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  • ‘The Miniature Wife’ Interview: Elizabeth Banks and More

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    Premiering April 9th on Peacock is the new series ‘The Miniature Wife‘, which is based on the book of the same name by Manuel Gonzales and was created by Jennifer Ames (‘Goliath’) and Steve Turner (‘Ash vs Evil Dead’).

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    The series stars Elizabeth Banks (‘Charlie’s Angels’), Matthew Macfadyen (‘Deadpool & Wolverine’), Zoe Lister-Jones (‘Beau Is Afraid’), Sofia Rosinsky (‘The Other Side of the Door’), O-T Fagbenie (‘Black Widow’), and Ronny Chieng (‘M3GAN’).

    (L to R) Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in 'The Miniature Wife'.
    (L to R) Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in ‘The Miniature Wife’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen about their work on ‘The Miniature Wife’, the initial pitch for the series, Macfadyen’s inspiration for his character, acting six inches tall, and working with the practical and visual effects.

    Related Article: Elizabeth Banks Talks ‘Cocaine Bear’

    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Rafy/Peacock.
    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Rafy/Peacock.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Elizabeth, can you talk about showrunners Jennifer Ames and Steve Turner initial pitch to you and what intrigued you about the story and your character?

    Elizabeth Banks: They pitched me ‘The War of the Roses’, but one of them is six inches tall. I love ‘War of the Roses’, and I immediately got the tone they were going for. I felt like it was unique and an absurdist way to tell a very relatable story about someone who feels diminished in their relationship or small in their career or a little unseen suddenly, and I think we all have those moments and have those people in our lives who make us feel small. This is a character whose mother has made her feel very small and she’s obviously working through that trauma. Her father left, and now her husband is paying attention only to his career and not to her needs. I just felt like a lot of people were going to relate to this couple. The device of shrinking me really helped build everything that we wanted to say about relationships and power dynamics within them in the show. So, I got the notions right away and how the absurdist way we were going to do it was going to enhance the whole endeavor.

    Matthew Macfadyen as Les in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Peacock.
    Matthew Macfadyen as Les in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Peacock.

    MF: Matthew, I understand that you drew inspiration for your character from Bill Nye, Kevin Kline, and Steve Martin. Can you talk about how that inspiration helped you create Less on screen?

    Matthew MacFadyen: Well, they’re little bits of ingredients in the cake. I think Steve Martin and Kevin Kline especially were touchstones in the sense that some of the inspiration for the series is those ‘80s and ‘90s romantic comedies that are witty, barbed, and funny, with wonderful dialogue, and that was the flavor of it. Not sentimental, not syrupy, just entertaining. So, that’s why I was thinking of those guys. But Bill Nye, is an institution I’ve discovered from people growing up and I can see why because he’s really kind of charismatic and funny and great. He’s got a wonderful quirky energy, and I thought maybe some of that is in layers.

    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Peacock.
    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Peacock.

    MF: Elizabeth, when you were shooting the scenes where your character is small, did you have to rely on your imagination a lot and was it helpful when you had giant props available to use in the scene?

    EB: I was very isolated on a green screen and having to imagine everything around me and a cat chasing me and a bird and all of it. So, they really helped me by giving me actual props to interact with. Whether it was a pill bottle that I’m trying to break open or toothpaste or lipstick or the giant chocolate bar that I got to eat. They made a giant popcorn kernel for me that was edible. All those things really helped. Then of course, I have the dollhouse. That set was incredible, and everything felt real. So, it was interesting to be able to explore that like a little toy and then have my own toys, you know? It was very helpful, and technically challenging, but very fun.

    (L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Les and Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Peacock.
    (L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Les and Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Peacock.

    MF: Finally, Matthew, when you were in scenes with Lindy when she was small, was the biggest challenge for you not having anyone to react to?

    MM: Yes, but we’ve been saying that acting is an imaginative exercise. If we had scenes together, we’d run the scenes before we shot them separately. So, we’d always have something in our heads, but it’s an exercise in imagining. So, that was part of the endeavor, I suppose.

    (L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Les and Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Screengrab/Peacock.
    (L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Les and Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Screengrab/Peacock.

    What is the plot of ‘The Miniature Wife’?

    A married couple (Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen) battle for power within their relationship which is complicated when a technological accident shrinks the wife to 6 inches tall.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Miniature Wife’?

