IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943079

Hi everyone, it's Daniel here!

  • I am born and raised from the Bay Area in California (Go Warriors! Go Giants!)

  • I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!), and was an Architecture major

  • After graduating I went to Hong Kong as a post grad trip. While there, I happened to cross paths with a film director -- that's how I was "discovered"

  • To date, I have had the opportunity to be apart of over 60 Film and Television projects. I hope to keep doing them!

  • I spend most of my time now in California, Hong Kong, South Africa, and some random parts of the world

  • Tonight, the last episode of the first season of AMC's Into the Badlands will be airing. I hope you can check it out! 10PM EST!

  • I'll also be doing a Twitter AMA just before the last episode of Into the Badlands tonight!

  • Next year, you'll see me in the Warcraft movie! Expect it to be AWESOME!

Look for me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/thatdanielwu or Facebook at http://fb.com/wuyanzu or Twitter http://twitter.com/danielwuyanzu

Thanks everyone!

PROOF: https://www.instagram.com/p/_fGo_IPCHK/

Comments: 489 • Responses: 89  • Date: 

livelaughgloveup232 karma

Do you or did you play WoW and if so, what class/race?

danielwuyanzu377 karma

No, but my wife plays and that's why I dod the movie. She has an Orc character as well as a Nightelf and Bloodelf

hawkcore176 karma

Haha its cool when the female in the relationship pays more video game than the guy, did she have to explain who each major character were?

danielwuyanzu274 karma

yes

Fairborne1354 karma

Or if you didn't play before being cast as Gul'dan have you since started to play or at least develop a desire to check out the game?

danielwuyanzu180 karma

not at all. I don't have time to play.

Mandalor1an198 karma

How many takes does each fight scene average on Badlands? Now that the story has started to take shape I have extremely high hopes for the show.

danielwuyanzu208 karma

we try to do everything within 3-4 takes but of course there have been tough ones. I think the highest was like 25?

frankormond160 karma

What was it like approaching something like Warcraft, with its huge following and lore?

danielwuyanzu177 karma

Daunting but exciting

ay1717150 karma

Hi Daniel, how did it feel to get an endorsement like that from Jackie Chan on the eve of the show's premiere? Fantastic work, hope to see more of you on the show soon!

danielwuyanzu166 karma

Great of course since I asked him to do it. We've been good friends for years and he's been a great mentor for me s o we help each other out all the time.

Aliki26142 karma

Do you think the show will get a second season? I really like it so far.

danielwuyanzu153 karma

I really hope so.

exodus2219136 karma

Hello, big fan of Into The Badlands (shout out to /r/intothebadlands ).

My friend was pretty stoked when you retweeted his artwork, he learned that you were a big fan of bruce lee so he photoshopped that.

Bruce Lee is no doubt a hero and an idol to many people, but to Asian Americans like us, Bruce Lee is even more of an idol because he's basically the pioneer of Asians in Western media, my question is: When did Bruce Lee became an influence to you, and how did it shape you while you were living in California?

danielwuyanzu100 karma

since I was a kid. His confidence was awe inspiring.

gokylego127 karma

how to do feel about the emasculation of asian males especially in traditional media? Do you have ever feel it's harder for you? For movies, in culture, in work?

danielwuyanzu208 karma

Sucks. I don't do roles that do that because I don't have to rely on Hollywood to make a living. Everything I play in China/Hong Kong is not race based.

Snake_2312102 karma

Hi Daniel! Big fan :). How much use of practical effects are we going to see in the new Warcraft movie? Or is it mostly just CGI?

danielwuyanzu163 karma

Actually a lot of the sets were practical. Any scene with a human actor in it is practical or a combination of practical and cgi.

danielwuyanzu82 karma

AND don't forget to watch the season finale of Into The Badlands tonight!

Porkkanakakku79 karma

Hello from a long-time Swedish fan!

I'm really, really loving Into The Badlands. I've always though you and Stephen Fung have amazing chemistry — especially in Bishonen and Enter The Phoenix — so I'm curious if there's a chance he'll play an actual role in the next season? It'd be real fun to see the two of you together on screen, even if it's just a cameo!

