Northeast Oregon TV Weekly
May 9 - 15, 2021 l 3
BY JAY BOBBIN
Olivia Liang
OF ‘KUNG FU’ ON THE CW
So much of “Kung Fu” expectedly involves
physicality for you, did you know martial arts
coming into the project?
I did not have any prior martial-arts training – thank
goodness that was not a requirement from (executive
producer) Christina (Kim) – but I have a background in
dance, so once I came up here (to Vancouver) to train,
I was able to at least pick up the choreography. Martial
arts, and especially martial arts for film and TV, is very
much a dance.
The training was brutal, and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever
put my body through. I’ve so much respect for martial
artists. It is an incredible sport. It is an art form. It’s
beautiful. Our stunt team has whipped me into shape, but I
also have an amazing double who makes me look so cool.
Have you been at all familiar with the original 1970s “Kung Fu” show that starred
David Carradine?
The series was a little bit before my time, but when I was auditioning for the role and eventually
booked the role of Nicky, I did look at clips and looked at the original. I think what’s carried on
from the original and his character into this is that sense of wanting to fight for the underdog, a
sense of duty ... not necessarily being a hero and seeking that out.
What are your thoughts on the new “Kung Fu” arriving when news stories involving
Asian Americans have been so prominent?
I think the timing of our show is really impeccable. So much about representation and inclusion
is not so much that we, as Asians, need to see ourselves represented on the screens. But we need
to be invited into homes of people who don’t see us in their everyday life, just to humanize us,
normalize seeing us, and remind them that we are people just like they are and that we have a
place in this world. Hopefully, having our show in their homes will expand that world view for
them.
BY JOHN CROOK
Eve Arden (left)
and Kaye Ballard
Mothers
Answers:
1) On the 1967-69 Eve Arden-
Kaye Ballard sitcom “The Mothers-
in-Law,” which of the stars played
the mother of the groom and
which the mother of the bride?
2) Which animated Stone Age
character had a mother named
Pearl Slaghoople?
3) Name the 1993-95 NBC
sitcom starring stand-up comics
Marilyn Kentz and Caryl
Kristensen and adapted from their
club act?
4) What long-running sitcom was
set in the small Southern suburb
called Raytown?
1) Ballard played
Kaye Buell,
mother of groom
Jerry Buell (Jerry
Fogel); Arden
played Eve
Hubbard, mother
of bride Susie
Hubbard Buell
(Deborah Walley).
2) Wilma
Flintstone
3) “The Mommies”
4) “Mama’s
Family”
Questions:
Call
541-523-3673
541-963-3161
For more information