Ming-Na Wen

The first time I heard her iconic voice was the first time I saw myself on the big screen in the Disney animated film Mulan. Finally, in mainstream media, there was a Disney princess with eyes and a name similar to mine. Ming-Na Wen also acted in countless other characters of renowned franchises such as Chun-Li in Street Fighter, Agent Melinda May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Fennec Shand in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. She continues this franchise streak with a role in Karate Kid: Legends.

Needless to say, I was a bit nervous as I fidgeted with the paper of interview questions. A few minutes after the hour, Wen hops on the call and graciously greets me and the Timid team. I had nothing to worry about. Her calm, cool, collected demeanor immediately puts me at ease. Wen was not only personable, but she thoughtfully answered each of my questions showcasing her warm and self-effacing demeanor, highlighting her love for acting, and embracing the underdog mindset.

Timid Magazine: The Karate Kid is coming up, and the franchise is so nostalgic for so many people. Do you remember the first time that you watched the film?

Ming-Na Wen: The very first time…wow, let me see. I remember when I was young and I loved everything about the film. I loved that Pat Morita had this incredible character. Seeing an older Asian man up on screen and being such a full character.

That was the most impressive thing for me—that he wasn’t just some stereotypical, Confucius-speaking portrayal of an Asian man. He had a history. He had an incredible sense of humor. There were just so many things about that movie that made the franchise so beloved. It’s just great storytelling!

TM: Building upon that, with the storytelling and other elements of the franchise, what drew you to the role and the part that you play in the film?

MNW: Well, the writing was an incredible blend of both a previous Karate Kid—the one that Jackie Chan was in with Jaden—and the melding of martial arts in general into one story that made sense. There was a history between Miyagi and Jackie’s character, Mr. Han.

I love that logical blending! I also loved [director] Jonathan Entwistle’s previous projects. When we met, it was sort of a no-brainer. Even though I am just playing a supportive role as the mom, he was instrumental in making sure that she wasn’t going to be the typical Asian tiger mom who refuses to let her kid get involved with martial arts. He wanted to make sure that she was fleshed out and that there was a reason behind everything. All of those elements and the fact that I seem to have become the queen of franchises these days! I seem to be hitting all the franchises. So this was another one I was very, very glad to add under my belt.

TM: I love that you mentioned the mom was more fleshed out and not like the stereotypical tiger mom. How did you prepare for this role specifically?

MNW: That’s a good question. I guess it’s like how I prepare for any role. First, you want to make sure you understand where the spark or the soul of the character is. Then you branch out from there. A lot of it comes down to being able to relate to the character. I’m a mom of two kids—my daughter’s 24 and our son is 19—so I definitely [borrowed from] a lot of that naturally. From there, it was just about making every moment as honest and real as possible.

TM: You mentioned when preparing for a role, you look for the spark or the soul. Could you tell me what you think that was for this role?

MNW: Without giving too much away: she’s dealing with a lot of her own guilt about certain decisions she’s made. Being a mother, she’s very protective of Shali, played by Ben Wang, the new Karate Kid. I think that’s all I can really say about it. It’s fair to say she has her own personal journey to go through during this very male-dominated film.

TM: We’re looking forward to seeing your role! You mentioned a little bit about mentorship earlier—The Karate Kid franchise explores the importance of mentorship and the impact of the past on the present. How does your character’s journey resonate with those themes?

MNW: I think it’s about what one gets out of thinking that they’re a mentor, right? Because it’s not just about offering guidance and advice, it’s also about receiving the gift of guidance from the people you’re mentoring. So there’s definitely a give-and-take. That lends itself to being about family, love, and loyalty. Being a good teacher is also about being a good listener. As a parent, one of the greatest gifts has been learning from my children; not just about who they are, but about who I am.

TM: Yeah, it’s kind of a mirror that reflects both sides.

MNW: Right.

TM: For this new chapter in the Karate Kid franchise, what do you think it brings to both new and longtime fans?

MNW: I hope they get a lot of enjoyment! Whether it’s nostalgic or completely new. I haven’t seen the film myself in its entirety, just bits and pieces in the trailers, but I’m loving the look of it. I love music. Jonathan picks some of the best music. He’s so good at that. I hope audiences walk away cheering like we did with the original. Cheering for the underdog. Cheering for someone they can relate to—not just the Karate Kid, but cheering for all the characters.

TM: That’s a great segue into our next question. What’s a moment in your career where you felt like an underdog, and how did you channel your inner Miyagi to push through it?

MNW: Oh, I still feel like an underdog. I think that’s a good place to be, because it keeps you hungry. You want to keep fighting for something. You want to keep proving to yourself that you can overcome it.

Being Asian, being a woman, being petite; there were always challenges in getting roles or being taken seriously as an actor. A lot of times, as Asians, we smile a lot. We’re courteous. We try to stay humble. That’s how I was raised. I don’t think any of those traits are negative. They keep me grounded and grateful. So I don’t mind being the underdog. I still feel like I am.

TM: I love that. Looking back, that mindset can be empowering, but early on in a career, it doesn’t always feel that way. What advice would you give to the next generation of actors?

MNW: Take your obstacles and struggles and don’t let them limit you—let them strengthen you. When you have to navigate hardship, you learn. And when you do achieve something, it’s that much more satisfying. Even if you fail, that’s okay. You’re learning. Just don’t let it defeat you. Don’t feel like the world is against you. Surround yourself with people who lift you up—and most of all, be that person for yourself.

TM: That’s such good advice! Just in general, too.

MNW: Yes, in general. For relationships, for everything.

TM: For this film, were there any challenges you experienced on set?

MNW: A big one: I had some Chinese dialogue. I grew up with a mom from Suzhou, Shanghai, and she had a strong regional accent. I never went to Chinese school, so everything I learned was from her, and it wasn’t great. So mix that with my Brooklyn English and…yeah, it’s a really rough accent.

When I saw my lines, I thought, “Oh, I can do this,” but it was so much harder to unlearn incorrect habits and relearn the correct pronunciation. I had post-its, index cards. I was drilling my lines every day.

Also, I’m working with Jackie Chan, who speaks great Mandarin and Cantonese. I had to really buckle down. He had a tough time with English, so we were very empathetic with each other. It was a big challenge.

TM: Thank you for sharing that. Relearning something is definitely tough.

MNW: Yes. I even called my mom like, “Mom, your Chinese is really bad!” And she’s like, “Yeah, of course. My pinyin is terrible.”

TM: And you’re like, Now you tell me.

MNW: Now you tell me!

TM: You mentioned the score was great. If your career had a montage moment like in The Karate Kid, what song would be playing in the background?

MNW: Wow, that’s a good one. It has to be, “"You've got a Friend" by James Taylor.

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Karate Kid: Legends is now playing in theaters near you.