    • Elizabeth Banks as Lindy Littlejohn
    • Matthew Macfadyen as Les Littlejohn
    • Zoe Lister-Jones as Vivienne
    • Sofia Rosinsky as Lulu Littlejohn
    • O-T Fagbenle as RPW
    • Sian Clifford as Terry
    • Ronny Chieng as Hilton Smith
    • Aasif Mandvi as Martin Mucklow
    • Rong Fu as Janet
    • Tricia Black as Hel
    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in 'The Miniature Wife'. Photo: Rafy/Peacock.
    Elizabeth Banks as Lindy in ‘The Miniature Wife’. Photo: Rafy/Peacock.

    List of Elizabeth Banks Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Elizabeth Banks Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Vacation Friends 2’ Interview: Director Clay Tarver

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    Premiering on Hulu beginning August 25th is ‘Vacation Friends 2,’ which is a sequel to 2021’s ‘Vacation Friends’ and was once again directed by Clay Tarver (‘Joy Ride’).

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    What is the plot of ‘Vacation Friends 2’?

    Picking up a few months after the conclusion of ‘Vacation Friends,’ the sequel finds newly married couple Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) and Emily (Yvonne Orji) inviting their uninhibited besties Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner), who are also newly married and have a baby, to join them for a vacation when Marcus lands an all-expenses-paid trip to a Caribbean resort. His reason for traveling there in the first place is to meet with the owners of the resort to bid on a construction contract for a hotel they own in Chicago. But when Kyla’s incarcerated father Reese (Steve Buscemi) is released from San Quentin and shows up at the resort unannounced at the worst possible moment, things get out of control, upending Marcus’ best laid plans and turning the vacation friends’ perfect trip into total chaos.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Vacation Friends 2’?

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Clay Tarver about his work on ‘Vacation Friends 2,’ bringing the characters back together for a sequel, how their friendship has grown since the first film, why John Cena and Lil Rel Howery are so funny together, Meredith Hagner’s wild performance, introducing Steve Buscemi as Kyla’s shady father, and the rest of the supporting cast.

    Director Clay Tarver on the set of 'Vacation Friends 2.'
    (Center) Director Clay Tarver on the set of ‘Vacation Friends 2.’ Photo credit: Katrina Marcinowski.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about creating an organic reason for these characters to reunite together on another vacation in this sequel?

    Clay Tarver: It was really interesting to bring everyone back together physically because I think we all knew that we had a really special sense of chemistry, because ultimately this movie, like the first one, was about friendship. I think we all together wanted to do something that was about where the friendship went, and how it grew in unexpected ways with new developments in their lives. They know each other now, so what could go wrong? A lot does. The challenge is when you’re directing and trying to tackle something like this, for me, I didn’t want to make it feel like it was just a repeat of the first movie. But it needed to change a little bit, and it is different. The first movie, you didn’t really know who Ron and Kyla were, and so that was the thing that held the story together was that you kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with them. Who are they? Are they crazy? Are they drug dealers? Are they con artists? It was a refreshing end to the first one when they were none of that. They were just nice people who were a mess. So I found the storyline interesting about, “Oh, they have a baby now. How does that change them? Marcus and Emily are thinking about having a baby now. Well, what does that mean for them?” Everyone’s lives have taken another step. I think as a longtime fan of comedies and sequels, I want it to go to someplace new, but I don’t want the core characters to change so much that they’re not recognizable, they’re not the people I fell in love with. But I wanted to take it to someplace new. I think we all did, and it was important to us to not just retread the first movie, but take a risk a little bit and try to take it in a new direction.

    MF: Can you talk about the idea of introducing Steve Buscemi as Kyla’s shady father?

    CT: There’s one joke in the first movie, I think Kyla says, “Oh, I’m so sad my dad never got to meet Ron.” Then Emily says, “Oh my God, is he dead?” But she’s like, “No, it’s just that San Quentin is so far,” which I actually didn’t write. Someone else wrote that and I thought it was really funny. But there was always this looming, what are Kyla and Ron’s background? What do they have to deal with and what is in their lives beyond the people who we meet? For all of us, that seemed like a natural, interesting place to go. Then when I was lucky enough to get the honor to cast Sir Steve Buscemi, I feel like if we had knights in America, wouldn’t he be Sir Steve? He’s a national treasure. So I was thrilled when he came aboard because I’m going to tell you if you don’t know, he’s the nicest guy on earth. Having someone on set that was so well respected and beloved as Sir Steve was, it elevated the proceedings and everyone really just was thrilled to be around him. You cannot find a nicer guy and a more fantastic actor. After each scene, I would say, “Steve, it turns out you’re really good at acting. I think it’ll go okay for you.”

