Currently starring in Marvel's AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., Ming-Na Wen has had a long and impressive career performing in memorable action and martial arts-related projects like STREET FIGHTER (1995) as the iconic Chun-Li, Disney's animated classic MULAN (1998 she voiced the title character), and now in the four-seasons running Marvel show where she plays the strong central character Agent May. In this exclusive interview, Wen discusses her career, her training in the martial arts, and how her most memorable roles have inspired countless others over the years.
dm: When you got started in the movie business could you have ever foreseen the amount of action and adventure you've gotten into in your career?
M-NW: That would be a negative! I was studying to be an actress who was going to hit Broadway. Growing up, my sole focus was to do theater. During my training, I studied dance and stage combat, and did a lot of physical things, so I was primed for action, but it wasn't the focus.
dm: In all your time starring or co-starring in all of these martial arts-centric projects, have you picked up any formal martial arts training?
M-NW: Over the years, I've trained in Kung Fu. I really enjoy the forms and I love how it's almost dance-like. I also enjoy working with swords and spears. That was my introduction into martial arts. When I got the part of Chun-Li in STREET FIGHTER I studied kickboxing with Benny "The Jet" Urquidez. He's amazing. We trained heavily with him for the film. I felt like I had a natural talent for that, for just working out and being physical. I then studied Tae Kwon Dowith Simon Rhee for a while. But I don't think I'm a very good student. (Laughing.) Except when it came to AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Over four years, I've learned to be a really good stunt fighter.
dm: I want to backtrack a second to a show you appeared in some years back called VANISHING SON (1994). That was a really special show. Do you have any recollections about working on it?
M-NW: Oh, wow. I'm surprised you remember it. I guest starred on it a couple times. It was a very progressive show. I'm so surprised you brought that up.
dm: Your character Chun-Li in STREET FIGHTER is an iconic character for a lot of people. That film and videogame is still very much in the public consciousness. Say something about that character; a lot of fans hold her very dear.
M-NW: Well, now I'm appearing in something that is a comic book format, so I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It's all about great storytelling. Even with STREET FIGHTER, which was based on a videogame, for me I just approached it as I would any other role. These characters are real people and they have an agenda, which was to get rid of Bison, the big bad guy. I think that gave her the heroism that's needed for a character like that. I had a great time playing her. We worked out a lot on that. I found muscles in my body I didn't even know I had. Benny put us through the ropes for that one.
dm: MULAN is an iconic character too. Even though you didn't actually do the things that Mulan did, you helped bring life to that character with your voice, and she's become a role model for people all over the world. Say something about Mulan. What a great character; she's virtually a Disney princess.
M-NW: I would always like to say that Mulan is an honorary Disney princess. She was honored by the Emperor. She's not of royal blood, but I just love the fact that she's such a kickass young woman. She's been a role model for so many girls out there, as well as women. Amazingly enough, Mulan has affected and inspired more people than any other character I've played, except for Agent May. That's astounding to me. Mulan has such a presence, even though she was animated. She was a young girl who didn't feel she had power or didn't feel worthy, but suddenly she followed her heart and believed in her convictions and was able to surpass anyone's expectations. That's a powerful message. Her role surpasses anything as far as ethnicity or even gender is concerned. Or age. She was an incredibly strong person.
dm: Now that you've got a role of a lifetime as Agent May on AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., say something about how the character has evolved since the first time you stepped on the set and started playing this character. The character feels tailor made for you.
M-NW: (Laughing.) I'm always so surprised our writers are capable of writing Agent May after knowing who I am after four years. Agent May is the antithesis of who I am. I'm a complete klutz. I'm silly. I don't take anything seriously. I love sexual innuendos. I laugh all the time. May is completely the opposite of who I am. It's been an incredible challenge and a lot of fun becoming her and seeing how she views the world. When it first started in the pilot episode, she was an enigma. You knew nothing about her except that she was a former agent and something happened to her. Not much was written about her, but over time, it's been fun discovering how much she does care, even though she never shows it. It's wonderful playing her. She won't let her job or anyone else dictate what she believes is the right course of action. I admire her for that.
dm: As far as the action goes in the show, a lot of the action comes from you ... or at least it appears that way. Say something about the action and physicality of the daily grind of being on the show.
M-NW: Oh, it's a really tough show to do. We have an amazing stunt team. We had great people to train us. I've had many people train me, but Ming Qiu - so we're Ming One and Ming Two - she's a Wushu master, so she's been able to teach me a lot of moves and where to focus the energy in training. A lot of times I like to whine about how much it hurts. She's very patient and great at helping me to shape the form of a kick or how to stretch better so that I don't injure myself. One of the worst situations that can happen on a TV show is having one of the main actors get injured and not be able to continue on with the following day's work. We work anywhere from 12-17 hours a day. I do about 80% of it. It's really challenging because I'm not a young woman. I'm quite proud that I'm capable of keeping up with the young 'uns. There are days when I wish was an inhuman so that all I'd have to do is put up my hands and that's all I'd need to do to push away the bad guys!
dm: For fans of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. and fans of the Marvel Universe and fans of yours, what would you like to say to them?
M-NW: We love our fans. They have been diehard followers. They know more than we do. What's so wonderful about our show is that it takes real stories and human situations and the crisis’s going on in our world and wraps it all up in a fantastical reality. It's fun to watch. It's fun to dream along with. "What special power would I want?" For our fans, it's such a joy when they can connect with us, and we can connect with them through these characters and through these stories. We take it to a different level. It's about dreamers who think outside the box.
