Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
Most recently recognized as Larry David’s latest nemesis on HBO’s hit series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hymnson Chan has actually made his mark on Hollywood as one of their most recognized stunt doubles. From doubling notable talent in the industry including Randall Park, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O Yang and Nico Santos, to name a few, Hymnson’s remarkable skills have been highly recognized, most recently winning a SAG Award for his stunt work in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. No stranger to being on camera, Hymnson has been recognized for several appearance on the small screen, including I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, Grey’s Anatomy, Kidding, Shameless, Key & Peele and Jane The Virgin, to name a few. He also recurred in Syfy’s Underlings.
Hi Hymnson, welcome to OLC! So I have to ask firstly, how did you become a stuntman, and where do you even begin in such a unique career?
Growing up in a Chinese household, we had Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammo Hung, and Stephen Chow movies on repeat, so those were the guys that I idolized as a kid. They brought so much joy and excitement into people’s lives but also were the story’s heroes, so seeing someone who looked like me on-screen as the hero made me believe that that was possible in real life, too. That’s why representation matters!
But growing up in Boston, I began to gravitate more towards American TV and film, and unfortunately, it was quite the opposite. The Asian representation I saw on screen was usually stereotypical and insensitive, to say the least, and sometimes straight-up offensive. So, I made the move to LA to change those perceptions.
Initially, getting a stunt career off the ground, though, is incredibly difficult because it’s such a tight-knit community with many barriers/gatekeeping and heavily based on personal relationships. People would be surprised at how much stunts are a “family business,” with many families with multiple generations of stunt performers. But I moved out to LA with zero connections, so I’m very grateful to mentors who believed in me early on, like Vince Deadrick Jr who hired me on my very first stunt job for the show “Big Time Rush”… and I had awesome mentors/teachers like Mike Moh (Tarantino’s “Bruce Lee”) and Mike Chat (the Blue Ranger from “Power Rangers Rescue”) who helped me build the foundation of my skill set and professionalism that I still rely on today.
Can you tell us about your experience working as a stunt double for prominent actors like Randall Park, Ken Jeong, and Jimmy O Yang? What are some of the challenges you face in this role?
I’m very grateful to have stunt-doubled many Asian actors, like Randall, Ken, and Jimmy, and those guys are so humble and down to earth. They have been grinding it out for decades in Hollywood already, so their humility and hard work are key to their continued success and something that inspires me. And, of course, with their comedy background, it’s always fun to hang out with them on set.
Thankfully, there haven’t been any major challenges in doubling those guys in terms of the difficulty of stunts. Still, when someone is a regular double for a specific actor, it can be difficult sometimes to “maintain the match.” This means you need to look exactly like the actor as much as possible, from hairstyles to body shape; you end up adopting a lifestyle similar to theirs to stay their double. If you’re ever blessed enough to become one of the regular doubles for an action hero, then you eat, train, and live like that action hero every day of your life.
Overall, as a stunt performer –whether you’re doubling or it’s your face on screen– the work doesn’t stop when you’re off set. That’s where it begins… a stunt performer’s life is filled with constant training, conditioning, and sharpening your skill set. Being on set is just the reward for the perseverance and dedication of putting in all that hard work.
Winning a SAG Award for your stunt work in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame is a remarkable achievement. Could you share with us some insights into the process of creating and executing stunts for such a high-profile film?
I can’t take much credit for our SAG Award win and even though it is a team effort, I was just a tiny piece of that puzzle. But for the stunt department as a whole, the award is absolutely well deserved and it shows on screen. I’m forever grateful to Monique Ganderton, Jackson Dobies, and Sam Hargrave for bringing me on to work on one of the biggest movies of ALL TIME! Still blows my mind…
The sheer magnitude, resources, and preparation put into this level of film was astounding. Weeks, if not months, of training, conditioning, shooting previzes, and fight/rigging rehearsals… I remember walking onto the sound stages on my first day and seeing the cockpit of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” spaceship. It was about 20 feet tall, so incredibly detailed, and so cool looking! And then, an hour later, running into Josh Brolin in his full “Thanos CGI suit” at lunch. Every day was a bit surreal, and my inner child could not have been happier! Not to mention, the talent on the stunt team was some of the best in the world, bar none. With people’s live on the line as well as hundreds of millions of dollars, everyone was at the top of their game always. There was no room for error.