Also curious if you have a dream role? Or maybe just a particular type of character you'd like to play, sometime in the future?

danielwuyanzu62 karma

I would love to do a comedy

the_rabid_dwarf59 karma

Hey, absoultutly love into the badlands! Is it renewed for a season two?

danielwuyanzu65 karma

not yet!

ownedbydogs55 karma

Hey Daniel! As a fellow ABC (American-born, or in my case, Canadian-born, Chinese), how in touch with your heritage were you growing up? Did you ever learn how to read or speak any of the Chinese dialects? I read somewhere you're not fluent in Cantonese, because your folks were from Shanghai. And as a parent, do you plan to share/pass on what you know with your kids, keep them in touch with that side of their cultural background, and how?

danielwuyanzu76 karma

My first kung fu teacher was a Chinese renaissance man so I learned a lot from him. Plus we made frequent trips back to Asia so we had a pretty good connection. I regret not going to Chinese school as a kid because I still can't read very well.

danielwuyanzu49 karma

Hey Guys! Thanks for the great questions! If you got more I'll be doing one on Twitter at 6pm pst today! Now back to wrapping X mas presents!

j2g36 karma

Is your training schedule different for Into the Badlands compared to other Film and Television projects?

danielwuyanzu47 karma

Yes for sure! Much more grueling when you train for something that you need to fight that long for.

railwhiskey35 karma

Hi Daniel. The fight scenes are out of this world, how much time does it take to conceptualize, choreograph, and practice one before you're ready to film?

danielwuyanzu25 karma

see below

intotheredditland33 karma

hello from /r/intothebadlands ! I love that many of the episodes are named after Martial art moves.

Why do you think martial arts are one of the thing that kept and passed down centuries after centuries even after apocalypse and even after all the other arguably more important stuff (like some medical technology or medicines) are gone?

danielwuyanzu37 karma

because people need skills to survive!

streyekr330 karma

Daniel, which was your favorite fight scene to film and which was your favorite to watch? Thank you!

danielwuyanzu66 karma

I like the turbine station fight. Some of it got edited though. I think they took a minute out. I like the Widow vs Sunny fight the best.

kech26 karma

Hey Daniel, fancy seeing you here. Are you still making films in hk or acting in any? All the girls in my family loves you.....

danielwuyanzu37 karma

Yes, I just finished Ringo Lam's Battle of Life about 3 weeks ago. I will never give u on Hong Kong!

ShellyNunChucks26 karma

Daniel are you able to tell us some of your upcoming projects and I see Bruce Lee inspires you the most. Do you have a favorite Bruce Lee film?

danielwuyanzu44 karma

Fist of Fury or (Chinese Connection in Asia)

Derbedeu23 karma

Hi! Back in the mid-2000's I really got into Asian cinema, especially movies coming out of Hong Kong. The mid-90's to late 2000's had some amazing movies coming out of Hong Kong. While Jackie Chan originally got me hooked, I discovered and learned to love other actors, some of my favorites being Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, and Lau-Ching-wan. While most of these were what I like to call the "old guard" you made a very favorable impression among the newer generation of actors from the region, particularly with your acting in One Nite in Mongkok, and I've been a fan since.

My question is, how does the Hong Kong movie industry differ from Hollywood in your experience? And where do you see the future of the film industry in Hong Kong going in the next decade?

danielwuyanzu39 karma

Directors in Hong Kong have more power and we work much faster.

the_rabid_dwarf23 karma

Why the hell did sunny go for a torch?of all weapons on the rack in that room, Sunny went for a torch to fight his biggest rival!

danielwuyanzu108 karma

Maybe he just wanted to burn that bitch?

Broodwurst23 karma

Since your wife is a WoW player and you aren't... how often did she skip on e.g. a date for raid night and how mad were you when you found out? :P

danielwuyanzu53 karma

I watch movies and she plays WOW. It's nice that we have separate hobbies.

Virata23 karma

Hi Daniel. I've been watching Into the Badlands and have been really impressed with the old school stylized martial arts choreography that you and your team have portrayed in the show. It brings me back to the Jackie Chan/Donnie Yen/Jet Li weapon fighting I've always loved to watch in movies, and the hand to hand has been pretty solid as well.

