Hymnson Chan On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Eden Gold
“Everyone has their own journey, but let’s walk it together.” — It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your career and progress to someone else, but everyone has a unique skill set, unique look, and unique opportunities so what’s meant for you, may not be meant for someone else. But make sure to be your friends’ biggest cheerleaders still, too, because this career is not an individual race to see who gets to the finish line first. It’s a team sport. So when one of us rises, we all rise.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Stunt Performer & Actor, Hymnson Chan.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Hymnson Chan’s journey began in a city known for its rugged beauty and diverse culture. However, his formative years were spent in Quincy, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, where he navigated the challenges of growing up in a predominantly Irish-Catholic neighborhood. Raised by immigrant parents from Hong Kong, Hymnson inherited a rich tapestry of resilience and determination. Despite facing discrimination and hardship, Hymnson’s parents instilled in him the values of empathy, humility, and faith, which he carried on into adulthood.
Today, Hymnson is recognized as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stunt performers. His remarkable skills have been showcased in blockbuster hits, including Bullet Train, as well as Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame, where his stunt work won him a SAG Award. No stranger to being on camera, Chan has been recognized for several appearances on the small screen, including I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, Grey’s Anatomy, Kidding, Shameless, Key & Peele, and Jane The Virgin, to name a few. He also recurred in Syfy’s Underlings. Most recently, Chan had the pleasure of starring alongside Larry David as his latest nemesis on the final season of HBO’s hit series Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Beyond his work in front of the camera, Chan is a talented screenwriter and storyteller. He recently won the WeScreenplay TV Pilot Competition with his grounded Sci-Fi-Action pilot, “DAI LO,” inspired by his mother’s immigrant experience and his own journey as a first-generation AAPI. His writing often delves into themes of identity, family, and social issues, aiming to empower marginalized communities and challenge stereotypes. In a world divided by differences, Chan hopes his work continues to break barriers, leaving a legacy of kindness, resilience, and boundless creativity behind.
Outside his work in Hollywood, Chan actively supports charitable organizations such as Best Friends Animal Society, No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA), Angel City Pitbulls, and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE). He believes in using his platform to amplify voices and create opportunities for underrepresented groups in the industry, a testament to his unwavering commitment to making a positive change.
In his free time, Chan enjoys playing escape rooms with his wife, collecting sneakers, and cheering for Boston sports teams. He finds joy in exploring different cultures through travel and food, always seeking to broaden his horizons and connect with others on a deeper level.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was originally born in Calgary, Canada, but moved at a young age and ended up growing up in Quincy, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. It wasn’t the easiest, though, growing up in a predominately Irish- Catholic neighborhood and living next to an unfortunately racist neighbor who constantly harassed my family. I learned very quickly that I was perceived as “different” and that people would judge me based on my looks instead of who I am as a person, so I had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, but it also motivated me to prove people wrong and made me fiercely protective of my family.
Both of my parents are immigrants from Hong Kong, so being raised by that immigrant mentality and adding on top of the fact that my father was a Baptist preacher meant that I grew up in a pretty strict and conservative household. My sister was the “golden child” of the family, and I naturally rebelled as a strong-willed, “think outside the box but learn the hard way” child. But in my rebelliousness, I also caused my parents a lot more grief than they ever deserved, but I’m trying to make it all up to them now… sorry Mom and Dad!
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
Originally, I thought I was going to pursue a career in engineering. I loved puzzles, design, and robotics, so I studied mechanical engineering at Syracuse University. But after my first semester, I knew it was not my path. I was too ADHD to sit at a desk 8 hours a day staring at a computer, and I was terrible at calculus anyway, so it was time to pivot. So I returned to my roots and to what I’ve always enjoyed doing, which was performing and entertaining an audience. From singing/dancing in school talent shows and church plays to performing on a sports field/court as an athlete, I loved the energy and connection I’d build with the crowd. Plus, growing up, I was the biggest Jackie Chan fan, so seeing him on screen playing the hero made me believe that it was possible for me too, so that’s when I decided Hollywood was my destiny.