Your recent role as Larry David’s nemesis on Curb Your Enthusiasm has garnered attention. How did you prepare for this role, and what was it like working alongside Larry David and the rest of the cast?
After 15+ years of working in Hollywood, my role on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” was the MOST FUN I’ve ever had on set. Getting to go toe-to-toe with Larry David, Vince Vaughn, JB Smoove, and Richard Lewis is something I’ll cherish forever. There was a sense of family on that set, and everyone was so supportive. Especially Susie Essman—she’s an absolute doll!
I’ve been a lifelong fan of “Curb,” and with my background as a comedy writer, I was already familiar with the cadence and rhythm of the show and joke structure. But it’s also hard to prep for a show that is 90% improv because you never know what’s going to get thrown at you in the very next line, so as an actor, you have to live in that moment and play it true to that experience. After all, it’s a fine line between comedy and chaos. To be fair, I had a few jokes and bits ready if the opportunity presented itself, but I never felt like I had to force it. I had a natural chemistry with Larry right off the bat, so our banter and scenes flowed very naturally… and hilariously.
That’s why it was also hard not to break character; everyone is funny, but I never did! Even Vince complimented me on my commitment to the scene and character… but the trademark shouting back and forth with LD and epic stare-down was one of my favorite moments, and dare I say… is it one of the “break out characters” of the season? …I mean, no one else is saying that, but I dare say it. 😉
Beyond your work on screen, you’ve been vocal about advocating for stronger diversity within Hollywood, particularly highlighting the under representation of stunt workers. What steps do you believe the industry should take to address this issue?
I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but there are VERY FEW Stunt Coordinators of Color who are consistently working, even though they deserve to be and have the resumes to do so. I want to say that out of Hollywood, maybe 15% of Stunt Coordinators are minorities, and that’s a generous estimate. When it comes to Asian Stunt Coordinators, more specifically, it’s probably closer to 5%, definitely under 10%, so I’m trying to do my part in building up those numbers, but it’s still early in my stunt coordinating career to truly make a dent. But my good friend and co-stunt coordinator, Terrence Julien, and I have been making it a priority to facilitate more coordinator opportunities for diverse stunt performers. We’re building a roster of up-and-coming stunt coordinators that we can mentor and pass along jobs to. But I think the industry itself owes more of an effort to mentoring more diverse Stunt Coordinators for the next generation and the sustainability of stunts as a career.
Ultimately, it’s the script that dictates who ends up on the screen, so when it comes to stunt performers and stunt actors, if more diverse characters are being written, then that creates more opportunities for diverse performers. It’s glitz and glam when you’re on screen, but the true power in this industry is with the writers and producers, so I think it’s important that those top-level decision-makers make diversity and authentic representation a priority.
With a diverse range of appearances on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Kidding, and Key & Peele, what has been your favorite project to work on so far, and why?
Working with Jim Carrey on the show “Kidding” was so cool and so surreal because I grew up with Jim as one of my biggest comedy influences. Getting to act opposite him for a week (not to mention being directed by Oscar-winner Michel Gondry) is something I’ll never forget.
As a working actor and stuntman, you’re usually booked as one or the other, but with the evolution of the industry, there are more opportunities to be the actor AND stuntman. Just like when I got to work on one of my favorite shows, “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.” I was cast as “Paul” in the “Big Wave” sketch in Season 2, where I deliver some hilarious dialogue one second, then the next second, get thrown off a table and into a wall headfirst… good times!