My question is about the upcoming Warcraft movie, and your role amongst the rest of the cast. Gul'Dan has obviously been integral to the overall plot in Warcraft lore, but I'm curious to see how closely they stick to source material. What kind of research did you and your castmates do in anticipation of characters that have already been developed so fully in voice, motion, and appearance? And what kinds of personal flair did you bring to Gul'Dan on the big screen?

danielwuyanzu43 karma

My wife plays so I asked her a lot of ?'s Then I went over the lore online. We also had movement class taught by Terry Notary where we learned to move, talk and fight like an Orc.

madmanslitany22 karma

Is Sunny's fighting style in Into the Badlands primarily rooted in contemporary wushu, or do any other East Asian sword styles have a heavy influence on the way he moves?

danielwuyanzu45 karma

Wushu, Shao Lin, Wing Chun, a little Choi Lei Fat. A little bit of Krav Magaw and jiu jitsu.

netherpenguin22 karma

What inspired you to be an architect and do you still have any aspirations in that field?

danielwuyanzu50 karma

I wanted to be an artist but Chinese parents woould never allow that so I chose a profession that is artistic.

DaveBeard21 karma

Loving into the badlands. Which of those sweet moves do you think you can pull off in real life?

danielwuyanzu46 karma

about 50%

Jason_is_here21 karma

Hey Daniel, What's your philosophy on life? A better way of putting this might be: How do you go about living your life to your best potential? Or What's a saying or advice someone's given you that has helped you through dark times / guided you to success in all areas of life?

danielwuyanzu44 karma

Stay positive. But I treat life like it's in the ring you have to learn to just keep getting up because the moment you decide you won't get up, game is over. You are the only one keeping you from getting back up.

BigFang19 karma

I'm really enjoying the show so far! Do you think we will see any other martial arts during the rest of the series?

danielwuyanzu36 karma

I hope so! We will definitely explore other styles as the show goes on.

Dsanchez489918 karma

Hey Daniel, love Into The Badlands. Quick Question: How's it like being able to fluently speak Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, and English? Also, do you ever try to speak or teach your wife any Chinese, and how would you feel about trying to maintain your cultural heritage/identity seeing you grew up Chinese?

Thanks.

danielwuyanzu28 karma

It's awesome to know more than 1 language. It opens up the world to you. I've tried to teach her but she doesn't like me correcting her. I hope my daughter learns as well because it really is a cultural connector

cjc130315 karma

Hi Daniel,

I have not seen Into the Badlands and have been curious about it. What you should you say to someone to sell them on the show? Also really looking forward to Warcraft, do you have any great stories or memories that you want to share about it?

danielwuyanzu38 karma

Watch it or Sunny will kick your ass. Warcraft was really fun. Tobey Kebbel tells hilariously nasty stories all day long.

starphoenix115 karma

Hi Daniel, I was wondering how long have you've practiced martial arts and what got you into it?

danielwuyanzu31 karma

since I was 11. I saw Jet Li's Shao Lin Temple and was hooked.

IKingJeremy15 karma

What motivated you to become an actor?

danielwuyanzu38 karma

I loved watching movies growing up.

whalemingo14 karma

Your character, Sunny, has obviously seen a lot of action. How long does it take to put on the "scorecard" back tattoos for each show?

danielwuyanzu22 karma

3.5 hours

Gavlar9414 karma

Heya.

I am loving Into the Badlands. I bet there have been a few accidents while filming those cool fight scenes, care to share a few? Were there any funny ones?

Cheers.

danielwuyanzu42 karma

Funny: tonights episode I was supposed to get thrown into the windshield of a car but i went too low and hit the grille and my ass left a huge dent. Not so funny: Kicking the acorns down I cracked a rib when I got hung up on the wire

Jdruu14 karma

Hey Daniel,

Huge fan here. Wanted to quickly say thank you for all of your work and the amazing series. I'm looking forward to tonight.

