And as an actor, my background has helped me to be able to easily adopt different perspectives, so I’m always silently thanking my parents for randomly moving to Costa Rica. Just be here right now. ET’s Ash Crossan caught up with Harry Shum Jr. and Jessica Rothe ahead of their new romantic drama, ‘All My Life,’ available Dec. 23 on Demand. I would love to just jam to their music on stage and find interesting, new ways to dance to it. The curiosity that's not only with us individually, but also shared collectively through the stories we tell. He had also previously been in a McDonalds advert, when he was younger.He also appeared in Zoey 101 and iCarly, but only as minor characters.He currently plays Mike Chang, a dancer who joins t… To create and pave our own way. He describes how he is in constant awe as he watches his daughter navigate the world. "Growing up, I was the quiet kid in class who wouldn't raise my hand to answer questions," Shum shares. He is best known for his roles as Mike Chang on the Fox comedy-drama television series Glee and as Magnus Bane on the Freeform fantasy television series Shadowhunters. It's heroic. Harry Shum Jr. has certainly proved that he’s a master of dance, but his new movie is a whole new type of choreography. Harry Shum Jr. (born April 28, 1982) is a Costa Rican-American actor, dancer, singer, and choreographer. As I watch the sunset in California, I hear a ping that immediately draws my attention back to my screen. Oops! To watch this little human make choices, respond to her environment, and discover new things." Hip-hop and R&B music videos were my biggest influence when I was a teenager, and what’s funny is that through them, I was introduced to the old Hollywood performers. I was really lucky to have that when I was in elementary school; it was something I just stumbled upon, so I wouldn’t have got involved if my school didn’t have those programs. The actor explained that the art form spoke to “many who feel like they don’t belong.” Shum spoke with NBC Asian America about growing up in Costa Rica, advocating for the arts in schools, and the importance of representation in Hollywood — not just in acting, but also in the writers’ room and director’s chair. To stay curious and to find out what works best for us. ", For Shum, he's making these contributions through purposeful storytelling. Harry Shum Jr. was born on April 28, 1982 in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. Shum says thoughtfully, "There's a positive side to being timid. Shum pauses for a moment before sharing, "That was a weird experience for me because I'm usually in control of what I do, but something was telling me, 'Don't go down that route. It wasn't until 2009 that Shum made his small screen debut as Mike Chang in … We're not always going to get it right, but we eventually will. In this introspective moment, Shum tells us, "I would say the biggest change for me is I don't really care what people think anymore, as much as I used to. Have you two bonded over your shared role together? So as much as I want to fight for the actors, I think it’s about more than just us.". Harry Shum Jr., Actor: Crazy Rich Asians. Harry Shum Jr. Shum, who had a professional dance career prior to acting, explained that without a wealth of Asian faces around him, he was able to find refuge in dance and hip-hop. The … “Singin’ in the Rain” is hands-down the best musical I’ve seen, but I also love “Cover Girl,” which I think is pretty underrated. "But my hope is to always talk to your younger self. Not in the sense of telling your younger self what he did wrong, but rather your younger self telling you to always look at everything with constant curiosity and not with a constant fear of being wrong. He won a dance competition to dance in an iPod commercial. He was also one of the lead dancers with stars such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson. His upcoming film, All My Life, is based on such a story. Stories that act as an energy source to inspire moments of joy or to provoke new perspectives. It's a story of hope, joy, and beauty." 2.5m Followers, 463 Following, 2,204 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Harry Shum Jr (@harryshumjr) The judges were thinking dance, ice skating or gymnastics. ", Since his breakout role as the quiet, but eager, dancer Mike Chang on “Glee,” which ended in 2015, Shum has appeared in YouTube videos (most recently in the YouTube Red series "Single by 30" from Wong Fu Productions), films (such as Netflix's original feature “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny”), and earned a main role in the Freeform show “Shadowhunters.”. If you had to drop everything right now to be a backup dancer again, which celebrity would you want to accompany on tour? "Â, When we ask Shum to elaborate on "curiosity" as a parent, he glows as he talks about his daughter and fatherhood. After a chance meeting, Solomon and Jennifer fall in love with each other and become engaged. The Crazy Rich Asians star returns to the romance genre in the film following a young couple falling in love and facing the worst news imaginable. That description could just as easily apply to Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang, the character he plays on “Glee.” And like Mike, who’s gone from a quiet background dancer to a vital member of New Directions, Harry has recently stepped into the spotlight as a prominent player on the L.A. dance scene. Thus, Ashley is feeling confident that the hawk, flag and lipstick is thinking Tara Lipinski. These Days, He Isn't Staying Still. You’re currently a regular on “Shadowhunters” as Magnus Bane, a character that was played by Godfrey Gao in the film version of “The Mortal Instruments” series. Sol would try to insert a lot of joy, so the people around him would feel less pain. "The arts have really helped me channel aspects of myself in different ways, whether it's through music, dance, or writing." As with most stories, Shum's road to stardom has an unexpected beginning.Â. The way they spoke to each other. Asians are not a monolith. The power of steadfast and ever-evolving curiosity to evoke purposeful change. "Â, We often tend to fixate on the "right way" or the "wrong way," which can constrain us. We notice a shift in tone as Shum expressively speaks about moving beyond performative representation. On December 4th, Shum will star opposite Jessica Rothe in the romantic film All My Life (Universal Pictures). It's about finding moments of joy and community in the midst of sadness and pain.Â, "I actually learned a lot from Sol. Before Shum got into acting, he had been dancing since high school. It's important that we amplify voices who are then willing to lift the voices of other people. The film is inspired by a real-life couple, Solomon Chau and Jennifer Carter. '" Shum describes this as more than 'living in the moment.' It wasn't just another Hollywood tale. I think learning about the beauty of cultures at young age has allowed me to find the beauty of cultures I don’t know about now. Before Shum got into acting, he had been dancing since high school. Thank you! "They don't know what's right or wrong, but they try and find out in a way that's not damaging to anyone or themselves. He began his professional career as a backup dancer on tours for major stars including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Mariah Carey, and eventually went on to appear in popular dance movies like “Stomp the Yard” and the “Step Up” franchise before taking on more acting roles. There's a power in silence, and in quiet observance." "The arts kept me out of trouble and allowed me to expand my mind. We’re only one small player in the game. Harry Shum Jr. tells us about jumping from TV franchises to the big screen As part of Esquire Neighbourhood, Harry Shum Jr. discusses the making of his new film, as well as cultural identity, honing his skills as a triple-threat performer, and the shifting nature of Hollywood. Dragon ” and I can ’ t express how important it is to always talk to your younger.. 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