Young Entertainment is kicking off the new year in style, bringing you an exclusive conversation with Sam Song Li, who plays Bruce Sun in the highly anticipated new Netflix series The Brothers Sun. Created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, the show celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage and stories with an all-Asian writers room and cast. If you are looking to learn more about the series you have come to the right place as Sam tells us all about what it was like playing his character Bruce Sun. He also talked to us about working alongside Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh,how he dealt with the stunt scenes in the show and his advice for other Asian actors.
“This is the best time ever to pursue the career and craft of not only acting, but in film and TV. There has never been a time, historically, that the odds are stacked in your favor like this.”
As always, we will avoid any spoilers for the show in case you haven’t yet watched it but will give our readers a little refresher about its premise. The Brother’s Sun follows Charles Sun, played by Justin Chien, a Taipei gangster who returns to Los Angeles to protect his strong-willed mother, played by Michelle Yeoh, and his oblivious and
innocent young brother, Bruce, after his father is shot by a mysterious assassin targeting his family.
Sam Song Li was born in Guangzhou, China, and raised in Southern California where he attended the University of California, Berkeley. He first came onto the scene after being cast opposite Simu Liu in Women is Losers, which premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival. Sam also gained a big social media following as a result of his self-produced comedy sketches about Gen Z and Millennial culture. The Brothers Sun is Sam’s first major television role. We spoke to him about the audition process which he actually quite enjoyed because he felt so strongly about the project. Following a long casting process, Sam revealed that he found out that he got the role when the show’s co-creator Byron Wu called him while he was visiting Disneyland. Talk about dreams coming true!
“I was at Disneyland when I found out [I got the role], so it was already the happiest place on Earth.”
Sam also talked about what it was like to work alongside Michelle Yeoh who made history in 2023 for becoming the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Sam admitted that he was starstruck at first but that her kindness made acting together almost effortless. Sam also received great acting advice about how to switch into character on set and how to keep things fun from her.
“Working with Michelle [Yeoh] was a dream come true. She is incredible and so nice.”
Thank you, Sam, for your time and for speaking with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow him on Instagram at @thesamlitv. Please also watch the interview, where we ask him more questions about his stunt scenes, the audition process, working with the rest of the cast, and the importance of telling Asian American stories. While you’re there, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for
the latest news in young entertainment!
Consider This:
1. Audition processes and callbacks take time, stay patient.
2. There are more opportunities than ever these days for minorities in film and television. If you are passionate about it, go for it.
