Digital Cover: Eddie Liu
Photographer: Jonny Marlow
Stylist: Tiffany Briseno
Groomer: Sienree Du
Words: Hannah Nguyen
EIC: Anthony Vu Cao
Development: Chrissy Wang
Special Thanks: Slate PR
Eddie Liu is an up-and-coming Asian-American actor from Queens, New York. Liu always kept himself busy by participating in school clubs, sports, and training in martial arts. From an early age, Liu always had an appreciation for film and entertainment. But it wasn’t until college that Liu started tapping into his potential as an actor. In college, Liu discovered his love for the arts and got his first acting role for an on-campus theater production that sought out Asian actors.
Although Liu continued to pursue his public relations degree, he took additional acting classes and actively pursued his passion on the side. While juggling his pursuits as an undergraduate student, Liu would attend auditions in Manhattan when he could. After graduating, Liu decided to fully pursue acting by entering the William Esper Studio’s acting program. Afterward, Liu switched his attention to building his acting career in Los Angeles, CA, where he persistently took on acting roles in theaters and commercials.
Liu got his first television role portraying Doug in HBO’s comedy series Silicon Valley in 2014. He’s also often known for his role as Steve Lee in Netflix’s hit comedy series Never Have I Ever by Mindy Kaling (2020). His most recent role is portraying Henry Yan in his ongoing regular role in CW’s television series Kung Fu (2021).
Hello Eddie! How’s it going?
I'm great. Thanks for having me.
Tell me a little bit about yourself. What drew you to becoming an actor?
When I was a kid I loved watching action and adventure shows and movies, and a lot of comedy. I was always a bit of a nerd for anything sci-fi, fantasy, or martial arts. I was drawn to it because it makes you feel like you're on a ride to a different world but you can still tell stories that relate to real life. And I've always enjoyed getting a laugh from others. I guess I never let go of wanting to be able to do that for other people.
Who did you look up to growing up?
If you asked me this when I was 13 I probably would have just said Michael Jordan, Jackie Chan, and Derek Jeter. Looking back now my answer would include my parents. They were immigrants who came to the US in the 80s and built lives here for themselves and their kids, from scratch. Sure, that's a common American experience but now that I'm an adult (on paper) I can really see and appreciate what an achievement that is. But also, Derek Jeter.
“The bottom line for me is acting on stage and on camera both have their benefits and magic. I love figuring out how to find the creative juice in both mediums.”
You’ve been spending most of your time shooting the show in Vancouver these days. What do you usually get up to on the weekends?
If I'm not on my couch recovering from filming Kung Fu, I'm probably with my Kung Fu castmates. And we're probably eating. Fortunately during season 2 we were able to branch out and enjoy the city more and do fun things together like take group workout classes, go to the movies, or play laser tag. And then we'd go eat something after that. We're also big on having game nights at home. Did I mention we like to eat together?
You first began your career on the stage. How do you think this has shaped you as an actor?
When I was kid and fantasizing about being in a movie or television show, I didn't have an interest in doing theater because my favorite things to watch were movies and TV shows. As it turned out my theater training and little bit of background in theater work was absolutely crucial in shaping me as an actor. It gave me a foundation to build my skill set from to even begin to approach acting. I could take it on as a craft as opposed to some ethereal thing that I've seen other people do and "maybe I'll just give it a whirl and see what happens." More often than not, that theater background and training are still where I've experienced acting in its purest, most organic form because you're less occupied by technical things like camera angles and doing takes over and over. Although, those technical aspects are also what make a scene better, too. The bottom line for me is acting on stage and on camera both have their benefits and magic. I love figuring out how to find the creative juice in both mediums.
How would you say you’ve grown as an actor between then and now?
Back then I was hungry to work but had no tools to do the work. Auditioning? How the hell do you even do that? I was just trying to say the words in the order that they were written in. I didn't understand story or anything about making creative and directorial choices when I started out. I was still working on figuring out who I was and what made me tick, both of which are ever-evolving for anyone. I have a far greater sense of self now. That type of awareness is one of the essentials an actor needs. And even though it ebbs and flows, my confidence in myself and in knowing what I bring to the work has definitely grown. So much of that is a result of just hours on the clock - in classes, in between survival job shifts, or on set. My first acting teacher Deb Jackel once told the class "You're not here to be good. You're here to learn." It can be scary but failing forward leads to progress. I know so much more about the business of acting now and how I'm supposed to apply that. I'd also like to think I've grown a bit wiser. One thing that hasn't changed though is my desire to learn and grow.
