How did that small kid acting opposite Chinese-language film icons Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Michelle Yeoh in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” get his part as the young Shang-Chi in the first place? With a bit of luck, as it turns out.

“I thought I completely flunked the audition because when I was asked about my hobbies, I replied: ‘Sleeping.’ I even added that I got sad when my mom woke me up in the morning,” says Jayden Zhang Tianyi, 12, in an interview.

The imminent release of the Marvel superhero blockbuster will mark the big-screen debut of the child actor, who lives with his older sister and parents in Vancouver, Canada. Zhang’s parents moved there from China 20 years ago.

“When I first got the call, I wasn’t that nervous because all I could think about was how exciting this big news was,” he recalls. “However, when the filming date drew closer, I got a bit nervous as it registered in my head just how influential this role was, and how many people worldwide would see me.”

Zhang was destined for a life in the public eye. His mother enrolled him in an acting camp when he was 9, and his talent caught his manager’s attention at a showcase organized by the Vancouver Young Actors School in 2019.

“When I was younger, I would tell my parents I wanted to be just like the characters in movies, and they would reply, ‘they’re just actors playing a part in the movie!’ After that, I decided I wanted to be an actor, even though I had no idea what that word meant at the time,” says Zhang.

Still, it is an entirely different matter to be working on a Marvel set for your first movie. “I was extra shocked at how smoothly everyone worked together and how well they cooperated,” he says. “Everyone was always very nice to me and took great care of me on set, which I appreciated because, to be honest, I was a little nervous in the beginning.”

There were a few surprises along the way too. “Because this is the first [film] role I ever played, I had never even seen a set before, and I thought that most sets were just made using some props and a green screen. But the Marvel sets were so realistic! There were so many tiny little details that really brought everything together.”

For Zhang, who claims to have enjoyed a happy childhood, it took considerable preparation to channel the protagonist’s difficult earlier life experiences for the story. “I had to learn how to be sad and cry on command in the process of becoming Shang-Chi. I also had to do extensive martial arts training, which was hard despite my karate background.”

Zhang also drew on some similarities between Shang-Chi and himself. “Shang-Chi is similar to me because he has a sense of humor and likes martial arts, but he’s different because he has a mean dad, [is] a superhero, and [has] cool superpowers! I wish I had a cool superpower! My only superpower is being able to eat a lot of food,” he says.

The actor describes his experience working with Leung as both “amazing” and “unnerving” at the same time. “When Tony started acting, it was like he became one with his character, and I couldn’t decide whether he was still the super nice guy I met off set, or this mean villain.”

Witnessing the contrasting between Leung on and off set in turn made it easier for Zhang to sink into his own character. “I feel like I’ve become a better actor after these experiences,” he says.

Zhang also credits director Destin Daniel Cretton for creating a comfort zone around him before shooting his scenes. “He would coach me through each scene beforehand, allowing me to think my lines through and be able to deliver the best performance I had to offer. He even let me sit in his special chair the first time I arrived on set!”

Looking ahead, the actor says he hopes to continue acting following the release of “Shang-Chi.” He is eager to take on more films that center on magic and supernatural elements, and register lead roles in the future instead of playing younger version of characters. He may also give television his first full-blown shot in the coming years.

(SD-Agencies)