IAM Daniel Wu aka Sunny from AMC's Into the Badlands and Gul'dan from the Warcraft movie! AMA!

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

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

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?

yes

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?

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

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.

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

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

Daunting but exciting

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!

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.

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

I really hope so.

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?

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

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

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?

I would love to do a comedy

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

not yet!

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?

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.

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!

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

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

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?

see below

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?

because people need skills to survive!

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

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.

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.....

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

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?

Fist of Fury or (Chinese Connection in Asia)

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

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

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?

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

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?

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.

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!

Maybe he just wanted to burn that bitch?

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

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

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?

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

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?

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.

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

about 50%

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

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

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.

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

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?

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

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

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

What motivated you to become an actor?

I loved watching movies growing up.

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.

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

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?

3.5 hours

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!

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

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

I think they are classic raybans go to their site.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!!

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

Who is more cool then Daniel Wu?

a lot of people

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

He's awesome. I love him!

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

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

Exactly how much will Grom lose?

can't tell you that.

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?

Gau Kee beef brisket noodles

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

Are you ever gonna do a song with Jin again?

probably not

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

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

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??

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!

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?

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

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?

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.

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)

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

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?

Making Jackie Chan cry.

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

Bruce Lee

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!

New Orleans. See below

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?

we go everywhere together.

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)

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.

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

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

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

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

Once Upon a Time in CHina

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

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

What is your diet like? Favorite food?

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

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!

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

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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

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?

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.

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

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

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

Turbine fight

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?

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

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

wife plays made me do it

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.

Xmas with my family in The Bay Area!

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

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

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

Work on your craft!

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

Inseparable

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

no

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.

Super Good Bloke and a little strange.

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

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.

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

learn to act well

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"?

why because everybody is so good on the show?