Tzi Ma – Arrival

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) This year has been kind of nuttier than the year before. I started the year with “Once Upon a Time” and we were the finale of the previous season and I’m returning this Sunday as The Dragon. I did a full season of “Man in the High Castle,” which will be on Amazon Prime sometime in the middle of December. All fans will be able to binge watch the whole thing. Then, I went on and did another Frank show – he is the man who created “Man in the High Castle.” He has a new show called “Ransom” for CBS. I came back to LA to do “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.” I believe that will air next year in March. I also did a show called “The Catch” for Peter Berg and Shonda Rhimes on ABC. I did “Veep” early in the year. I finally got the chance to do some comedy so I was happy that opportunity came about. I think there are a couple other shows, but that is as far as my memory serves me.

Q) We’re going to be seeing you in the movie Arrival. Talk about your character in the movie.

A) I play a character General Shang, who is the leader of the Chinese military. He is well known around the world and well respected and well feared. Judging by his nickname “The Big Domino,” you can surmise he is a man to be reckoned with. He is a character who the decisions in his hands are crucial to the survival of the world. So, whenever he is going to make an announcement or speaks to anybody or any move that he makes (obviously everyone is keeping a close eye on him) people are going to follow suit or countersuit – one or the other. He is a fairly interesting powerful character that is kind of an omnipresence in the film.

Q) What did you add to the role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) Denis Villeneuve, the director, is one of those who trusts the casting process. The fact he offered me the role really shows he has a trust in his ability to put a character together. He really allows you some latitude. He was more of a coach. We get an opportunity to kind of flex our muscles a little bit and swing this guy one way or the other. Ultimately, at the end of the day, eh will continue to guide and coach you to the final destination of where we need to arrive with these characters.

Q) What was it then about the role or project that drew you to it?

A) This movie was an adaptation of a short story by Ted Chiang who is a fabulous sci-fi writer and an Asian-American. Any time I see an Asian-American name as an author of any kind I take special interest because there are so few materials that involves us. Particularly with scif-fi. A lot of times with sci-fi movies you always feel where is my place in the future? Because I don’t see anybody that looks like me, until really recently. If you look at the Star Wars saga, you kind of go, “Hmm…I guess we don’t exist in the future.” So, you do have that kind of funny feeling particularly when you have grown up with these very powerful, popular movies of the day. As a young man, you sit there and watch the screen and think, “Hmm. Where do we belong?” So, you do have that kind of trepidation about it. Any time I see a particular name that happens to be Asian-American I take particular interest when it involves sci-fi and something that involves a peek into the future. The fact that this particular film was an adaptation of that story (and he’s really a brilliant writer) really attracted me. Of course, Denis and the cast. All of these are kind of revealed to you as you progress into making a decision of whether to do the film or not. So, really it is kind of a grand slam project where you have a wonderful cast and a wonderful story that has been adapted. Once I read the screenplay…Forget it. I was like, “Man, I’ll do this for nothing.” It really was a wonderful script. The work that is being done rarely do we see such quality writing in today’s day and age.

Q) You frequently take on dramatic roles. Is there something about this genre that draws you to them?

A) Interestingly, lately I have been doing comedy. I did “Angie Tribeca,” which is kind of a tongue-in-cheek Naked Gun type of show that was a lot of fun. On “Man Seeking Woman,” I did kind of a spin on this martial arts guru that I thought was pretty funny. I don’t know. It’s not really so much as being attracted to a particular type of show or work. I enjoy reading scripts where the character is pivotal. I don’t care about the size of the role. I don’t pay too much attention to whether or not there is significant screen time. It is irrelevant to me. I just feel if it presents a challenge of some kind…For example, I feel like the Meryl Streep of Asian-American actors. I’ve done five accents so I’m like, “I’m a little confused right now about what accent I’m in!” [laughs] Those are the challenges I really appreciate. The fact that I had to dive in for “Man in the High Castle” and do a fairly forlorn Japanese accent was one of those wonderful challenges that is offered to me. So, I welcome them in open arms.

Q) What do you think it is about Arrival that will really attract moviegoers?