    John Cena as Ron, Steve Buscemi as Reese and Ronny Chieng as Yeon in 20th Century Studios’ 'Vacation Friends 2.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
    (L to R) John Cena as Ron, Steve Buscemi as Reese and Ronny Chieng as Yeon in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Vacation Friends 2.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘Vacation Friends’ stars John Cena and Yvonne Orji talk about their new comedy

    MF: Can you talk about Marcus and Emily and Kyla and Ron’s friendship, and how that’s grown since the first film?

    CT: The first story was about new friendship and it was about people that you met on vacation and how weird that conversation is and how you cross boundaries too quickly over a week, some boundaries that you probably shouldn’t but you’re in the mood. What happens, and then how that can boomerang to echo back onto your real life, whether or not you’re really friends. Now I feel like what’s great about it is that they, and what was fun for all of us to explore was the idea of where does the friendship go and how do adult friendships mature? How much do you trust somebody? Because some friends you say you trust, but you don’t. You wouldn’t hand them the keys to your car. Ron and Kyla, all those things that make you love them so much are the same things that you are like, “Uh-oh, bad things could happen just because they’re around.” The first movie was really about these people who were ultimately harmless. I thought with the introduction of Steve, especially casting him, it was just interesting to see, “Oh, this is a guy where he’s not harmless. So what does that do to their friendship?” Ultimately they bicker, and I think that’s part of the fun is the conflict. I always love Marcus yelling at Ron because Lil Rel and John Cena are amazing together. Even though it stretches to the breaking point, it never does, and it’s really about friendships growing in unexpected ways.

    Lil Rel Howery as Marcus, Yvonne Orji as Emily, Meredith Hagner as Kyla, and John Cena as Ron in 2021's 'Vacation Friends.'
    (L to R) Lil Rel Howery as Marcus, Yvonne Orji as Emily, Meredith Hagner as Kyla, and John Cena as Ron in 2021’s ‘Vacation Friends.’ Photo: Jessica Miglio/20th Century Studios.

    MF: Did you have any idea how funny John Cena was when you cast him in the first film?

    CT: I was amazed. No, I didn’t know. When he first signed on to do the movie, I probably shouldn’t say this, but I will tell you this story. Ike Barinholtz who was in ‘Blockers,’ which was a movie I really loved, I’d never met him before, and somehow I got his number and I called him up to ask him how it was working with John Cena. He got quiet and then he almost got angry and he was like, “I think he might be the nicest person I’ve ever met.” He just sang his praises and he said, “He’s fantastic and you’re going to love working with him.” He was just so good. He does all of these things that are so hard to do so easily. He really listens and plays off other people, and there’s a lot of his improv in it. I was just amazed and felt blessed and lucky to have him around on set every day.

    Yvonne Orji as Emily and Lil Rel Howery as Marcus in 20th Century Studios' 'Vacation Friends 2.'
    (L to R) Yvonne Orji as Emily and Lil Rel Howery as Marcus in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Vacation Friends 2.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Lil Rel Howery is also a very funny comedic actor, but in this movie plays the straight man a lot. What was it like directing him in those scenes?

    CT: He’s a straight man who also, he’s really funny when he is back on his heels, when things get too chaotic and he loses it completely. So on the one hand, he is the straight guy, but he’s the guy that loses his mind quicker than anybody else. So just trying to embrace that and make sure there were moments where he would make some assumption and completely freak out and just play to all of those strengths with him. It was really fun to direct a movie with him a second time around, because I think the first movie we shot entirely, except for the first two weeks, through the pandemic. This time we just knew each other a lot better. He’s just an amazing person to do a movie with. Both of those guys are, and Yvonne and Meredith too, there’s just not a weak link in the cast. They’re all so good at what they do, and they all do completely different things.

    MF: Meredith Hagner, who plays Kyla, has really created a loveable cinematic character over the course of these two movies. What has your experience been like working with her and does she improvise a lot on set?

    CT: They all do improvisations. They all improv, I think I can say. She always makes it better. She will go left sometimes when the script says right. She just has this instinct for making everything lift up. She just adds life to it and makes scenes work. The same for Yvonne who just in a certain way has one of the hardest jobs as her character is the sensible center of this comedy. She is still so funny and so good at it, and just the way that she plays off of all of them together and off of each other, it’s a really difficult job and she’s just incredibly talented in that way.

    Meredith Hagner as Kyla and John Cena as Ron in 20th Century Studios' Vacation Friends 2.'
    (L to R) Meredith Hagner as Kyla and John Cena as Ron in 20th Century Studios’ Vacation Friends 2.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about Ron and Kyla’s parenting skills?