Question: What is one of the most comical moments you've had when recording with the cast? Thanks!

danielwuyanzu50 karma

Telling Tilda to really spit in my face for last weeks epsiode and then getting a face full for 5 takes

madmanslitany13 karma

Where can I get those sunglasses Sunny is always wearing on his motorbike?

danielwuyanzu19 karma

I think they are classic raybans go to their site.

aflowerkiss12 karma

Greetings. Do you still post blogs? I enjoyed reading your posts on alivenotdead years ago. The post about your "wedding" experience was wonderful. Happy Holidays to you and your family!

danielwuyanzu17 karma

I loved it too but unfortunately the blogs style of posting is a little outdated. People prefer short and frequent vs longer, more meaningful and less frequent.

sunsunsable12 karma

Loving the show! Other than Sunny, who is your favorite character in Into the Badlands? Why?

danielwuyanzu22 karma

The Widow, she's a badass woman that we don't see onscreen that much.

excaliboor12 karma

You made a ton of movies, worked your way up. How does it feel like to be successful and at what point did you get the "Ahh, now I can breathe" feeling?

danielwuyanzu29 karma

You never get that feeling. I just keep pushing along. The only thing is that's different is that I don't have to worry so much about where my next job will come from so I can be a bit more relaxed.

AngrySnowglober12 karma

Hi Daniel!!

I'm a big fan from your Gen X-Cops days! Great to see you and Steven Fung working together again!

My question: With your extensive work in Asian markets, as an Asian-Am actor what is your perception of the differences (if any) in appealing to an American market? Do you find being American has helped?

Thanks!!

danielwuyanzu15 karma

Tough question. You have to be good and have a certain look. Being American doesn't always help.

GangleNode12 karma

Currently pursuing architecture, I was wondering: 1. Having gone through school already, do you have any advice for architecture students? 2. Do you still like to practice architecture on the side? Whether it be your own personal projects, CAD drafting, hand drafting, etc. 3. Is there a portfolio of yours floating around somewhere? I'd love to take a look! Thanks for doing the AMA and keep up the good work! Really enjoying Into The Badlands.

danielwuyanzu21 karma

  1. Learn to develop your own style and put in the hours
  2. Yes I design every place I live in plus some furniture plus my offices as well as some relatives homes. I also did a installation for the Hong Kong/Shenzhen biennale a few years ago.

829011 karma

Who is more cool then Daniel Wu?

danielwuyanzu19 karma

a lot of people

goldpeaktea31410 karma

Hey Daniel, big fan of Into the Badlands! What's it like working with Stephen Lang?

danielwuyanzu9 karma

He's awesome. I love him!

Juandules10 karma

Exactly how much will Grom lose?

danielwuyanzu10 karma

can't tell you that.

aaaalexandre10 karma

Hey man I can't wait to watch Into the badlands. It's great to see more asian actors getting more main roles on TV and the big screen

But my question is about food, being also someone that travels a lot, especially to south east asia, and Hong Kong.

What's your go to food spot in Hong Kong?

danielwuyanzu24 karma

Gau Kee beef brisket noodles

danielwuyanzu35 karma

why the hell haven't you seen the show yet? It's almost done for the season!

Kushandcoke10 karma

Did you really live in a mud hut in Africa? Have you checked out Mangchi Hammer? Your DVDASA was awesome!

danielwuyanzu19 karma

Yes the hut we stay in is made of cow poo. I ahve not seen them live but really want to. Especially with Die Antword

DANK____MEMES9 karma

Are you ever gonna do a song with Jin again?

danielwuyanzu9 karma

probably not

automaton_woman9 karma

What's your favorite scene from Into the Badlands and why?

danielwuyanzu22 karma

I like my scenes with Waldo because it's the only time you hear what Sunny is thinking. He gets to confide in someone.

c0mBaTkArL8 karma

Do you have a special warm-up regimen you perform before a recording session -- ie; facial exercises, special liquids to improve vocal timbre, etc.? How long are your average sessions, are they taxing at all?

danielwuyanzu16 karma

voiceover? I just make sure it's not first thing in the morning and that I have a lot of water. I'm pretty fast. I can do a whole movie in a couple hours or one episode of Badlands in less than 30min.

