One of the best series this year was Warrior. Based on an original concept by Bruce Lee, the show was created by Jonathan Tropper and Justin Lin and blends drama, the Old West, and martial arts. Set during the Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. As one of the Hop Wei’s Hatchet Men, Bolo, played by Rich Ting, is an imposing presence on the screen. Tall, scowling, and a force to be reckoned with, his martial arts style rooted in Hung Gar and his signature black shirt Bolo was easily one of my favorite characters of season one.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
I got the chance to talk with Ting about Warrior, Bolo Yeung, and the world of martial arts. We even get into the inspiration Ting found in Bruce Lee’s work, which not only influenced his acting career but also his life in sports and pursuing his black belt when he was 13. We get into how Ting connected to the role of Bolo immediately and how he and the series honored Bolo Yeung in his character. We even get into the physically taxing final fight scene between his character and Ah Sahm played by Andrew Koji.
Additionally, we jump into how Ting transitioned into his next role as Captain Iijima in Amazon’s series The Man In The High Castle based on Philip K. Dick’s Hugo Award-winning 1962 alternate history novel, a driven, ambitious young detective in the Japanese Kempeitai. Not only do we discuss the role of Captain Iijima, but how both The Man In the High Castle and Warrior allowed him honor and explore both sides of his family history as a 4th generation Chinese/Japanese-American.
Plus, Ting shares all the projects that 2020 holds. If you’re a fan of Ting’s work and Warrior, you can even grab a shirt from his merch store or just drop a follow on his social media to keep updated on his next roles.
Warrior is available now on MAX (formerly HBO Max) and Netflix.