    CT: Well, I found it funny that at first you might think that they would be people who would be these ultra-protective parents. We all know people who are wild, and then once they become parents, they become these helicopter parents. But instead, they’re people who think they are and have not changed at all. So they’re still the wild people, but they talk as if they’re these careful parents. But at the same time, everything always works out for them. It always gets to the precipice and they get way too close to the edge that would make someone like me comfortable, and yet it always works out. As a parent myself, sometimes I think a lighter hand might be a good thing every once in a while. Maybe not as light as they do it, but I really enjoyed as a director playing around with them about their attitudes of parenting because I think they’re both characters that you don’t want to see them change. You don’t want to see them suddenly stop being who they are.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about filling out the supporting cast with excellent actors like Ronny Chieng, Jamie Hector and Carlos Santos?

    CT: Well, I was really blessed because all of them, I mean it when I say there was not a weak link in the bunch. They’re all so good from top to bottom and they all do really different things. Carlos was in maybe three scenes in the first movie, and he just came on and killed it. Everybody loved him. He made everyone on set laugh the entire time. He was just a joy to work with. Jamie Hector, I’d been a fan of many years from ‘The Wire’ and ‘Bosch,’ and it was just an honor to get to work with him. He’s also the world’s nicest guy, despite how scary he looks sometimes when he’s acting. Ronny, I’ve known for many years and been a huge fan of. I had actually written the part with him in mind and it was just a joy to get to work with him on something. I hope to work with all of them again.

    Director Clay Tarver on the set of 'Vacation Friends 2.'
    Director Clay Tarver on the set of ‘Vacation Friends 2.’ Photo credit: Katrina Marcinowski.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Vacation Friends 2:’

    Where to Stream and Watch: ‘Vacation Friends 2’ Online

    Buy John Cena Movies On Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Shortcomings’

    Justin Min as Ben and Sherry Cola as Alice in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Sherry Cola as Alice in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    Opening in theaters on August 4th, ‘Shortcomings,’ directed by Randall Park, reaches for authenticity in the way its characters’ foibles are portrayed, but ultimately falls short itself with a blandly solipsistic, mopey main character and side stories that feel like they’d be much more interesting as the central narrative.

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    What’s the story of ‘Shortcomings’?

    Justin Min as Ben and Ally Maki as Miko in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben and Ally Maki as Miko in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    This is essentially the story of Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling filmmaker, who lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival.

    When he’s not managing a struggling arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit.

    When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want –– mostly relationships with other women in his orbit. Alice, meanwhile, ends up moving to New York herself after an incident at school.

    Who else is in ‘Shortcomings’?

    Justin Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, Timothy Simons as Leon in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Justin Min as Ben, Ally Maki as Miko, Timothy Simons as Leon in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    The cast also includes Tavi Gevinson, Debby Ryan, Sonoya Mizuno, Timothy Simons, Jacob Batalon, Theo Iyer and Scott Seiss.

    Related Article: 10 Things We Learned at the ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Press Conference

    What works about ‘Shortcomings’

    Jacob Batalon as Gene and Scott Seiss as Lamont in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Jacob Batalon as Gene and Scott Seiss as Lamont in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    Randall Park has been a reliable performer for years, someone who has long proved he has what it takes in front of the camera. Switching effortlessly between leading roles in the likes of TV’s ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ or the Netflix romantic comedy drama movie ‘Always Be My Maybe’ and character pieces such as roles on ‘The Office’ and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (where he’s more normally found in the ‘Ant-Man’ films as enthusiastic FBI agent Jimmy Woo, Park has developed a recognizable comic style and a following enough to give him a shot at directing.

    ‘Shortcomings’ is his first step behind the camera (though he has a production company and backs projects he sometimes appears in) and, as director, he proves to have a handle on at least what makes characters tick.

    Adapting –– with a script from the writer himself –– Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel, Park sets his story among the arty hipsters of Berkely and Oakland, the Bay Area vibe effectively created on screen here.

    And kicking off with a spoof scene of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (starring Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu and Ronny Chieng), he and Tomine quickly set out their stall, looking to explore the sort of romantic entanglements that usually come with white faces attached. It might not be always subtle, but that at least works –– we see Ben struggle with others judging him for dating white girl Sasha (Ryan) and helping Alice by pretending to be her boyfriend so she can avoid the usual interrogation at a family wedding (even if they have to hide Ben’s Japanese heritage from her parents, though even that would be preferable to them finding out she’s queer).

    Park nudges his characters through their various storylines, anchored by Ben’s malaise and Alice’s struggle to find herself. But there is a problem, and it’s largely Ben.

    What are the movie’s problems?