Ugly_Muse8 karma

Hi, so I'm fairly new to Warcraft (although Reign of Chaos was my first computer game as a kid). I started playing Hearthstone and a friend recommended I play as Gul'dan, so you and I are basically best friends now, right? Just a small tidbit there.

How did you get involved with WoW?

Was there anything surprising about the lore, filming, fans that maybe you hadn't expected?

1v1 me in Hearthstone?

danielwuyanzu18 karma

I was asked to audition for the role. I knew a lot about it because my wife has played for years.

wandero8 karma

What advice would you give to a recent college grad about breaking into the entertainment industry (e.g. film, TV, gaming, etc.)? (besides "networking" because that's a given)

danielwuyanzu25 karma

Work on your craft. If you're in it just to get famous then quit.

eXieBoiiTV8 karma

Daniel! I remember you from watching new police story back when I was a kid in china, those video game police deaths really messed me up back then, what would you say was your favourite moment from the movie?

danielwuyanzu27 karma

Making Jackie Chan cry.

aaaalexandre8 karma

I was kinda curious about a scene I have seen on youtube of Into the Badlands:

(sunny vs Widow Clipper) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1inzaUK0hc

This scene has a great visual style, It reminded me a lot of the rain fight scene in The Grandmasters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iscP8gase1Q

Was the dop/director referencing this film when shooting or is it just a big coincidence??

danielwuyanzu19 karma

Yes of course it's a reference or homage. Our gaol with the first season was to create fihts that homaged classic films so the fanboys would recognize and them and new people could go on an watch those. It's a way to spread the love!

getzdegreez6 karma

Hi, Daniel! Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in life?

danielwuyanzu13 karma

Bruce Lee

WanFaiChen6 karma

Hi Daniel,

I first found you when I watched Inseparable, That film was crazy funny. As I did more research into you, you have been called the young Donnie Yen and such. My question to you, what made you do an American TV series, despite not a lot of American viewers know about you? (Since you quite popular in Hong Kong and China)

danielwuyanzu15 karma

It was such a cool concept for a show plus I hadn't done Martial Arts on screen in a while so it was a good opportunity to go back to it.

kalasea20016 karma

The show is great - fun plot and great acting. Two questions: where do you guys film, and how long do the fight scenes take to set up and film? Thanks!

danielwuyanzu7 karma

New Orleans. See below

slevdawg6 karma

How do you split your time between CA, HK, and South Africa? Are you and your family mainly based in CA since you've filmed Into the Badlands? Are you working on any HK movie projects?

danielwuyanzu11 karma

we go everywhere together.

Liramuza5 karma

How do you feel about Gul'Dan as a character?

danielwuyanzu13 karma

He was awesome to play. Kind of like playing a Stalin or Hitler. Someone making all these bad choices but being so adamant that that was the only way.

CosmackMagus5 karma

Into the Badlands is an amazing spectacle! What is your favourite film you've been in?

danielwuyanzu10 karma

Protege, One Nite In Mongkok, Inseparable, New Police Story

thankyouforfu5 karma

What's your favorite kung fu or martial arts film?

(Also, for those interested, check out /r/kungfucinema)

danielwuyanzu18 karma

Once Upon a Time in CHina

Keikaku_Doori5 karma

Oh man, Daniel! I've followed you ever since I watched New Police Story as a kid and thought the gamer-badguys were the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Huge fan!

When it came to working on the Warcraft movie, how did you prepare for your a role as an evil CGI Orc Warlock?

Did you approach it the same way as any other part, or was there some sort of prep-work?

And how does it feel acting in such a (what I imagine) different environment as compared to just doing a normal acting part?

Like I said, huge fan, was both surprised and overjoyed you got the part in Warcraft. Best of luck!

danielwuyanzu14 karma

Main difference was doing motion capture and learning how to act in a leotard and a bike helmet on.

Duhren5 karma

What is your diet like? Favorite food?

danielwuyanzu13 karma

I stick to protein and veggies with occasional carbs. I am naturally lean so I have to eat a lot to keep muscle on.

burgundysaffiano5 karma

Huge fan here! What's your favorite movie of all time?

danielwuyanzu14 karma

I have many not just one. Blade Runner Once Upon A Time in China Reservoir Dogs Team America The Dark Crystal

linn0005 karma

Hello from New Hampshire!

