(Photo credit to Noah Asanias)
After reading the script Shannon Dang fell in love with her character. She plays the lead’s tech-savvy older sister Althea in The CW’s new series “Kung Fu” which enjoyed a successful premiere on April 7, 2021. Shannon shares a bit about her role and the amazing experience on the set. Read how even though Althea is holding on to some pretty dark secrets, she is light-hearted and is a rock for her younger sister in fighting for justice.
The story takes its viewers on a journey with young Chinese American, Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) after she drops out of college to isolate herself in a monastery. She returns home to San Francisco and finds it overrun with crime that has left her family at the mercy of a powerful Triad. Martial Art skills and Shaolin values will help her protect her community. Dang says that the audience is going to laugh, cry, and grow with her character.
A performer all her life, Shannon grew up doing commercials and film and even danced for the Los Angeles Clippers. Show biz is in her blood as her great grandfather in LA’s Chinatown was often on set. Dang is known for her roles in “Tijuana Jackson: Purpose Over Prison,” “Sorry for Your Loss,” and “The L Word: Generation Q.” Get up close to this shining star and find out why she calls herself a Food Whisperer and why cannot live without almond butter.
Colleen Bement: Congratulations on your role in The CW’s new series “Kung Fu.” Tell us about what life was like on the set.
Shannon Dang: Thank you so much! Life on set is amazing, I still can’t believe every day I show up, I get to call this “work”. The cast and crew are phenomenal, supportive, and over the last 8 months, we’ve really become a family! We’re filming our entire season during the pandemic, so COVID protocols naturally make things a little tougher to navigate through. Despite all this, Warner Bros. has done a fantastic job keeping us all safe and making it possible to film this special project! It’s been a dream come true and I’m so grateful to be part of this magic.
CB: I read that your character, Althea, is Nicky’s tech-savvy sister. That sounds like an amazing character to play. Please tell us all about your character.
SD: Yes! Althea is Nicky’s tech-savvy older sister. She’s brilliant, a fashionista, and newly engaged to her dream fiance, Dennis. She’s outgoing, light-hearted, and often the comic relief during stressful and awkward family situations. When you first meet her, she recently put her career on hold to plan her big wedding. (There might or might not be some Bride-zilla moments to come) However, as the season progresses, you’ll find out that Althea’s harboring quite a few dark secrets. When I first read the script, I fell in love with her. I could totally see myself in this character and I really hope that others will too! Nicky will often come to Althea to help her with her quests for justice and boy advice, HaHa. Althea’s the big sister I always wished I had! I think the audience is going to laugh, cry, and grow with her.
CB: What type of training did you have to do to prepare for the role?
SD: My character, Althea, doesn’t do any martial arts in the series (spoiler alert). I’ve been a professional dancer for years, so I’d definitely love to jump in if my character ever goes in that direction moving forward. Althea’s a fashionista, so she’d probably do her fight scene in heels HaHa. The “Kung Fu” Stunt Team is amazing and so legit! They work so hard and make all the fights look amazing! Audiences are going to love all the action, and Olivia really brings all the martial arts to life. She’s doing a fantastic job, works so hard, and makes everything look effortless. I want to be Nicky Shen when I grow up!
CB: Your Instagram says that you’re a Food Whisperer. Haha, I love it. Tell me about that.
SD: Haha Yes! I absolutely love food and it’s the quickest way to bring a smile to my face. My favorite foods are sushi, Thai, pizza, and I cannot live without almond butter. I sometimes whisper at my food, telling it how delicious it looks HAHA it’s pretty embarrassing. On set, I’m always at crafty, stuffing my pockets with all the snacks. Everywhere I go, you’ll always find snacks in my purse because when I’m hungry, it’s not pretty. I apologize to anyone who’s around me when I’m “hangry”.
CB: Your travel photos and videos are so fun! What do you love about traveling to other countries?
SD: I absolutely love traveling, it’s one of my favorite hobbies. I studied abroad in college and was able to visit 12 different countries in 4 months and it was the best time ever! I might be addicted to collecting passport stamps HA. My current passport expires in a year and I’m so sad I have to get a new one and start over. What I love most about traveling is being able to see new things, immerse myself in new cultures, and of course, EATING ALL THE FOOD.
CB: How did you catch the acting bug?
SD: I’ve grown up performing all my life. Background story, my Great Grandpa, She Wing Soo Hoo, and his family were one of the first in Los Angeles Chinatown. Back when Hollywood needed Asians for their movies, they always went looking for people in Chinatown. So my Grandpa, Walter Soo Hoo, started in the business when he was a little kid. He was in the original “Kung Fu” in the 70’s, and it makes him so proud for it to come full circle and seeing his granddaughter in the reboot!
My grandparents wanted all their grandchildren to be in the entertainment industry, so I grew up doing commercials, film, and I even did a film with Tzi Ma when I was 11! It’s great to be reunited to share the screen with him again. I was a professional dancer by age 13 and put acting aside to focus on school. I later danced for the NBA Los Angeles Clippers and recently retired from dancing for the NFL Los Angeles Rams. Once I graduated college, I knew I wanted to switch gears and get back into acting. It was kind of scary making that decision. It had been such a long time since I saw myself as an actor, but I knew deep down it was my calling. It’s been an amazing journey so far and never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be part of such an impactful and meaningful project like “Kung Fu.”
Be sure to catch “Kung Fu” Wednesdays on The CW at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET.
Written by Colleen Bement
Hi, I’m Lynn, and I Make.
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