    Tavi Gevinson as Autumn in 'Shortcomings.'
    Tavi Gevinson as Autumn in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    The biggest issue with the movie is its central character. All plaudits for breaking away from the “model minority’ image of quietly well-behaved Asian-Americans. Ben is certainly flawed and human but despite the best efforts of Min to bring him to life, he comes across as a whining, self-centered moron that no woman would want to get near, let alone the parade of attractive people who deign date him.

    It gets to the point where you’re desperate for the movie to pivot away from Ben’s story and go and explore Alice’s life more deeply or even Gene (Batalon) and Lamont (Seiss), the two goofballs who work the concession stand at the cinema Ben manages. These two characters, who feel like they walked out of a Kevin Smith movie (and you can sense the New Jersey filmmaker’s influence all over ‘Shortcomings’) make for more entertaining company in a couple of minutes than almost all of Ben’s scenes. Even if they do represent a little more self-indulgence from Park and Tomine –– they refer to Marvel movies and Batalon, a co-star in the most recent ‘Spider-Man‘ trilogy of films, name-drops the character at one point.

    Full marks to the director and writer for trying to make the character feel authentically human instead of a stereotype, but the dial has been turned too far towards frustrating. And with Ben as the focal point of the movie, it makes for a more uncomfortable experience than anything approaching entertainment. Yes, he’s supposed to be annoying, but there’s zero growth and little evidence until right at the end that that’s even possible. Meanwhile, people around him are living much more interesting lives, even cinema employee Autumn, with whom Ben has a brief, unsuccessful dalliance. Subverting the manic pixie dream girl cliché, she’s a punk anarchist performance artist whose current work in progress is taking a picture of her urine-filled toilet every morning.

    ‘Shortcomings’ has enough to recommend it, even if you do find the main character to be a repetitive, time-wasting bore. There’s fun to be had exploring the world that these people live in, and the challenges they face when romantic issues and cultural boundaries clash. It’s just unfortunate that it doesn’t look more deeply into such ideas, choosing instead to indulge the central figure’s dull quest for the perfect relationship or his opinions on essentially anything.

    As a debut, it’s still an impressive one and if Park finds a subject he can bring to life without the frustrations of the human black hole at the center of this one, he’ll have something to truly enjoy. ‘Shortcomings’ might have a few of its own, but it also shows solid potential.

    ‘Shortcomings’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

    Stephanie Hsu as Mrs Wong and Ronny Chieng as Mr Wong in 'Shortcomings.'
    (L to R) Stephanie Hsu as Mrs Wong and Ronny Chieng as Mr Wong in ‘Shortcomings.’ Photo credit: Jon Pack. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Shortcomings’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Shortcomings’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Randall Park Movies On Amazon

    ‘Shortcomings’ is produced by Topic Studios, Tango Entertainment, Roadside Attractions, Picture Films, and Imminent Collision. It is set to release in theaters on August 4th, 2023.

  • ‘American Born Chinese’ Interview: Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang

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    Premiering on Disney+ beginning May 24th is the new series ‘American Born Chinese,’ which was created by writer and actor Kelvin Yu (‘Wonder Woman 1984’) from the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang.

    What is the plot of ‘American Born Chinese’?

    ‘American Born Chinese’ tells the story of teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a son of Chinese immigrants, who for the most part is a typical high school kid. He collects manga, tries to join the soccer team, and is on a journey dealing with his own identity as he tries to figure out who he is. One day, Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), an exchange student, arrives at Jin’s school. Unlike Jin, Wei-Chen didn’t grow up in America, is loud and open by nature, and doesn’t inhabit Jin’s self-doubt and insecurities. At times, this causes Jin to feel embarrassed being associated with Wei-Chen who’s very different.

    Wei-Chen is revealed to be the son of Sun Wukong (Daniel Wu), commonly known as the Monkey King, a legendary figure in Chinese literature. Wei-Chen had a dream that the mythical Fourth Scroll can stop an uprising against Heaven. The dream also told him that an ordinary teenager is destined to aid him in his search. So Wei-Chen stole his father’s magical staff and is now, disguised as a high-schooler, searching for the scroll in earthly California, convinced that Jin is the ordinary teenager from his prophetic dream.

    Who is in the cast of ‘American Born Chinese’?

    ‘American Born Chinese’ stars Ben Wang (‘Sex Appeal‘) as Jin Wang, Yeo Yann Yann (‘Havoc‘) as Christine Wang, Chin Han (‘Mortal Kombat‘) as Simon Wang, Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan (‘The Goonies‘) as Jamie Yao, Jimmy Liu as Wei-Chen, Sydney Taylor as Amelia, Daniel Wu (‘Reminiscence‘) as Sun Wukong, Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh (‘Crazy Rich Asians‘) as Guanyin, Ronny Chieng (‘M3GAN‘) as Ji Gong, Rosalie Chiang (‘Turning Red‘) as Suzy Nakamura, James Hong (‘Big Trouble in Little China‘) as Jade Emperor, Jimmy O. Yang (‘80 for Brady‘) as Ao Guang, and Stephanie Hsu (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘) as Shiji Niangniang.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting with Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang to talk about their work on ‘American Born Chinese,’ what the series means to Wang, how he’s similar to his character, Jin and Amelia’s relationship, her home life, and Jin’s friendship with Wei-Chen.

    Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang star in Disney+'s 'American Born Chinese.'
    (L to R) Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang star in Disney+’s ‘American Born Chinese.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Taylor and Wang, Daniel Wu, Jimmy Liu, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, and executive producers Gene Luen Yang and Melvin Mar.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Ben, what is it like for you to be on a series like this that features real representation?

    Ben Wang: I don’t know if I have the right words to describe how I feel. It is a bit overwhelming, but also this show, we’ve been sitting on it for a year. I’ve been pumped for everybody to see it. For like a year now, I’ve known how great it is and so I’m just really excited for everybody else to find out too. I’d never had a show like this when I was growing up and I know that it would’ve been really helpful for me to have a show like this. I’m really glad and grateful that I get to be a part of this project.

    MF: Ben, what are some of the things that you can relate to personally between your character and your real life?

    BW: All of the things, every single one of the things. When I read the script, when I read the graphic novel, it was like (Graphic novel author) Gene (Luen Yang) had spied on me while I was growing up and just drew frames from my exact life. Everything down to Jin’s aesthetic, his shirt and his terrible haircut is everything I had. I would walk on set and they’d be like, “Is that your costume or is that what you came here today in?” I’d have to tell them every time. So it was kind of incredible to see that degree of specific representation. It caught me off guard and then it made me really emotional because I had never seen that before.

    Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang star in Disney+'s 'American Born Chinese.'
    (L to R) Sydney Taylor and Ben Wang star in Disney+’s ‘American Born Chinese.’ Photo: Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja.

    Related Article: Stephanie Hsu and Ashley Park Discuss Universality of ‘Joy Ride’

    MF: Sydney, how would you describe Amelia and Jin’s relationship?

    Sydney Taylor: I think Amelia and Jin’s relationship, it’s very different from beginning to end. Because the story is told through Jin’s eyes, I think in the beginning it sort of starts like Amelia is this perfect being that has all of the things he wants. She’s this all-American girl, is popular and pretty, and this and that, and everyone likes her and all of these things. Then he sort of idolizes her to a certain extent at the start. So, then, as the story continues, we get to see that relationship sort of change and that he sees her as more of a person than this unattainable thing on a pedestal. She gets to be an actual person to him. So then as that changes, we get to see their relationship form a better connection with each other. They end with this really wonderful relationship, and friendship, and closeness.

    MF: Sydney, can you also talk about Amelia’s less than perfect home life?

    ST: Yes, that was largely accredited to the writers. It was written in such a good way because it’s told through his eyes, so we see her as very almost one-dimensional. It’s a really great reveal that she largely represents the universal experience of not feeling understood, not feeling like you get along with people, having issues with your parents, and having issues with yourself. I think she serves as a really good universal being.

    Ben Wang and Jimmy Liu star in Disney+'s 'American Born Chinese.'
    (L to R) Ben Wang and Jimmy Liu star in Disney+’s ‘American Born Chinese.’ Photo: Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja.

    MF: Finally, Ben, can you talk about Jin’s friendship with Wei-Chen?

    BW: It’s a complicated friendship. It’s a complicated friendship for many reasons. Wei-Chen is a monkey God and Jin is an awkward little boy from Earth. But more importantly, it’s complicated because they’re so different as people. Wei-Chen is this sort of hyper-confident kid who goes into any situation, guns blazing without a single shred of doubt in himself. Jin is like 99% doubt. So they have a lot to teach each other about. The progression of their twin arcs throughout the series is they sort of meet in the middle, right? Wei-Chen teaches Jin how to be more confident. What is a healthy amount of confidence? I almost want to say what is a healthy amount of pride to take in yourself, a healthy amount to believe in yourself? Jin teaches Wei-Chen that sometimes you have to slow down, sometimes you have to think, sometimes you have to work things through, and sometimes you have to think about other people, not just the thing you want. So for the two of them, it’s a story about their friendship and it’s a story about the two of them teaching each other how to be better people, and growing up together.

    ‘American Born Chinese' premieres on Disney+ beginning May 24th.
    ‘American Born Chinese’ premieres on Disney+ beginning May 24th.

