For over a decade, Stephen Oyoung has been one of the hardest working stunt performers and choreographers in the business, steadily building up an impressive resume of television and film projects befitting his martial arts background. In the intervening years, Oyoung has branched more extensively into acting, with one of his biggest gigs yet on Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy as the superhero Tectonic. In addition to on-screen work, Oyoung has also contributed to video games, performing voice work and motion capture in major label games like Spider-Man and the upcoming Gotham Knights.
In an exclusive interview with CBR, Oyoung detailed what it was like to join up with the new generation of superheroes in Jupiter's Legacy. He spoke about his lifelong love of comic books paying off with roles like Jason Todd and Mr. Negative and teased new projects he has coming up.
CBR: Let's start with Jupiter's Legacy, the first Millarworld title to be adapted by Netflix. How is it to be a part of this postmodern take on superheroes? [Note: This interview was conducted before Netflix cancelled Jupiter's Legacy after its first season]
Stephen Oyoung: It's surreal and a dream come true, as cliche as it sounds. Everybody wants to suit up in some amazing super-suit and have superpowers. Not only was able to do all of that, I was able to do my own stunts, portray a superhero created for the show and be a good guy -- that was great -- and work on action sequences designed by top-notch action designer Phil Silvera and work with Stephen DeKnight and Sang Kim, who is our fantastic writer, and work in Canada! Everybody was so nice! I could not say better things about the experience and now it's #1 streaming in the world! It's completely surreal!
With that level of visibility, how has the fan response been since the series dropped?
Oyoung: It's just increasing, which is very nice. I'm just thankful to the fans for liking what we do and liking my part specifically. It's brief but it's important, so it's nice that people notice. I have a meaty acting scene with my now good friend Andrew Horton, who plays Paragon.
That was the other thing: The cast was just delightful, friendly people. We all got along great, it was like summer camp, we all trained for four weeks for this fight that you maybe see for two minutes. [laughs] But in doing that, we all got to know each other and the chemistry that you see on the screen is real. And the fact that people take the time to hit me up on Twitter or Instagram and just say, "You were great, I hope to see you in the next season!" that is all the reward -- besides money -- that I can ask for. [laughs]
With there being no comic book basis for Tectonic, how was it developing this character from the ground-up? Was there a specific line or stage direction that helped crack your performance?
Oyoung: When we started pre-production, they were looking to cast Paragon's best friend, and a group of his best friends, to humanize us as the new Union of Heroes. So it was a completely new character written precisely for this show and it was open casting! I was able to get an audition and the scene was just the scene that you see where we're at a bar and we're just chitchatting. I think the thing that really cracked it open for me was just straight up the very first sentence. I kind of knew because his first line is like, "Bran-don! It's not every night Paragon is out on the town, so why don't you show him some love?" I read that first sentence and said, "I know exactly how this guy is! I know what he's about: He's about having a good time but he's also a good guy!" And it turned out that was right and the rest is history.
Get to the audition, they want to see some moves. They know that my background is in martial arts and I've done tons of stunts and fighting and fight choreography. It was just a perfect opportunity and meeting of minds there. When I did actually get the part and we were doing the prep for it, it was very exciting to see them create the character from the ground-up: the costuming, from the concept to putting the thing on, it was all tailor-made for me. As an actor, that was another dream come true, especially since we're so egotistical. [laughs]
As a stunt performer, choreographer and trainer, what makes for a good stunt? What's that secret sauce?
Oyoung: I've always said this, but the story makes the best stunt and the best fight. Everybody can do a gag. Like Bruce Lee said, "A punch is just a punch." A gag is just a gag. Somebody falling from a high fall is a high fall. But when you're putting together a story, why is the guy falling? Why is this person punching this person? Why is this person throwing this kick? It all comes together through the story, you can put yourself in the character's position and once you're there, it's amazing otherwise it's an exhibition.
And to quote Bruce Lee, it needs emotional content.
Oyoung: Exactly! It needs emotional content! So anytime you see a good fight or a good stunt, it's all because of that!
What were you working on before the shutdown?
Oyoung: Before the shutdown, I was working on Gotham Knights, this video game up in Canada. We finished filming and they announced they were shutting down the border and it was literally like something out of Escape from L.A. I had to get to the airport, fly to California and, after that, everything's been closed for over a year now. It was very hectic.
But now I'm on this TV show Good Trouble on Hulu and Freeform and we're back doing the protocols, with the masks; SAG has implemented all these safety protocols so we do all the testing. I was also working on a Disney thing, I can't really say what it is, that was really the first thing that I came back to. They were the first thing that I saw that implemented all these COVID guidelines and it's been pretty smooth sailing.
You mentioned Gotham Knights. Jason Todd is the second comic book video game character you've portrayed. When you're taking an established character like Jason or Spider-Man's Martin Li, how is it lending your own voice while staying true to these established characters?
Oyoung: I grew up as a huge comic book fan. In fact, I wanted to be a comic book artist before I wanted to be an actor all the way until I was the age of fifteen, went to Comic-Con and got blown out of the water by all the other artists. [laughs] I've always loved comic books and the two characters, no joke, Spider-Man and Batman. I always had issues of Spider-Man and Batman in the '80s and I loved Todd McFarlane's run. For me, being able to play Mr. Negative and Jason Todd, it's nerve-wracking because there's fan expectations and there's performances that have been done to much critical and general acclaim. Who wants to follow in the footsteps of a very successful act, it's very nerve-wracking.
