, “I know what you want to do with your life. I don’t want you to resent me or the family.” He gave me his blessing. That was a huge weight off my shoulders. A year later, I moved to LA and said, “Screw it. Let’s do it.”

PC: You’re one of the stars of Kung Fu Season 2. What should audiences know about Sebastian?
JB: At the end of Season 1, the restaurant is in dire straits. They’re about to go bankrupt. Mei-Li and Jin are like, “You know what? We’re going to do what we want to do. We’re going to go out swinging.” They make that change at the beginning of Season 2. They’re flourishing. They’re so overwhelmed that they need help. They hire this hotshot, worldly chef on the spot. You see he’s charming on the surface. He’s collected. Audiences think, “Is this too good to be true?” We’ll see. [laughs] What people should know about Sebastian is that he’s grounded. He’s got skeletons in his closet, whether personal or having to do with the overarching story. That’s something that you see unfold.

PC: Did you feel any pressure heading into this series, just given the fact that this franchise has done so well and you’re also joining a cast now that has a season under their belt?
JB: Absolutely. It’s always overwhelming and intimidating. They’re firing on all cylinders. You’re like, “Okay, here comes the new people.” [laughs] Olivia [Liang], Eddie [Liu], JP [Jon Prasida], Kheng [Hua Tan], the entire cast, everyone involved, Bob [Berens] and Christina [M. Kim] (our showrunners) were really welcoming to the guest stars. It felt like being a part of a family.

PC: One of the reasons why I think this show has resonated with audiences is it’s bringing this authenticity that we haven’t seen depicted in mainstream media. It’s a testament to the cast, the crew, the writers, and the creators. What was something that you brought to Sebastian that wasn’t originally on the page that made him feel more authentic to you?
JB: I talked to Bob and Christina about this. What comes off the page when everyone first read for Sebastian was that he seems super cocky, over-the-top, and just so into himself. I got the sense that deep down this guy is innately good and that there’s something genuine about him.

PC: You’ve also said in past interviews that this has been a dream come true for you to get to play a fully fleshed-out character. Why do you think it’s taken the industry so long to get here? During those more challenging times, how were you able to persevere?
JB: Through the tough times, you have to surround yourself with good people. You have to focus on things that aren’t in the business. You have to stay creative in ways that elicit joy in you. It’s hard. It’s taken the industry a while. Within even just the last few years, we’re getting to a place where diversity is reaching a point where we’re heading towards parity. For Southeast Asian actors, it was even harder to get outside of characters that were one-dimensional. I’m super grateful for them seeing more in me when I auditioned for it. It’s been a blessing. I’m super lucky, and I’m trying to enjoy every moment of it.

PC: There’s such great chemistry on the screen between you and the rest of the cast. How were you all able to build that while filming during a pandemic?
JB: It was so natural. It’s like friends that you made that you haven’t contacted for years and then you jump right back into it. It stems from all of us being from the same background.

PC: We know you can’t say too much, but what are you most excited for fans to discover about Sebastian? Which of his relationships has been your favorite to explore in Season 2 and why?
JB: The obvious answer is JP. We get along really well. He’s a great scene partner. But also the friendship that I’ve developed with Kheng, Mei-Li’s character. There are some really cute things that happen between us during the season that I won’t spoil. But one of my favorite scenes is in Episode 5. It’s a Western showdown. I’m excited for everyone to see that.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
JB: National Treasure.

PC: Favorite book?
JB: I just read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. It’s a really dark, moving book.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
JB: I saw a friend in Dirty Dancing: The Musical. I actually really enjoyed it.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
JB: Explosions in the Sky. It’s a lot of instrumental guitar, but it brings out this hopeful, melancholy feeling in me that gets me in a mood for a lot of creative things.

PC: Dream role?
JB: Space cowboy.

To keep up with JB, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Kung Fu every Wednesday at 9/8c on the CW.