Actor, comedian, and author Jimmy O. Yang takes center stage in Hulu’s Interior Chinatown, the highly anticipated adaptation of Charles Yu’s award-winning novel. Yang, known for his roles in Silicon Valley, Crazy Rich Asians, and his popular standup specials, steps into the shoes of Willis Wu—a character who is tired of being in the background and longs to be the lead of his own story. We spoke with Jimmy about the nuances of portraying Willis, the challenges of striking a balance between comedy and drama, and how his own experiences as an Asian-American shaped his portrayal.
Finding Himself in Willis Wu’s Struggle
For Jimmy, reading the script for Interior Chinatown was like looking in a mirror. The story of Willis Wu—an Asian-American man relegated to being a background character in a fictional police procedural—hit close to home, as it mirrored many of Jimmy’s own experiences navigating Hollywood.
“Reading the script first, it was just a beautifully written script and I related so much to what Willis was going through. You know, it seems like he was assigned a box by his family, by society, and then he just can’t quite get out, and he doesn’t know why. And I think a lot of times that’s how we felt, you know, as Asian-Americans or just an underdog, really,” Jimmy shared.
Like Willis, Jimmy has experienced being overlooked or being placed in a box, typecast into specific roles based on others’ limited perceptions. However, much like the journey of his character, Jimmy has worked his way out of the background, proving himself capable of taking the lead.
Balancing Comedy with Emotional Storytelling
Despite his well-known comedic chops, Jimmy had to dig deep into his dramatic side for Interior Chinatown. Willis’s journey isn’t just humorous—it’s an emotional rollercoaster that touches on family, identity, and the struggle to break free from societal expectations. This meant finding the humor without relying on his usual comedy toolkit.
“I just had to focus on the relationships, you know, how he has kind of like a tough relationship with his father, his relationship with his best friend, Fatty, which is great because Ronnie [Chieng] is the comic relief. So he took a lot of pressure off my shoulder. I get to just tell Willis’s story and go through his journey while I know he’s going to be funny in it,” Jimmy explained.
The contrast between Jimmy’s typically comedic persona and the vulnerability required for Willis made his performance in Interior Chinatown stand out. He highlighted that each character, from Lana Lee to his family, brought out different facets of Willis’s personality. Whether it was the awkwardness of romance or the push and pull of a complex father-son relationship, Jimmy found ways to dig deep and deliver a performance that was both heartwarming and nuanced.
Getting His Own “Good Lighting”
For Willis Wu, “getting good lighting” symbolizes being noticed, being important. Jimmy reflected on how his career has mirrored that journey from being a background character to stepping into the spotlight. His time on Silicon Valley, he shared, felt like his training ground—the place where he slowly but surely found his way to center stage.
“It starts off a little bit at a time, you know, whether I had a two-line part… and then Silicon Valley, I think that show was my university. I started off as a two-line part, three episodes, and then I became a series regular… And that was really cool. And with Crazy Rich Asians, it also really shined the light not just on me but on the community,” Jimmy said.
Jimmy’s reflection on his career evolution reveals the depth of his connection to Interior Chinatown. It’s not just a role for him—it’s a story that mirrors his own journey as an actor. From the tech guy in Silicon Valley to a lead in Interior Chinatown, Jimmy’s personal story embodies what it means to finally step into the good lighting.
Stepping Into the Spotlight
Jimmy O. Yang brings depth, humor, and a personal touch to Interior Chinatown, making Willis Wu a character that many viewers will undoubtedly connect with. His journey from the sidelines to the spotlight mirrors the character he plays—an underdog who refuses to stay in the background. With its focus on identity, humor, and emotional storytelling, Interior Chinatown promises to be more than just another cop procedural; it’s a heartfelt exploration of what it means to truly take control of your story.
About Interior Chinatown
Release: November 19, 2024
Creator: Charles Yu
Executive Producers: Charles Yu, Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore for Rideback; Jeff Skoll, Miura Kite and Elsie Choi for Participant; Garrett Basch for Dive; and Taika Waititi
Pilot Director: Taika Waititi
Production: 20th Television
Episodes: 10
Cast: Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Chloe Bennet, Lisa Gilroy, Sullivan Jones, Archie Kao, Diana Lin
Synopsis
Based on Charles Yu’s award-winning book of the same name, the show follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. Relegated to the background, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables and dreaming about a whole world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown, his family’s buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight.
Are you excited to see Jimmy O. Yang take the lead in Interior Chinatown? Which parts of Willis Wu’s journey are you most eager to watch—his battle to break stereotypes or his evolving family relationships? Let us know your thoughts on social media!
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