But aside from Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies, I rarely saw someone that looked like me when it came to American cinema… and when I did, it usually wasn’t in the most positive light or sometimes was straight-up offensive, so I set out to Hollywood to change those perceptions. Ever since I was a kid, I made it a habit of defying the odds and breaking stereotypes, and now, years later, I still carry that as motivation. Working as a stuntman and actor, you absolutely get worn down –mentally and physically — so having that toughness and drive from an early age will hopefully carry me on into old age as well.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
There have been so many stories over the years that it’s hard to choose which is “most interesting,” but watching so many people come and go in this industry has been very interesting. People way more talented, physically gifted, or ambitious than I am have gotten chewed up and spit out in this business so quickly that I’ve learned that one of the biggest factors in success in entertainment is perseverance. Half the battle is just being present for opportunities, and I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not the most skilled, best-looking, or well-connected person in LA. But I endeavor to be one of the most dedicated, unbreakably optimistic, and hard-working guys in town, as well as surround myself with the right people who are also the same… I can’t stress enough the importance of having a strong, supportive community that pushes each other to keep getting better and will help keep you motivated/moving in the right direction.
It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When it comes to stunts, there’s rarely room for any mistakes because that could be the difference between someone going home or going to the hospital. That’s why professional stunt performers are constantly training as much as they can to minimize the risk of any mistakes on set. That being said… a “funny mistake” from the early days was when we were shooting a fight sequence for a show, and one of the stunt guys was choreographed to get a beer bottle smashed into his crotch. Even though it was a breakaway bottle, things can go wrong, and it is a very sensitive area after all. So I forgot who suggested it, but as a precaution, our stunt guy put in a soft pad to protect his family jewels so everyone felt comfortable fully committing to the gag.
So we are ready to go, and cameras are rolling, the director shouts, “Action!” and our actor swings the bottle directly into our stunt guy’s crotch… but it doesn’t break. “Cut!” Maybe our actor was a little timid not to hurt our stunt guy, so no worries. We reset and went for another take… “action!” and he swung the bottle harder on the second take. Hard enough to illicit a slight “oof!” from our stunt guy but once again, the bottle doesn’t break… so the next few takes, our actor is just GOING AT IT… WAILING that bottle into our stunt guy’s crotch like it’s a pinata at a Quinceanera…Whack! Whack! Whack! But the bottle just wasn’t breaking, and it was starting to take its toll on our stunt guy too until someone finally realized… the pad that was meant to soften the blow was doing its job too well and actually was preventing the bottle from breaking… total facepalm moment. So we pull out the pad, and of course, on the very next take, the bottle breaks perfectly!
A moment of victory for the crew and I’m sure an even bigger moment of relief for our stunt guy. So the lesson learned was that even though it’s important to be as prepared and protected as possible for a stunt, sometimes being over-prepared can be just as much of a hindrance.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Avengers Endgame is one of the biggest highlights of my stunt career, and on the acting side, my experience on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is easily the most fun job I’ve had so far, so both are going to be hard to top… but I’m really excited about the TV series that I created called “DAI LO.” It’s a quirky and fun Grounded Sci-Fi Action series that follows an “uptight, suburban housewife who teams up with a brash, assassin Clone to stop a genocidal conspiracy, forge her own identity, and unravel her brother’s mysterious death.” Think “Killing Eve” meets “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” The pilot script for “DAI LO” was a winner of the WeScreenplay TV Competition, and it’s been building buzz, so I’m looking forward to sending that out and building a team around it.
I also recently completed post-production on an action short film that I wrote and directed called “RISE OF CHOW,” which reimagines the origin story of an iconic yet controversial Asian character. I won’t say which character just yet… but it transforms that person from a caricature of negative Asian stereotypes into a relatable, layered, and badass anti-hero. I just started submitting it to film festivals, but I would love to turn it into a full-length feature film one day.
