Imagine meeting a talking tiger named Mr. Hu and being asked to protect an ancient phoenix from evildoers? In The Tiger’s Apprentice on Paramount+ Tom Lee, a Chinese-American teen voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo, goes on this wild adventure and discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors. The animated film was cast with the best Asian and Asian-American actors and was just released in time to celebrate the Lunar New Year. We have exclusive interviews with some of the stars who voice characters in the film: Sherry Cola, Leah Lewis, Brandon Soo Hoo, Diana Lee Inosanto, Deborah S. Craig, and Tan Kheng Hua.

In addition to the cast members we chatted with, the film also stars the voices of Henry Golding, Bowen Yang, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, and more. How much more star-packed can this film get? It’s based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Laurence Yep. 

The animated martial arts film is full of battles between the forces of good and evil and the fate of the world is resting in Tom’s hands. Tom must reunite all twelve Chinese Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers. No pressure! 

Brandon Soo Hoo: “For the animated character, I think right away I felt a lot of parallels to Spiderman. He is the young witty hero kind of stepping into his power, finding his path.”

While Tom is learning new things about himself in this journey, the voice actors in the film also learned about themselves! Deborah, who plays Vatten said she loved voicing an animated character, coming from a musical theater background. Tan, who plays Tom’s grandmother in the film, hopes to one day be that type of grandmother in real life. 

Leah Lewis: “What I like about Räv is she is edgy but not judgemental or sarcastic. She is a genuinely cool grounded chick who is there to serve but also has self respect.”

Thank you, Sherry, Leah, Brandon, Tan, Diana, and Deborah, for FaceTiming with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow them on their Instagrams at @shrrycola, @leahmlewis, @brandonsoohoo, @therealdianaleeinosanto, @thedeborahscraig. Watch the interviews, where we ask them about their characters and their Chinese zodiac signs. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment!

Consider this:

• Find similarities between yourself and your character. This will help you better prepare for scenes.