Don’t get me wrong – I love my own father and wouldn’t trade him for the world, but there is a little something extra special about Tzi Ma. When you meet him in real life, he is a jolly person who is ready to impart all his wisdom about life and acting, and he gives you this comforting feel, like a father would.

Some people may call him a natural, but I would proudly label him as the ‘Asian/Chinese father we all wished we had’ because of the number of times we have watched him on the small and big screens playing the sometimes strict, stoic but always caring father. read more…

Disney confirmed Monday that its live-action “Mulan” has been approved to release in Chinese cinemas “soon,” making China the most significant territory where the film will receive a theatrical outing. It has not yet been granted an official release date in the Middle Kingdom.

The U.S. company clearly tried hard to strike the right tone announcing the forthcoming premiere on its official Weibo social media account, writing in faux-poetic language that sought to mimic the original “Mulan” ballad’s traditional character. read more…

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has released its annual list of invitations to join the organization, and surveying the new class of Oscar voters it is clear they are aiming in a big way to continue erasing the stigma of not being inclusive, particularly in terms of women, international members and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities. The org still says they have a long way to go, but the label of being a white man’s club is fading more with each year’s list of new members. The number this year does not represent a record but is closely in line with the 842 invited last year. read more…

Tzi Ma had been working on the pilot of Kung Fu — the reboot of the cult 1970s series starring David Carradine — for a week in Vancouver before filming was put on indefinite hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

And like so many others, the prolific veteran Chinese-American character actor, 57, found himself in a forced hiatus. Holed up at home in Pasadena, California, he’d hoped to ride out the storm by devoting his downtime to a laundry list of personal projects.

At least, that was his plan. read more…

Over Skype on a recent afternoon as Tzi Ma was discussing “Tigertail,” his first major leading role, the actor couldn’t help but veer into the proud paternal mode he’s embraced as Hollywood’s favorite Asian Dad. True to that title, he showered praise upon his many movie daughters, his eyes lighting up.

There was Awkwafina from last year’s “The Farewell,” who won the Golden Globe for her dramatic debut in a story based on filmmaker Lulu Wang‘s life. Yifei Liu, who anchors Disney’s upcoming live-action epic “Mulan,” in which Ma plays the legendary warrior’s doting father. Christine Ko of “Tigertail,” in which Ma stars as a Taiwanese immigrant wrestling with the ghosts of his own American dream, and many, many more. read more…