As a rising star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated and
overcome obstacles in your career?
Remember that viral video with Shia LaBeouf years ago where he’s screaming motivational quotes at the camera, like “Just do it!!” and “Don’t let your dreams be dreams!”? As funny as it comes off to some people, I actually found it very inspirational and motivating. Especially coming from an actor with such extensive credits and skill, those words carry weight, and honestly, sometimes it really is just that simple to make progress… Do you want to pursue your dreams? “Just do it!” Because an important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that “no one can stop you from achieving your dreams. Except you.” Too often, we let fear of failure or criticism stop us from achieving our goals, but when you realize that failure is just part of the process and it’s your own choice whether to keep moving forward or give up, you hold all the power! So, I encourage people to live more fearlessly and not let outside forces take their dreams away from them.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
It’s important to have diversity and authentic representation in film and television because most of the world’s population hasn’t had meaningful interactions with people outside of their culture, community, or race. So when it comes to people who are “different”, they only have TV & film as their reference base, and if portrayals of that specific community are always negative, then that’s what people believe them to be in real life. Those stereotypes turn people’s ignorance into real-life prejudice… so having more diversity and authentic representation will show that even though we may seem different on the surface, we all have so much more in common. And those are the things that should unite us instead.
Secondly, diversity is the spice of life! You can’t live your life eating the same meal every single day. That’s incredibly boring and a sad way to live. So when you venture out of your comfort zone and try new foods, new cultures, and new people, I guarantee your life will be more interesting and more fulfilling, and it will only help you grow as a person. So when there is more diversity in the entertainment industry, both on-screen and off-screen, the quality of storytelling improves exponentially. You get fresh ideas from different perspectives that have never been explored before. Not to mention, you may learn about things that you were never even aware of. A great example was that I had no idea about Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 until the TV shows “Watchmen” and “Lovecraft County” taught me about sundown towns. These shows may have been fictionalized, but they opened my eyes to very real events and important true history that is rarely ever talked about but should be.
And one of the most important reasons… ALL people deserve to be seen and represented. Seeing Jackie Chan and Jet Li as heroes on screen gave me confidence that I could be the hero of my own story. And seeing other influential Asians succeed, like Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Ken Jeong, Randall Park, Sandra Oh, James Hong, the list goes on and on… pushes me to be just like them because it’s evidence that it’s possible. And I think that is relatable to anyone of any group — whether you’re Asian, Black, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergent, etc. — it’s a proud and validating moment when you see someone succeed that’s just like you, and motivation that it could be possible for you too!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1 . “Ego is not your amigo” — (quote from stunt legend Eddie Braun). No one wants to work with an a*hole, so the key to career longevity is humility. No one person is more important than the whole, so staying grounded and being a team player is essential. Your job on set is to make everyone’s job easier, and if you have a mindset of helping others first, it’s going to make your life and everyone else’s a lot more enjoyable too, and not to mention, it’s going to keep you working.
2 . “Things will fall into place when you’re ready.” — When I first started, I put way too much pressure on myself that a particular role was going to be a “game changer” or that was going to make me a star, and that type of undue stress and mentality can really affect your audition. Casting Directors can sense the desperation in your read, whether unconsciously or not, and just like that, you’ve lost the role. And I had some really big opportunities early on, like reading for starring roles in major blockbuster films. Looking back, I’m very grateful that I didn’t book them because I don’t think I was mentally mature enough to handle the responsibilities that would’ve come with it and wasn’t strong enough to avoid that trap so whatever is meant for you, will happen in due time.
3 . “Always be honest about your skills” (and everything else really) … when it comes to acting and stunts alike, performers are so afraid to lose a job or they’re will to do/say whatever to get the job, even when it’s not true. But 99% of the time, that never works out, which could risk someone getting hurt or tons of money wasted. More importantly, it gives you a bad reputation that people will not want to work with you in the future. So it’s not worth it to lie or try to learn it on-set on the day; just be honest, and another role will come along.