A) Wow. I mean, Arrival is a very unique feature film. I call it a “must see film.” It is “must see cinema.” It encompasses so much. I think there is something in the film for everybody. And I don’t mean that it caters to a wide audience. That is not the purpose of the film. In some ways, I do distinguish between film and movies. In film, it carries a heavier weight and load in terms of what the audience gets out of it. It is an intimate story on a big canvas. That’s how I like to describe it. It is intimate because it follows this one woman on her quest to solve this puzzle, which hinges on possibly the destruction of the world. So, that’s really what is goosebump stuff! Very seldom are you going to have a character who is a woman carrying the film in that manner. A lot of times it is more of an ensemble and a lot of the time it is mostly male. I think this is a sensitive film and a smart film. By me saying it is a smart film, that doesn’t mean you need 150 IQ to see it. It is just one of those films where it is thought provoking and it is beautiful to watch because cinematically it is just beautifully shot. If you look at this thing, this whole huge canvas of a sci-fi spin on a thriller, the fact the audience most of the time is kept on the edge of their seats that appeals to a particular kind of audience and the fact that the message of the film is so really inviting and shows so much wisdom…The fact that it also appeals to the audience that appreciate the fact that we need to use language, we need to use forms of communication in terms of patterns and hieroglyphics…Those things, I have never seen a film that really gives the audience the opportunity to kind of look at this event in which is fascinating for me. It’s also so elegant. It’s really elegant in some ways. It almost gives me that feeling of a black and white watercolor. When you first dip the ink and you put it on the parchment paper, it just spreads in these beautiful gray and dark and light…As it spreads, it takes a particular form and shape that is improvisational, but there is order to it. As any good improvisational jazz enthusiast would enjoy. Speaking of that, the score is just…I’m telling you…The score is just amazing. You get that sense of those Tibetan horns. It sounds like whales communicating with each other…It just has that kind of intangible mesmerizing attraction that the audience is able to get out of this movie. I think people who go to the movie expecting something thinking, “Oh yeah, we really want to see Amy.” But you do want to see Amy [Adams] because her performance is extraordinary. It’s rare. It’s a rare performance by a really already consummate actor. And you’re talking about if you really want to come into the movie and see just a thrilling film you are going to get that too because there are so many turns in the movie where you’re thinking, “Oh my God! Disaster is going to happen! Disaster is going to happen!” But then it turns and you take a breath. Then, you move on to the next thing. In that sense, it’s rare. I have not seen such a film in recent memory of this kind of movie.

Q) Fans of “Hell On Wheels” were emotionally at a loss after the death of your character, but we got to enjoy watching your son (who turned out to be your daughter) carry on your legacy. Were you happy with the finale and where Mei ended up in life?

A) Yes, for this very important reason – sometimes you look at something and think, “How can something so small be so significant?” What I really appreciated was the fact that Cullen (Anson Mount) actually went to China. That’s big! Mei (Angela Zhou) wasn’t like, “I have to stay in America.” She actually goes home. It shows how strong the love is. The normal story of like Madam Butterfly where it’s like, “I’m going to commit suicide because you’re leaving me.” That’s so cliché and old. I questioned that. I questioned the motive and what your “love” is for this particular woman. Is it because she is exotic? Because she is foreign? Because she is unknown? None of which is a good reason to be in love, right? The fact you really love this individual that you are ready to follow her to the end of the Earth is true love. So, I appreciated that. The fact that we get a glimpse of him on a boat to China. I thought if Tao was looking down from heaven he would say, “Okay. I trust this man loves my daughter for the right reasons.” It is interesting because we had such a good group of writers that they really gave it a lot of time and serious thought on how to put a button on that relationship. I thought they had many options in terms of how to bring it to fruition, one way or the other, and I thought they made a good choice.

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure we share with fans about the movie and your upcoming projects?

A) Go see the movie! It’s a must see movie! Trust me. You’re really going to thoroughly enjoy the film because the performances are just wonderful. Every aspect of production you will truly appreciate the artistry in such a project. I think I have a couple of movies opening later The Jade Pendant will probably be next year sometime. It’s not really a sequel to “Hell On Wheels,” but it takes place after the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. It’s about the emergence of China Towns in America, what happens and who are those people.