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Exclusive / Bruce Lee fan Yvonne Chapman, star of The CW’s Kung Fu, on standing up to anti-Asian hate – interview

STORYSusan Hornik
Canadian actress Yvonne Chapman stars as Zhilan in The CW’s series Kung Fu, and also works behind the camera on short films that have appeared at major film festivals in Cannes, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Photo: Nino Muñoz/The CW
Canadian actress Yvonne Chapman stars as Zhilan in The CW’s series Kung Fu, and also works behind the camera on short films that have appeared at major film festivals in Cannes, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Photo: Nino Muñoz/The CW
American cinema

  • Chapman also appeared in The 100, ABC’s The Crossing and CBC’s Street Legal and is currently on Global TV’s Family Law
  • She has acted in, produced and directed short films shown at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and Seattle’s National Film Festival for Talented Youth

Yvonne Chapman is having too much fun playing the mysterious assassin, Zhilan, on The CW’s breakout hit series, Kung Fu – which has just been renewed for a second season. Whether she is showcasing her martial arts skills or her shrewdness, the Canadian actress has viewers riveted.

Now that the show is finished with its first season, Chapman had the time to talk exclusively with STYLE about her enthusiasm for the bad girl role. 

Yvonne Chapman as Zhilan in Kung Fu. Photo: The CW
Yvonne Chapman as Zhilan in Kung Fu. Photo: The CW
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“I am having a blast playing Zhilan,” says the Chinese-Canadian actress. “She’s fascinating to me – a dangerously good fighter, intelligent, determined and poised. But beyond that, she’s also complex. I must thank our incredible showrunners Christina Kim and Bob Berens, along with all the writers on this show for giving me the opportunity to play such a multifaceted woman, with an enthralling backstory.”

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Loving stunts … and Bruce Lee

Featuring in some impressive fight scenes, Chapman has undergone extensive martial arts training for Kung Fu.

“The stunt team on Kung Fu is world class. They are amazing martial artists, wonderful teachers and choreographers, and have done an incredible job in the creation and detail of each fight, and in the portrayal of fight styles for each character,” she notes.

Yvonne Chapman gets to the point as Zhilan in Kung Fu. Photo: The CW
Yvonne Chapman gets to the point as Zhilan in Kung Fu. Photo: The CW

Depending on the intricacy of the fight, and time constraints, Chapman could be rehearsing with the stunt team anywhere from two weeks ahead of shooting to a few days, she says.