LOS ANGELES — Based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, “American Born Chinese” tells the story of Jin Wang, a high school teenager juggling his social and home life.

When he makes a new friend, Wang becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Speaking to Spectrum News, Yang said that while the novel is vaguely set in the 1980s when he was growing up, the show takes place in the 2020s.

“The conversation about who we are as community, who Asian Americans are, has changed in that time. Those changes needed to be reflected in the show,” he said.

For Daniel Wu, who plays The Monkey King, “American Born Chinese” means a lot for representation.  

“It is a rare moment in time for Asian Americans in that we got the best of the best to work on this project. We get to display a lot of aspects of our cultural heritage. What I like about this show is its universal theme of trying to fit in and finding your identity in high school. It’s okay to be awkward. It’s okay to not fit in,” he said.

Daniel Wu in "American Born Chinese" on Disney+. (Image courtesy of Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

Ben Wang, who plays Jin Wang, told Spectrum News that “American Born Chinese” is the show he wished he could have had growing up.

“Now I get to be part of a show that can hopefully be that for someone else,” he said. “I feel I am part of something that is going to give something to someone who might need it like I did.”

Melvin Mar, who is an executive producer, told Spectrum News he hopes for people to take away that “AAPIs are three-dimensional characters.” He said as a father to a young daughter, he looks at it through a particular lens.

“She’s growing up seeing characters like these portrayed on screen. It’s unlike the way I grew up, when that was never the case,” he said.

For Yeo Yann Yann, who plays Christine Wang, “American Born Chinese” is her first project in the U.S. She said the show means a lot, and it has been an incredible journey. Her character, Christine, can be any woman, said Yann Yann.

“She is warm. She is kind and hopeful. She tries and fails and succeeds. I just hope that everyone is inspired by her because she is always hopeful, even when she fails,” she said.  

“American Born Chinese” is now streaming on Disney+. It stars Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, Ben Wang, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Daniel Wu, Academy Award winner Key Huy Quan, Jim Liu and Sydney Taylor.

Click the arrow above to watch the full interview.