4 . “If you’re ‘acting,’ then you’ve already failed as an actor.” — Early in my career, I thought a good actor was someone who could show big emotions, like screaming when you are angry or crying on cue when you’re sad, so I forced that into scenes because I wanted to show off. But looking back, that’s probably the reason why I didn’t book the role. I was too focused on showing off my “acting skills” instead of living in the moment, reacting like a normal human being. So, I will prepare as much for a role as possible, but I won’t be married to certain choices because it’s much more important to let scenes unfold organically.
5 . “Everyone has their own journey, but let’s walk it together.” — It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your career and progress to someone else, but everyone has a unique skill set, unique look, and unique opportunities so what’s meant for you, may not be meant for someone else. But make sure to be your friends’ biggest cheerleaders still, too, because this career is not an individual race to see who gets to the finish line first. It’s a team sport. So when one of us rises, we all rise.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
I try to stay in a constant state of gratefulness and humility but also remember to celebrate the little wins, too. There’s no such thing as an “overnight star,” and a lot of people get burned out because they’re constantly chasing that big, life-changing moment, but true success, fame, stardom, whatever you want to pursue… it takes hundreds of tiny steps before you can take that giant leap. So celebrate those milestones along the way because even though you may not be where you want to be in the future, tons of people wish they could be where you are right now. Focus on being content, not being a celebrity.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I wish that dog fostering was mandatory, like required community service hours, and that dogs could only be adopted through rescues/shelters and not purchased from puppy mills or breeders. I’ve volunteered at various animal rescues throughout my life, and I personally have two rescue dogs and a foster cat that are loved immensely (spoiled even) and totally changed my world. There’s an unparalleled love and loyalty that animals just naturally give to humans, and I can’t imagine the countless animals who get put down just because they weren’t given a fair chance and had owners who didn’t care enough to take care of them properly or were tossed aside from puppy mills or whatever heartbreaking reasons. They don’t deserve that, so let’s do better. Volunteer, donate, and get involved in whatever way you can to support your local rescue!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
It’s definitely a huge team effort to get where I am today, which is saying something because I still have a long way to go. However, several people who were highly influential when I first got started in stunts were Vince Deadrick Jr, Garrett Warren, and Mike Chat. Mike was one of my first instructors at a stunt gym, XMA HQ, when I first started training seriously for stunts, as well as taught me about set etiquette, stunt hustling, and the importance of community… Vince gave me my first official stunt job on the Nickelodeon show “Big Time Rush,” and he and his family have since become like my family… and Garrett gave me my first “fight coordinator” credit on a shoot for the clothing brand, “Johnny Cupcakes” and he’s someone I can always reach out to for advice and feedback on stunt previzes I’ve shot or scripts I’ve written, even though he’s usually busy working with the biggest names in Hollywood like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
All of them helped me build my foundation to become a successful stunt performer, learn what it takes to move up the ladder in this industry, and have continued to support me however they can. I’m truly grateful to those guys for their friendship and mentorship.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
There have been plenty of times when the odds were stacked against me, my outlook wasn’t good, or I was so beaten down that I couldn’t take anymore. But I persevered because I knew something better was waiting for me on the other side if I kept doing the right thing. Even when doing the right thing was also the hard thing, it never failed, so that’s something that I carry deeply, both professionally and personally. Everyone will get their time to shine as long as you don’t give up.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
That’s a tough question because I have a mile-long wish list, but Donald Glover is definitely at the top of that wish list! I briefly met him a few years back when I worked on an episode of “Community”, but watching his career skyrocket in so many facets -music, acting, writing, directing, producing- is astounding. Comedy, drama, thrillers, horror, action, he can do it all. Not to mention, “Atlanta” is one of my all-time favorite shows, and his work is so layered with social awareness and relevance that it’s a big-brain genius type of work. So, getting to pick his brain over a meal would be a dream. C’mon, Donald, let’s break bread!
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram — @heyhymnson Twitter/X — @hymnson
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold.
