Harry Shum Jr. Talks Crazy Fans, Fitness and Emma Watson
Harry Shum Jr., who plays Mike Chang on Glee, is currently in Australia with his co-stars Kevin McHale, Dot Jones and Ashley Fink for two fan conventions in Sydney and Melbourne this weekend: The Hub Productions’ Gleek-On. We had an afternoon chat with Harry to talk about crazy fan experiences, what we can expect from Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, why he owns an inversion table and why he loves Emma Watson.
On being promoted to a Glee series regular for season three: “I’m excited to be officially part of the cast . . . The show has been really good at having me feel a part of this show just like the other cast members, and there are certain things that I wasn’t able to do, like having a bigger storyline, but for the most part they’ve really made me feel a part of the cast already.”
On how he hopes Mike Chang will develop: “Ryan [Murphy] has mentioned that Mike is getting a little more of an in-depth look at his life . . . I’m excited to get to know this character more, what makes him tick, and also his aspirations of what he wants to do after school.”
On his own high school experience: “It was cool! I loved high school. I was really involved - I did ASB, which is a leadership club, and I was involved with the dance team and the drama club. I was more excited to do the extra-curricular activities and be around friends, more so than actual learning [laughs]. But that’s when you learn the most because social skills are important in real life. I was well-known in school - I was also known to bring the entertainment.”
On memorable fan experiences: “The most memorable is when you hear the touching stories about how the show has changed someone’s life. I never think about that. We always think about the entertainment - what makes people clap and dance - but it’s a whole other feeling when someone tells you how it’s changed their lives and brought their families together. You never know that a show can make an impact like this ’cause you always think it’s for entertainment value purposes.”
On weird fan experiences: “There’s a particular fan who was a really hardcore fan, who was waiting in front of a hotel and came from really far away. They were sleeping in the streets and waiting in front of our hotel for like four or five nights straight, and it’s really crazy how far these fans go simply to take a picture with us. We appreciate the enthusiasm - it makes the show what it is, how it’s impacting their lives that they would go and do something crazy like that.”
On touring with the Glee cast and what we can expect from Glee: The 3D Concert Movie: “[The tour] was a lot of work. There were some days where we did a matinee show and an evening show. We were able to visit a lot of great cities and countries, but unfortunately we couldn’t visit every single one of them, so we’re happy that there’s a 3D concert movie for people who weren’t able to attend the concerts. Seeing it in 3D is a perfect experience for something like this, a concert where the music’s blasting and you’re seeing the depth of the stage, the people and the audience. I’m excited for everyone to see it - I think we put on a good show and it’s something we’re proud of.”
On funny behind-the-scenes/on-set stories: “It’s funny because Chord [Overstreet], Mark [Salling] and I would always be jet-lagged and be sleeping before we got to the venues, so we wouldn’t have time to work out. So our workout time is literally when the concert’s going on - in between the numbers we’d have weights and bars, and we’re helping each other do crunches. It’s like a whole workout scene, sometimes to the point where we’re almost late for numbers because we’re so into the workout [laughs].”
On how he stays in shape: “I try to get a sensible workout three times a week . . . I’m trying to figure out ways that my body can still maintain these vigorous shows and routines. I bought an inversion table [laughs], a table where you lay on it and you go upside down so your vertebrae goes back into place. It’s been one of the miracle things I’ve purchased because literally, in three minutes, upside down, my back problems go away.”
On why he likes Emma Watson (he posted it on Twitter): “Oh man, I’m putting my whole life up in public! [laughs] I love [Emma’s] story, hearing that her drama teacher recommended her, that she saw something special in her for the role in Harry Potter. And I love that she’s so humble about everything and that it made her sick to her stomach finding out how much money she was worth, and that it doesn’t affect her in that way.”
On Asian roles in Hollywood: “At the end of the day we [the Asian community] don’t want it to be a case of ‘More Asians on screen’ but more about ‘Let’s put it where it’s right.’ I’m happy to see it happening at a time where I’m involved in it as well. One of my goals is to be able to do things and play things where it’s going against the stereotype.”
On his new project White Frog: “They just finished casting, I don’t know the full cast yet. We’ve got B.D. Wong, Joan Chen, Booboo Stewart. It’s about a family that’s struggling to stay together. A tragedy happens, there’s a kid who has Asperger’s, things get revealed in the family that they have to make a choice whether it tears them apart or keeps them together. It’s a very interesting story, a coming-of-age story, and I’m so excited to play a character that goes outside the realm of musical comedy.”