    Movies Similar to ‘American Born Chinese’:

    Buy Michelle Yeoh Movies On Amazon

  • Where To Watch Blumhouse Thriller ‘M3GAN’

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Time to meet your new best friend in the latest thriller from Blumhouse Productions, ‘M3GAN.’ M3GAN, AKA Model 3 Generative Android is the perfect storm of an artificial intelligence program becoming self-aware, and taking her job entirely too seriously.

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    The trailer already created a buzz on the internet ahead of the films release, prompting endless memes of M3GAN performing a series of (now signature) dance moves before switching to slasher mode. In fact, prior to the movie’s premiere, a team of M3GAN doll dancers could be spotted at various events and venues performing the signature number. The film opened on January 6, 2022 to $30.4 million domestically and has earn over $171.2 million worldwide as of today. The story comes from the minds of Aleka Cooper (‘Malignant‘) and James Wan (‘The Conjuring‘ franchise), and was directed by Gerard Johnstone (‘Housebound‘).

    Who Is In The Cast Of ‘M3GAN?’

    ‘M3GAN’ stars Allison Williams (‘Get Out‘) and Violet McGraw (‘The Haunting Of Hill House’), who are no strangers to the horror genre. When it comes to bringing the killer doll to life, it takes a team – the role is voiced by Jenna Davis, and physically portrayed by 8-year-old actress Amie Donald. Paired with CGI to complete its characteristic look. The cast also includes Ronny Chien (‘Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings‘), Brian Jordan Alvarez (‘80 For Brady‘), Jen Van Epps (‘Together Forever Tea‘), Lori Dungey (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring‘) and Stephane Garneau-Monton.

    Allison Williams as Gemma in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    Allison Williams as Gemma in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    What Is ‘M3GAN’ About?

    In the film, toy designer/robotist Gemma (Williams) was working on a child-sized android A.I. companion, which she named M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android). When Gemma becomes the parental guardian of her niece Cady (McGraw), she uses the opportunity to put M3GAN to the test. All things were going well until M3GAN’s artificial intelligence programming began to take its tasks too seriously, going to the extreme to protect Cady by brutally taking down anyone who rebels against her.

    The official synopsis for ‘M3GAN’ is:

    “M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s best friend. When a brilliant roboticist gives her young niece an M3GAN prototype, it soon becomes violent and does anything to protect the girl.”

    M3GAN in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    M3GAN in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘M3GAN’

    Will There Be A ‘M3GAN’ Sequel?

    We will get to see M3GAN again! The PG-13 horror flick received positive reviews, warranting a 93% Fresh score on the Tomato-meter from critics and 78% from the audience. Thanks to its popularity, the sequel ‘M3GAN 2.0’ is now in the works at Universal, set for release on January 17, 2025. In an interview with Variety, producer Jason Blum admitted that they were already playing with the idea of a sequel before the first film was even released.

    “After I saw the first movie, we had a good sense that a sequel might really work. So, we broke our cardinal rule and we started t walking about a sequel before the movie was released. I felt so bullish that we started entertaining a sequel earlier than we usually do.”

    Set to return to the follow-up film are stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw to reprise their roles as Gemma and Cady. Screenwriter Aleka Cooper will also return. No word yet on whether Gerard Johnstone will return to direct or if Blumhouse is eyeing a new director. Plots are under wraps for now.

    Where Can I Watch ‘M3GAN’ and The Unrated Version?

    The movie is still playing in select theaters. The film premiered on January 6, 2023, and has a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes.

    Buy Tickets: ‘M3GAN’ Movie Showtimes

    Can’t get enough of the evil AI android going on a killing spree? You’re in luck. There’s also an unrated version with never-before-seen footage available exclusively on Peacock as of February 24th. The theatrical version is available on Peacock as well.

    Watch the official trailer for ‘M3GAN’ below:

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    When Will It Be Available To Stream Online?

    You can currently purchase a digital copy of ‘M3GAN’ from Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, or iTunes. Additionally, you can rent a digital copy of the movie (with a 48-hour watch window) on Amazon or iTunes.

    Where To Watch: ‘M3GAN’ Online

    Prefer the own the physical copy? ‘M3GAN’ will be available for purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 21st, 2023.

    Buy ‘M3GAN’ On Amazon

    M3GAN and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies That’ll Make You Question Your Smart Device

    ‘M3GAN’ delivers on suspense and comedy for its PG-13 rating, and it is certainly on its way of becoming a cult hit. But the premise of an A.I. gone awry or a doll coming to life isn’t the first of its kind. Here are a few movies that’ll make you question the smart devices or child-sized dolls in your home.

