In this interview, Deborah S. Craig and Kheng Hua Tan discuss their new film The Tiger’s Apprentice and what they were most excited to see on screen.
Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprentice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians, something he always thought was a bedtime story.
We spoke with Deborah S. Craig (Pig) and Kheng Hua Tan (Ms. Lee) about their new film, The Tiger’s Apprentice. In this interview they reveal what it was about this movie that made them want to be a part of it — spoiler, this starts a lot of (deserved) Michelle Yeoh praise! The two also confess what it was that they were most excited to see go from page to screen.
Deborah S. Craig & Kheng Hua Tan Talk The Tiger’s Apprentice
Tessa Smith: I thought The Tiger’s Apprentice was so much fun. I’d love to know what it was for you guys that made you want to be a part of it.
Deborah S. Craig: Animation. To originate a character in an animated film and to have that brought to life as always a dream. It’s so fun. It’s something that… you grew up seeing characters that come to life for you, and then to get to play one that you hope will influence future generations is always so special, and to be in an all Asian cast like this, telling this story, and sharing our culture with the rest of the world. I guess, like one quarter of the world, because everyone else really already knows, that’s really special.
Kheng Hua Tan: Well, for me, I’m a Chinese Singaporean, and the Chinese zodiac is so much a very real and influential part of my life, all my life, and it will be for everybody in an Asian country like mine. So that was a big point of attraction for me. Secondly, I love voicing. I love being in that room by myself. It really speaks to my introverted artist, just with the directors talking to you. There’s something so intimate and private. I find it very fertile ground for my imagination to just really go crazy. And it’s so enjoyable. And we get to try out how to say the line in so many different ways. And Deborah will agree with me, all of us did our voicing on our own.
Deborah S. Craig: Yeah. And I got to squeal a lot. Honestly, my dream come true is to squeal and snort.
Kheng Hua Tan: Yeah, I got to fight with Michelle Yeoh, all in that room, and it was all in my head. And then to watch it come together. A beautiful, beautiful process. I love it.
Tessa Smith: Was there something in particular when you were looking at the script that you couldn’t wait to see come on screen?
Deborah S. Craig: I think just all of it. To see the voices come together, and to see the animated characters, and to see what they had created. It takes such a huge team. When you are in the booth by yourself, and isolating, and you’re working with the creative team, who were so delightful and so kind and so fun, and then to see it all be completed is like pure magic.
Kheng Hua Tan: Yeah. I mean, for me, I’m sure everybody will agree with me fighting with Michelle Yeoh. That was on my bucket list.
Deborah S. Craig: Have you heard of her? She’s got potential.
Kheng Hua Tan: And then to know that it’s animation. When you’re actually voicing it, you don’t really know how it’s gonna turn out, and because it’s animation, anything can happen.
The Tiger’s Apprentice comes exclusively to Paramount+ on February 2nd.
NEXT: The Tiger’s Apprentice Review: Boasts A Talented Cast
About The Tiger’s Apprentice
Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, THE TIGER’S APPRENTICE follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians.
With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu (Golding), Tom trains to take on Loo (Yeoh), a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but with evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity.
To have a fighting chance against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.
The Tiger’s Apprentice comes exclusively to Paramount+ on February 2nd.
