In the new live-action of Mulan, he plays Ling, one of Mulan’s friends and compatriots in the army. “The release has been postponed to July 24. I am very much looking forward to that. My character, Ling, is one of the few characters that was the same in the original animated film. I love the original movie quite a bit. To play a character that I had some reference for was really nice. It was really rewarding,” he said.
“The experience itself in the film was amazing in every way. I had a magnificent time doing it and being a part of such a fun environment. It was a completely new experience for me. The actors I worked with are at the top in their profession in every way,” he said.
Wong and Ashley Adams will be releasing their new cookbook The Feast of Fiction Kitchen on April 28 via Countryman Press. They cook up the real-life equivalent of fictional dishes to pay homage in a genuine, geeky, and lively way. It is available for pre-order on Amazon. “It has 55 recipes and some other recipes. It’s a complete, cohesive cookbook for easy-to-make and advanced recipes that go back to your favorite TV shows and video games. It is great for anybody who has nostalgia of the ’90s and loves games,” he said.
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “It is very interesting given the current circumstances around the world. A lot of people have lost work and employment. I am one of the fortunate few that is still able to do what I love: creative content, make videos and post things on social media. I can do all of these things in the comfort of my own home and apartment. Being a digital actor gives you a lot more freedom to innovate and do fun things on the Internet.”
He also recently wrote a parody song “The Chinese Virus” and filmed a music video in an effort to combat the racism many Asians are experiencing during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The parody song may be downloaded for free by clicking here. “I completed this song in two or three days. I pulled an all-nighter to get it out and I thought that it needed to be very timely with what is happening in the world,” he said.
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Acting is a very tough thing to do. I wouldn’t recommend it as your solo career for most people. It can be extremely challenging and difficult. There are no guarantees in it. Focus more on doing things that let you be adjacent to what acting is: filmmaking, making videos on YouTube or creating content for any social platform you want. By doing so, you will foster and grow many other skills.”
He shared that he would love to someday work with the Coen brothers, who he praised as “amazing directors,” as well as such actors as Michael Fassbender, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Wong defined the word success as “feeling a sense of accomplishment in terms of being able to teach and spread messages of awareness, also being able to show representation in the world and bringing inspiration to somebody that might have not been able to have it otherwise.”
To learn more about actor Jimmy Wong, follow him on Instagram, Facebook and on Twitter.
