American Born Chinese: Cast list and characters explored

Anticipated action comedy TV Series, American Born Chinese will be released on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, on Disney+. The show is based on a 2006 graphic novel of the same name by an American cartoonist called Gene Luen Yang. It will consist of eight episodes with all of them being released at once.

While American Born Chinese has some fresh faces like Ben Wang and Jim Liu in lead roles, there are also a number of prominent faces in important roles.

The official synopsis of the show reads:

"Based on the genre-hopping graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods."

Let's take a closer look at the star-studded cast of the Disney+ show.

---

American Born Chinese cast list: Academy award winners set to steal the show

1) Michelle Yeoh as Guanyin

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh will portray a mythological goddess named Guanyin. According to Chinese folklore, this character is even called Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess". Yeoh is one of the most popular actresses of Asian descent right now and was recently awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress for her film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

This accolade made her the first Malaysian to win an Academy Award in any category. Some of her most popular films are Memoirs of a Geisha, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Shang-Chi, and The Legend of the Ten Rings, etc.

---

2) Yeo Yann Yann as Christine Wang

Yeo Yann Yann plays the role of the mother of the lead character Jin Wang. Like Yeoh, Yann too is Malasian. Her work in TV, film, and theatre is famous in her country and she is mostly known for starring in films like Singapore Dreaming, Thunderstorm, 881, Ilo Ilo, and Wet Season.

Yann has claimed several times that the legendary Kuo Pao Kun is her acting mentor and even holds a degree from Intercultural Theatre Institute. When not acting, she can be found hosting bilingual events.

---

3) Ke Huy Quan as Freddy Wong

Ke Huy Quan was recently awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Even though he has appeared in just a handful of movies, he is recognizable for his roles in films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Goonies, and Encino Man.

During the premiere of the show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Quan revealed that he was nervous to say yes to his role in American Born Chinese. He said:

"I remember when I first heard about this character when I was offered the role, it scared the hell out of me. In fact, I actually passed on it because I told our creative team that this is the type of portrayal that we do not want to see in 2023."

Quan was born in Saigon, South Vietnam but grew up in California.

---

American Born Chinese will be released on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, on Disney+.