Ben Wang on Contributing to Karate Kid: Legends

      "My first memory of an actor is Jackie Chan," states Ben Wang. "As a child, I didn’t know the names of any actors, but I recognized Jackie Chan."

      Now at 25, Wang stars alongside Chan in Karate Kid: Legends, portraying a young martial artist, Li Fong, who travels from Beijing to New York City, learning from Chan’s Mr. Han, a character returning from 2010’s The Karate Kid.

      "I’ve worked on several projects with well-known individuals, and I thought I had figured out how to manage my feelings internally so that I could just carry on with the work. You can't be overly impressed with them; there's work to do," Wang explains.

      "However, when I truly met Jackie Chan on the first day, I was left speechless. I forgot how to speak."

      Wang was 10 years old when Chan’s Karate Kid was released and had just begun acting in local productions. He lived with his mother in Northfield, Minnesota, a small town surrounded by cornfields. They had relocated from China to be near Wang’s grandfather, a college professor, following his parents’ divorce when he was four.

      Like Chan, Wang exhibits an impressive work ethic, coupled with a lightheartedness that makes hard work appear effortless.

      How did he become a martial artist? Humbly, he notes that he was a nerd and not great at sports, which was particularly challenging in rural Minnesota.

      "In that area, being good with a ball is essential, and I was terrible at it," he chuckles. "Plus, I had a good friend who practiced Taekwondo, and he invited me to join so he could finally find someone to beat up. It was a great experience—I learned a lot and had a lot of fun."

      At that time, he was in second or third grade. He later transitioned into acting, taking the stage for the first time through a traveling summer program that created its own adaptations of well-known productions. One was a version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but with songs that “I’m pretty certain Shakespeare didn’t write,” he remarks.

      "They even did Aladdin, spelled with two Ls to avoid copyright issues," he adds. "It was silly, but incredibly enjoyable."

      Wang prefers not to dwell on adversity or hardship. When asked about the most significant challenge he has faced, he pauses thoughtfuly.

      "I mean, ten years ago, my major issue was that I wasn’t proficient in acting," he says. "I overcame that through education, learning, and training for a decade. It may not be a thrilling answer, but it's the reality. It took a long time for me to reach a point where I can do what I do, and I know there’s still more I want to achieve, which requires even more effort."

      He secured his first role in the CBS reboot of MacGuyver, which aired from 2016 to 2021: "I was the guest star for the week. I hacked a car, and they remarked, 'This kid’s good — but his parents are dead!' [Dramatic music.]"

      He adored every aspect of working on the show—the learning experience, the opportunity to act, and the food service. "It was by far the best catering I’ve ever had," Wang laughs. "I thought, ‘Is this typical? Lamb chops for lunch?’ No! That's only when you’re on America’s leading broadcasting network."

      He attended New York University, which remains his home base, and accumulated an extensive list of credits, including Search Party, 2023’s Chang Can Dunk, and last year’s Mean Girls. He also starred in the 2023 Disney+ series American Born Chinese alongside Oscar winners Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh from 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once.

      He likens his acting progression to the gradual improvements one makes in martial arts.

      "You can’t achieve advancements in karate overnight. You can't perform a bad kick one day and then come back the next and have it perfected," he explains.

      "It's similar with everything else. I studied musical theater. You can’t lack singing ability and then suddenly transform into an opera tenor. It's all about muscle memory—including the ways of thinking and problem-solving. So, it’s essential to build those neural connections in your brain for tackling challenges."

      Did he ever imagine that his childhood passion for martial arts would benefit his acting career?

      He laughs again.

      "I mean, I’m an Asian guy in Hollywood. I figured the chances were pretty high that I would eventually be asked to perform martial arts."

      However, he believes the Karate Kid films are distinctive.

      "In Hollywood, if you're an Asian male and offered these roles, martial arts would typically define the character, right?" he states. "But in this movie, it is just one aspect of the character... He’s a person."

      In addition to Chan, the new film pairs Wang with Ralph Mac