7. Stunt work requires physical prowess and mental agility. How do you maintain your skills and stay safe while performing demanding stunts?
Preparation is key! Stunt performers are constantly training skills like fight choreo, martial arts and tactical techniques, weapons training, stunt driving, fire burns, high falls, and the list goes on and on… but in order to get hired to do those things, you need to be able to do that an elite level because it’s one thing to risk your own health, but you also need to maintain the safety of your fellow cast and crew members on set with you. That position comes with a lot of pressure, so it takes a lot of physical and mental fortitude.
Obviously, stunt work is an incredibly physically demanding career, as you can imagine. Because of stunts, I’m in the best shape of my life but also the worst shape of my life too… at times. Injuries and accidents are inevitable, and your body wears down over the years. After nearly 15 years of doing stunts, it’s definitely taking its toll. Some days, you put your body through the tremendous stress you’ve ever experienced and then feel great after doing those stunts, but then there are also some days where you have an “easy” stunt, but next thing you know, you’re laid up in bed in a brace or crutches for several weeks. But that’s just part of the job, and the pain is temporary (hopefully), but the incredible art and hard work we put on screen lives forever!
But no matter what happens to my body, I always prioritize my mental health first, and the best way to do that is to maintain a good work/life balance. A lot of people say keep it 50/50, but for me, it’s closer to a 30 work/70 life balance… maybe 35/65, respectively. Work shouldn’t dictate your life; it should be the other way around. I’ve found that I’m most busy with work when I’m most content with my life, and my family is always my top priority.
Can you share any memorable or challenging moments from your career as a stunt double or actor? How did you overcome these challenges?
The most challenging moment I’ve had was the time that I injured my spine during a big stunt sequence and thought that I was never going to walk again. Thankfully, I regained feeling in my legs soon enough and walked off without anyone being the wiser of how bad of shape I was in…so that was a scary moment. Not too many people know about that either because, in the stunt community, there’s pressure to have this image of being invincible and unbreakable no matter how hard the stunt is. But that’s another whole discussion for another time. But that injury was definitely a gut check if this was a career that I wanted to continue in… that was many years ago, so I’m happy to report back that the answer is still yes.
A mental challenge, though, is the imposter syndrome when you move up the ladder and question your own worthiness and value. There probably is someone more talented, skilled, or a better fit than you, but there’s also a reason why you’re there, and they’re not. Believe in your skills and if the stunt isn’t within your skill set at a professional level, then please please please BE HONEST about that! A stunt coordinator would much rather have you be honest about your skills so they can find a better fit for you somewhere else instead of you showing up on set and not being able to do what you claimed you could do. It wastes tons of time/money, makes the Coordinator look bad, and could potentially get someone hurt, so always be honest.
What advice would you give to aspiring stunt performers who are looking to break into the industry and make a name for themselves?
I get asked this question a lot on set because when a stunt performer is highly skilled, they make it look easy to do and that in turn puts into people’s mind that they can easily do it too. And yes, stunts is SO MUCH FUN! But stunts is also such an incredibly technical and difficult skill that it takes years of training and experience just to get to the bottom of the ladder.
There’s a saying that “anyone can be a stunt performer…once” and that’s true. Anyone can take a big impact or do a car hit… but can you do it over and over again safely, hit your marks every time, and make sure you go home and not go to the hospital? That’s where you can tell if someone is serious about pursuing stunts. I’ll never discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams and if that’s in stunts then I’m always happen to give out whatever advice I can.
But gather your tribe of like-minded and driven performers with whom you can build your career, learn different skills from each other, and just keep shooting as much content as possible to learn filmmaking’s ins and outs. It’s one thing to be able to take a punch but a whole different thing doing it for camera. There’s also several stunt gyms that offer workshops and training classes to get started, like Joining All Movement (JAM), Tempest Freerunning, and XMA, so I’d recommend checking out those classes for someone looking to get started.
IG: @heyhymnson
