Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Wandering Earth’s Mike Sui

Actor Mike Sui grew up splitting his time between the U.S. and China. Those experiences shaped him as a person and artist, giving him a unique voice and perspective in both industries. He’s used that voice to build a career that has no bounds, which is evident by his most recent project: The Wandering Earth. The film has become a global phenomenon and the second highest grossing film in China’s history. Pop Culturalist caught up with Mike to chat about The Wandering Earth, discovering his passion for acting, and the message he hopes to spread with his craft.

PC: Tell us about The Wandering Earth, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Mike: The Wandering Earth is China’s first major sci-fi blockbuster production. The original budget was over $20 million, which is a huge amount for a Chinese film, but ended up being twice that amount because it had a Chinese mega A-lister join the production. It’s an original script based on a sci-fi story from one of China’s most renowned sci-fi novelists. The story’s very simple: the sun’s going to explode, so humans decide to build engines to propel Earth away from the solar system. Twenty years into the journey, the Earth is in a head-on collision with Jupiter.

My character Tim is half-Chinese, half-Australian. He’s a wandering character who didn’t belong in the middle of nowhere when the disaster first occurred, but he joins the rescue team. My character is someone who has nothing to do with the cause, but gets affected by the agenda, the spirit, and the values of the group and becomes involved. As our director put it, my character symbolizes light and hope.

PC: The Wandering Earth has become a global phenomenon. Why do you think the film has resonated with audiences around the world?
Mike: I’m not sure how popular The Wandering Earth is outside of mainland China, although reaching second in the box office in Chinese film history is, of course, huge. I guess for the second largest film industry in the world to produce its first big sci-fi film is a big deal and may be one of the reasons for its popularity. It shows that outside of Hollywood, there are different players in the blockbuster movie industry. Also, the film is very different than your average American superhero movie where one hero or nation saves the day. The values portrayed in this Chinese sci-fi film are different. It involves a group effort, a world government. The film weakens the concept of nations, but ties mankind together. Hundreds of thousands of rescuers try to save the Earth, which is a very different take on an end-of-the-world crisis.

PC: The Wandering Earth is China’s second highest grossing film of all time. What were your expectations heading into filming?
Mike: Heading into this film, I knew that the director had put in lots of work, research, and preparation. His previous film, which I worked on, was called My Old Classmate. It’s a college romance film that is completely different from this futuristic sci-fi film. So, I had certain doubts, but something about his hard work and preparation calmed me. Going onto the set and seeing how we were really just figuring out how things worked as we went—because China doesn’t really have a well-rounded film industry in all departments, such as props, camera work, computer graphics, and art—lots of these things were first tries for everyone. So, we tried to stay humble, calm, and didn’t feel too much pressure. We put all our effort and hearts into it. As far as a box office standpoint, our expectations weren’t too high.

PC: Besides The Wandering Earth, do you have any other upcoming projects you can chat about?
Mike: I’m working on a few TV shows where I’ll be hosting, a lot of which are fitness related. I will also be competing in a stand-up comedy competition on TV. I’m trying to keep up the momentum and appear on programs that will bring me a bigger following. I want to capitalize on The Wandering Earth and take my fan base to the next level. In China, the more fans you have, the bigger projects you can get.

I’m also trying to show a different side of my capability. I want to add action into my film portfolio. I could see myself doing an action-comedy like Rush Hour. My dream is to play a character like Ryan Reynold plays in Deadpool—one where I can be funny, cool, and in good shape. These characters and actors don’t exist in large numbers in China. Plus, my portfolio is very heavily Chinese project-based, which I think makes me a diverse option for Hollywood projects. Hopefully, I can get my name out there!

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Mike: I was born and went to school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At the age of seven, I was brought to China. At the time, I could barely speak Chinese at all. I found myself having a strong desire to express myself and wanting to befriend people, and I did that through entertainment. I would tell jokes even though my Chinese wasn’t that good, and I enjoyed making people laugh. That desire to express myself and showcase a different culture really intrigued me and basically stayed with me as I grew up, whether it was in China or when I returned to the U.S. for high school. My mom encouraged my passion for acting by having me participate in local and school theatre productions in Madison, Wisconsin. By then, I definitely knew I had a passion for the performing arts. After that, my passion and skills slowly grew over time. I’m an entertainer who enjoys making people laugh at life and enjoy themselves, and acting is part of it.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Mike: Regarding my upbringing, I’d say my mom’s decisions throughout my life. Taking me back and forth between the U.S. and China really affected me and molded me into who I am. I’ve never really fit in either place. I look completely different from most Chinese people, and culturally—because I was never the kid who everyone else grew up with in the U.S.—I was never really part of a community.

I always try to tell the story of someone who was not your average “neighbor”. Having a story to tell, having a different view on things, I have a lot of opinions and values that a person with a multicultural background has and wants to share. I believe there’s more to people than just what nationality you are or what religion you follow. I think the world is multidimensional and we should see things from multiple angles. I’ve always looked at things and treated life from different perspectives. I’ve taken the opportunity of being in China to influence people and build a name and something for myself. My mom gave me the tools to have a voice that’s different, interesting, has weight, and is worth listening to.

As I’ve slowly matured, I’ve found Dwayne Johnson, the Rock, to be a big influence on me. I like his presence on social media, how he portrays himself, and how he tries to influence people. I think his energy and the image he’s trying to build are very positive. I’d like to do the same thing for China—to be a source of confidence, warmth, and energy for the public.

PC: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned being a part of the industry?
Mike: People will forget you like you’re their bad hometown memories. Basically, if you don’t rise in the industry, you sink. There’s no staying put; you have to keep hustling. For some people, it’s definitely stressful, but the work never stops. New blood comes in all the time. If you want to be relevant, if you want to keep sharp, if you want to be appreciated, if you want to make a living, you have to keep pushing yourself.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Mike: I don’t have one unless you count Instagram TV. I watch Barstool Sports, founder Dave Portney, @stoolpresidente. I watch his pizza reviews. It’s my religion.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Mike: Moulin Rouge! It got me into musicals.

PC: Favorite book?
Mike: Romance of the Three Kingdoms

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Mike: Les Misérables

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Mike: H.O.T. [High-Five of Teenager], the original Korean boy band.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Mike: Game of Thrones. I watched seven seasons in a month.

PC: Hidden talent?
Mike: I’m a god at Dance Dance Revolution.

To keep up with Mike, follow him on Instagram, and catch The Wandering Earth on Netflix today.