But as a martial artist and as a comic book fan, it was a great chance to just play in this world. And the great thing about Insomniac and WB Montreal is that they really allowed me to play and put my own spin on these characters. Anytime I deviated too far from what they were expecting, they could guide me back in, but it was more of a symbiotic relationship. It was a great relationship.
As a trainer, how was it been working with actors like Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington, working to make sure their performances shine through these set pieces while maintaining that emotional content?
Oyoung: They always say never meet your heroes but, in this case, I've been super-lucky. Everybody that I've trained and mentored, including the guys that you mentioned and Jennifer Garner as well, they've been nothing but amazing, professional, kind, welcoming and they're open to the training. And they're good, too, so that makes it easy on me. But as much as they've learned from me, I learn from them. I teach them the martial arts and they teach me little tricks from when I watch them on set on how they approach their performance and how they carry themselves on set. That's where I really cut my teeth the most in this business and learning how to act, just watching the best.
We're also in the middle of this golden age of stunt performers and coordinators becoming more prominent on both sides of the camera as actors and filmmakers. What are some of your longer term aspirations and how does it feel to be part of that wave?
Oyoung: It feels great! I spent so many years as a stunt performer, and then going into becoming a fight choreographer before literally making the jump into acting. I'm kind of an anomaly there. It was very difficult, but now that I'm an actor, I like to use my platform to speak up for these unsung heroes of the industry. I do believe there should be an Oscar category for stunts and I do think it's super exciting to have stunt performers becoming directors and making these amazing action films. I know, coming up, we'd always say we could shoot this better and now they are shooting it better.
I'm personally very excited for the future because I hope to lend my skills as an action actor to this new generation of films and TV shows. For me, it's starting out with video games and Jupiter's Legacy and there'll be more in the future. We also have more opportunities for Asian Americans like Mortal Kombat and Shang-Chi, things of that nature. My long-term aspiration is that Marvel doesn't have to have just one Asian superhero, we can have two! [laughs] I'll fight Simu Liu right now! Let's make it happen! I'll be the Killmonger to his Black Panther, if that's what it takes. I just have to keep training, keep working on my craft and keep working and the right project will find me and it'll happen.
In regards to representation, as we're watching shows like Kung Fu and movies like Minari get made, how does it feel, as a Chinese American, to be part of that as well?
Oyoung: Opportunities that speak to you are very helpful to me on a professional level because I can position myself to the forefront. I've been working for years, but this really is our time. If anything, everything that's been going on has shown me that now is the time to really be loud and out about it; to be proud and just do it. That's what I'm going for right now and it feels exciting, like it's the gold rush, but I'm also sensitive to the fact that every Asian demographic has their own history and own story. They want to be known for who they are, very specifically: Korean stories are very Korean and Chinese stories are very Chinese, but I try to say let's all be one and be respectful to each others' individual experiences. I'm trying to be the guy who says let's do it together, we can do it all together.
To build off that, we're seeing a wave of racially motivated violence against Asians in America, making that representation more important than ever.
Oyoung: The unfortunate reality is that we have to have these rallies, movements and hashtags like #StopAsianHate. It's a sad fact. I would rather do nothing more than just advertise and do PR for TV shows and entertain, but I don't have superpowers in real-life and we do need to help the real problem; we do have real super-powered evil out there in the world. Now is the time: There's AAPI Month, but there's been more violent crimes targeting the most vulnerable members of our community. People like me, people like you who are in positions and platforms to talk and, even though it's uncomfortable to rock the boat, we have to. That's what we're doing right now, bringing awareness to it.
Awareness is the same thing as acting: if I can just entertain people and show them the spectrum of emotion and human behavior and characterizations, I think people will realize Asian Americans of all Asian tribes are vital part of the fabric of American life. We've been here and will continue to be here and we're not going to be scapegoats or victims, we're in control of our own story.
And we're not the only community that's suffering. Every community wants to be seen; everyone wants to be heard. Diversity, as much people think it's diversity for diversity's sake, I think diversity tells new and interesting stories. When you tell these untold stories, experiences and perspectives, you're going to have better entertainment. At the core of all us entertainers, we're just trying to tell a good story so it's good for everybody.
Would you be open to a return as Barry Bishop?
Oyoung: I would be open to a return as Barry Bishop always. Has there been talk about it? I can't say anything because everything's a secret in this dang business. Would I be open? Absolutely.
Where can audiences see you next that you can talk about?
Oyoung: I'm on Good Trouble where I play a stern, disapproving Asian father -- it's very in my wheelhouse -- my son is being accused of murder. This is out now on Freeform and Hulu. Next year, my big game comes out: Gotham Knights, where I play the Red Hood, I'm very excited about that!
Jupiter's Legacy stars Josh Duhamel as The Utopian, Ben Daniels as Brainwave, Leslie Bibb as Lady Liberty, Elena Kampouris as Chloe Sampson, Andrew Horton as Brandon Sampson, Mike Wade as The Flare, Anna Akana as Raikou and Matt Lanter as Skyfox. Season 1 is available on Netflix now.
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