Kung Fu is a reimagining of the classic 70’s television series. What initially drew you to this project?
I saw early on that we had a chance to do it our own way. By "our" I mean, we as Asian American storytellers and people with our lived experiences. I saw we had a real opportunity to portray three dimensional characters with depth and quirks and lives beyond just the action. Kung Fu is a fun, action adventure about magic and love and family, with kung fu and mystery and laughs. What's not to love?
Your cast is known to be tight-knit. Why do you think this is and what is your relationship like on and off screen?
Going through the same uncharted territory, pressures, and highs and lows truly forge strong bonds. When we all arrived in Vancouver to shoot the pilot we all felt how important and special this could be. We immediately bonded over our shared experiences and similar backgrounds. By some weird sense of luck and serendipity and destiny, the show and even the pandemic opened the chance for us to grow closer as a cast. During season 1 we were all far from home trying to make a TV show during a global pandemic - without our families and loved ones and we couldn't come back to visit whenever we wanted. There was a lot of suffering and fear in the world but we were lucky to find light in the darkness. We became each other's support systems and family away from home. Honestly though, even if we didn't start Kung Fu during the peaks of Covid, I know we'd still be close. We have too much fun together. It's gross.
How do you most closely relate, if at all, to your character, ‘Henry?’
Everyone in the cast usually says I'm the most similar to my character. That's probably because sometimes I just make Henry an extension of myself. Like Henry, I have a tendency to geek out over things. I'm naturally a nerd who likes to ask a lot of questions and gather insight. I do have a martial arts background in real life but I definitely am nowhere near as scholarly, well-read, and skilled in martial arts as Henry. I stayed out of trouble when I was kid. I was too much of a goody two shoes. Mom, Dad: you're welcome. I love how proud Henry is of his culture, in this understated but active way. Being on this show and playing him has inspired a stronger sense of pride for who I am and where I come from.
It's been discussed in season one and two that Henry has a complicated family history, with his father Danny coming back into his life. What's the nature of their relationship now and how do you think their relationship will unfold?
Henry is usually cool-headed so as an actor I loved having a chance to show a different side of him and getting into this aspect of his story. Henry's relationship with his father is strained to say the least. Danny left Henry and his mother way back and wasn't around so he's still resentful towards him. It's no surprise he's pretty wary of Danny's attempt to reconnect. What Henry doesn't know yet though is that he's about to find out the hard way that Danny may have an ulterior motive behind reaching out to his son. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, let's just say Henry has a lot of anger under the surface and Danny really pushes his buttons. The irony though is that Henry and Danny are more alike than we expect.
What do you think fans of the show can expect this season?
We had a blast making season 2 and the fans will have a blast watching it. The world of Kung Fu has expanded, the fights are more epic, and the stakes are higher. We laid a beautiful foundation in the first season, especially on the mystical side of things. We know who many of these characters are to each other now and what they're about. The fun is in seeing them face new dangers and interact with each other in ways we haven't gotten to see yet. We definitely leveled up this season and I'm thrilled for everyone to get to see it.
Prior to Kung Fu, you starred in Never Have I Ever. Tell me about your experience on the show.
Right before booking Never Have I Ever, I was going through a dry spell. I had some close calls for major gigs. I had to really lose the chip on my shoulder so that I could find my joy in this business again. So when I booked this I felt so damn fortunate to have a job that lasted more than a few days. I have great memories and had so much fun there. It was the first time in my professional career I got to play and really bring my ideas to this character Steve, whom I had no idea people would be so endeared to. One of my favorite styles of storytelling are sharply-written, single cam comedies with heart and an amazing ensemble. So I got to fulfill a lot of acting bucket list wishes on that show. I was just lucky to be a part of it. I'll always be grateful to Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher and that entire cast and crew. Never Have I Ever will always have a special place in my heart.
What’s next for you?
I'm really looking forward to getting back on a regular sleep schedule this off season and getting reacquainted with the sun. I'm excited to work on an indie project that I'll be able to talk about later on. It'll be a good change of speed from a TV, action-drama. And in the meantime I'll start training for Kung Fu season 3 again soon. These legs won't stretch themselves. There's gotta be an app for that. GR8T