    ‘M3GAN’ was released in theaters on January 6th, 2022 from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, and Atomic Monster. Directed by Gerard Johnstone, and written by Akela Cooper, based on a story by James Wan, the film stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Lori Dungey, Amie Donald, and Jenna Davis as the voice of M3GAN.

    Watch Moviefone’s interviews with the cast and crew of ‘M3GAN’ below:

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  • Movie Review: ‘M3GAN’

    M3GAN in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    M3GAN in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Convinced that doll you gave your daughter or niece for Christmas is watching you?

    Then you’ll relate to Allison Williams’ plight in ‘M3GAN,’ the latest horror offering from fear factory Blumhouse Productions, screenwriter Akela Cooper (‘Malignant’) and horror auteur James Wan (here co-writing and producing). Williams plays Gemma, an ambitious but OCD toymaker/roboticist who creates the film’s titular treat, the ultimate interactive doll, and then introduces her to her niece Cady (played by ‘The Haunting of Hill House’s Violet McGraw). Gemma assumes custody of Cady after her parents are killed in a car accident. Unfortunately, she’s much more interested in finishing her latest invention than being a parent.

    M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) sits firmly at the bottom of the uncanny valley, with shiny silicone skin and just-shy-of-human voice and mannerisms. But director Gerard Johnstone and the wizards at Weta FX are smart enough not to make her too creepy at first glance, lest audiences wonder why any grown-up would leave their child alone with the android plaything.

    The shivers begin in earnest when M3GAN starts taking her job as Cady’s guardian a little too seriously – and moves from making sure her charge brushes her teeth to murdering anyone who threatens her. Gemma’s then forced to decide between helping her hot-tempered boss (Ronny Chieng) launch a ten-thousand-dollar retail version of M3GAN and finally deciding to face her responsibility as caregiver.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    While ‘M3GAN’ takes some admirable jabs at parents who too often rely on technology to babysit their kids, its principal strength is its campy black comedy. As ‘Chucky’ fans well know, it’s hard not to laugh at the sight of a four-foot doll slaughtering people; and Johnstone pushes his modest budget and PG-13 rating about as far as they can go. Like Chucky, M3GAN knows the value of a well-timed zinger, and her dance moves made for some much-shared memes months before the film’s release. ‘M3GAN’ also pulls a page from Sam Raimi’s scare-humor playbook in its editing, with several quick-cut mini montages amping up the absurdity of the film’s violence.

    Unfortunately, there’s only so much an over-the-top horror movie can do when it’s PG-13. Which means our enjoyment of M3GAN’s kills is frequently curtailed by shots that cut away from the payoff gore. As proven by classics like ‘Re-Animator’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead,’ when it comes to splatter comedy more is most definitely more. The film also plays it too safe in its storytelling. Innocent lives are spared, as all of M3GAN’s victims are portrayed as bad people who had it coming.

    If there’s an upside to this tidiness, ‘M3GAN’ could prove to be a gateway drug for budding young fright fans who might otherwise be prevented from witnessing on-screen mayhem. (The screening I attended had far more tweens in its audience than most horror movies.) Thankfully, ‘M3GAN’ is clearly made by people who know and love the genre, and it wears its influences on its sleeve. In its tale of a woman who creates – and ultimately rejects – a female without the aid of a partner, it functions as a twenty-first century take on Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’

    It also offers nods at plenty of other sci-fi fables, from long-forgotten TV sitcoms like ‘My Living Doll’ and ‘Small Wonder’ to cinematic masterpieces like ‘Robocop’ and ‘A.I.’ It’s the sci-fi equivalent of such fantasy-fueled killer doll films as ‘Child’s Play’ and ‘Annabelle’ (also produced by Wan), but unafraid to play with its genre’s big ideas.

    Allison Williams as Gemma in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    Allison Williams as Gemma in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The cast is more than up to what’s asked of them. Williams (who shined in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’) gives an earnest performance as a woman more at home with machines than humanity. In that, she’s well-partnered with McGraw, who convinces as a trauma survivor in need of tenderness. (The always amusing Chieng is a fitting foil, taking his douche-bro persona – on full display in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ – to hilarious extremes.)

    But while many of last year’s most acclaimed fright flicks – including ‘Barbarian,’ ‘Smile,’ and ‘Pearl’ – exploited their characters’ trauma to the point of exhaustion, ‘M3GAN’ gives audiences an opportunity to have fun with the genre again, while them that laughter and terror are close cousins.

    Just make sure the inevitable sequel is R-rated, Blumhouse, and we’ll forgive the gore deficit.

    ‘M3GAN’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.

    Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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