Go Away With … Hymnson Chan

By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune and other outlets
July 23, 2024

For stuntman-turned-actor Hymnson Chan, the transition was easy because his work doing stunts required acting skills. “We have to sell hits to make them look more painful than they actually are,” said the Los Angeles-based filmmaker. “Or we have to maintain a certain emotion during scenes – like fear or panic – when doing a high fall.” He has won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his stunt work on “Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame.” And he said getting the opportunity to act opposite Larry David on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” was a reward in itself. Currently, he is promoting his action short film “Rise of Chow,” which he wrote and directed, at film festivals like the Bravemaker Film Fest, Austin Action Fest and the Tarzana International Film Festival. He stays in touch with fans on Instagram.

Q: Where did you film “Rise of Chow”?
A: We filmed in downtown L.A. at a location called CinePacks Studios and at a couple of friends’ homes and businesses in Burbank. Since the story takes place in Las Vegas, these locations needed a very specific look, which was difficult because we didn’t have the budget to actually shoot on the Vegas Strip. We had to get very creative.

Q: Has your ethnicity affected your career?
A: Being a part of the Asian and Asian American community is such a blessing! The true strength of Asians has been overlooked and oppressed for too long. But in recent years, there’s been a real boost in the sense of pride. But when it comes to quality roles, it still is slim pickings for Asian actors. And unless it’s an “Asian” show, then there still is the feeling that there can only be one token Asian on the show. However, some Asian-centric shows like “Shogun,” “Brothers Sun,” “Warrior,” “Beef” and “Tokyo Vice” are some of the top shows in recent years, and the viewership numbers and critical acclaim are proof of that. So, hopefully, that will help continually grow the amount of quality roles for people like me.

Q: Do you have any upcoming trips planned?
A: I’m planning to visit my family back in my hometown of Boston because my sister is scheduled to give birth soon.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: Rome, Italy! It’s my absolutely favorite city – the food, sights, people, history just can’t be beat. I never had a bad meal in Rome and could probably live on carbonara and gelato alone. Plus, the history that’s been expertly preserved is amazing … getting to see the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica all in person is mind-blowing. Plus, it’s a pretty walkable city, which makes it convenient. And there are cool little food spots on every block.

Q: What childhood trip stands out?
A: When I was a kid, my family took a trip to Banff, Alberta (Canada). It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. We went during the winter to see the snow-capped mountains. On one of our hikes, we were crossing over a wooden bridge and I didn’t realize how icy it was. I slipped, fell and slid off the bridge! Thankfully, I clung to the railing long enough that one of our family friends had the quick reaction to snatch me up before I plunged down the mountainside. Thank God I didn’t, because it would’ve been the end of my story at that height. I was only seven or eight at the time, but it’s a memory I still remember vividly today.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: This list will probably change as I get to do more traveling, but there are a few cities that seem like permanent favorites. So far, my five favorite cities are my hometown of Boston, Rome, New Orleans, London, and, of course, the city where dreams are made – well at least mine so far – Los Angeles! L.A. has the most diverse food culture in the country and there’s literally every type of climate within an hour or two of each other.

Q: What is your best vacation memory?
A: Getting to walk the paths that the gladiators walked underneath the Colosseum in Rome was really cool, but the one thing that topped that was when I had a chance to visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Whether you’re religious or not, it’s a jaw-dropping sight. When I say it’s the largest church in the world, you can’t even wrap your mind around how big it actually is unless you see it in person. It’s nearly six acres of space and can fit 60,000 people! That’s bigger than most sports stadiums across the world! I happened to be there for the daily afternoon prayer service, and out of the crowd of people bunched together, the priest chose me to lead the prayer. As massive a space as it was [with] thousands of people milling about, it was almost completely silent during the service. It felt like a divine moment as I stood in front of the altar of St. Peter’s tomb and led thousands of people in a Catholic prayer on the spot where essentially the Christian church began. It is hard to truly describe the feeling, but it was super cool and a reminder that no matter where we go, physically or spiritually, God will always be there to pick us out of the crowd when we least expect it or when we need it the most.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: There’s so much of Asia and Europe that I would absolutely love to visit. Getting to experience different cultures and their foods is something I don’t take for granted. But currently at the top of my travel dream list are Thailand, Spain, Japan, Greece, Portugal and Dubai. Seems like it would be an incredible experience as well.

Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?
A: I grew up speaking Cantonese because both my parents are immigrants from Hong Kong. I try to speak it as often as possible because, as the Steve Carell “40-Year-Old Virgin” quote goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” In high school, I took Spanish for a couple of years. While living in Los Angeles for the past decade, my Spanish has gotten significantly better and I can understand 30 to 40 percent of Spanish conversations. So, with a lot of practice, I can pick up new languages relatively easily. But for some reason, it’s been a bit more difficult trying to learn Mandarin. It shares a lot of words similar to Cantonese, but the difference in intonation changes everything, so that’s been tricky.

© 2024 JAE-HA KIM
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