My friends and I really enjoy the show, especially the setting of Gongfu in each episode. It's not easy to find a show which combine eastern and western culture naturally. As a Chinese, I'm so proud of my culture when I watched the show with my America friends.

From TV interviews, we know that you were chosen to be Sunny when your team can't find another suitable actor. We are wondering how was your feeling when they suddenly told you "Hey Daniel, you are probably the best person for the role." And how did you prepare and start everything in such a limited time, under a lot of pressure and with people's high expectations?

Btw, a "Merry Christmas" from My friends and I. We are looking forward to watching the following episode!

danielwuyanzu16 karma

I was scared because I thought I was too old physically for the role. Wasn't sure if my body could handle it. 40 is very different than 25!

BarefootWanderer5 karma

Hi Daniel. Which actor in Hong Kong do you really want to act with? And is there a difference in working in the Hong Kong movie industry, Mainland China movie industry and American movie industry?

danielwuyanzu14 karma

Chow Yun Fat The main difference is in Asia a director has all the power and the pace is faster. The US really researches how to shoot something and is great at planning and execution.

biancasiu5 karma

Do you think they'd ever make a new police story 2 or maybe a prequel to the first one?

danielwuyanzu8 karma

New Police story id already #5 of the Police Story series. I think they already made a sequel.

Lrobie4 karma

Did your interest for the Warcraft movie come from playing video games or was it just a role that you were approached with?

danielwuyanzu12 karma

wife plays made me do it

biancasiu4 karma

Hey Daniel! With your professional career taking off in the States, how do you manage to balance your thriving career and family life? Btw, Raven is so irresistibly adorable, it must be tough to be away from her during work. What's one of your favorite things about transitioning into being a dad?

danielwuyanzu10 karma

you have to make an effort to carve out time for everything. balance!

mwigby4 karma

What was your favorite scene to film in Into the Badlands?

danielwuyanzu7 karma

Turbine fight

Juiceisgreat4 karma

What d oyou do when you're here in South Africa and what part of SA do you hang out in?

danielwuyanzu10 karma

we just hang out, hike, ride horses, go cyrstal hunting, hang out with the local sengomas. We are near Bethlehem

smellyphant374 karma

Hi Daniel! Big fans of yours from Boston MA. Great job on Into the Badlands. I was wondering how will you spend the Holidays this year and will you be in any upcoming projects in 2016? Thank you.

danielwuyanzu13 karma

Xmas with my family in The Bay Area!

coffeeblack12033 karma

Hey! Thanks for doing this AMA! Do you have any advice for a young, hopeful actor such as myself?

danielwuyanzu12 karma

Work on your craft!

SALMAN-CHECHEN3 karma

hello how many times do push-ups in one once?

danielwuyanzu6 karma

I don't think I've ever done more than 100

Boobr1 karma

What would you say is the most important thing that will help an aspiring actor "make it" in the industry?

danielwuyanzu4 karma

learn to act well

PhillyT1 karma

Hey Daniel, love into the badlands, what lesser known projects if yours might you recommend?

danielwuyanzu4 karma

Inseparable

rumblith1 karma

How was working with Travis Fimmel aka Ragnar Lothbrok?

I've enjoyed Into the Badlands so far. When I saw both of you in the Warcraft movie it got me excited.

danielwuyanzu3 karma

Super Good Bloke and a little strange.

petermal671 karma

Seeing as you spend time in South Africa - are you a rugby fan?

danielwuyanzu3 karma

no

semiauto2271 karma

How do you see Sunny changing over the next season or so?

danielwuyanzu2 karma

He's in transition right now going from the person he used to be to the person he will be but he doesn't know what that is yet.

mustardio-2 karma

What is the marketing strategy behind having "bad" in the name of a title? Shouldn't the show connote positive attributes, by being named something like "into the goodlands"?

danielwuyanzu1 karma

why because everybody is so good on the show?