Curtis Lum (Siren) Interview

INTERVIEW BY GALAXY INTRO BY ETHAN BREHM

he’ll make you feel like you need to get to work. The Vancouver native is constantly keeping himself busy. “I grew up just hustling, doing anything I could to get my paper,” he recalls as he tells us about acquiring a producer’s mentality at a young age. Actors are known for hustling hard, but this guy is among the rare crossbreed of business-savvy creative paired with a unique brand of charisma and goofiness, all of which have served him well throughout his career.

Although, the actor doesn’t just want any ol’ job. He shares with us his criteria for picking projects: his four P’s. Curtis is a realist—he knows that you can’t work for free, but is also willing to sacrifice some pay if the purpose behind the project is meaningful and the people he’s working with are amazing. With a great head on his shoulders and a refreshing perspective, the actor keeps leveling himself up higher and higher in this industry. But he’s no newcomer.

Featured on everything from Supergirl to Psych to Continuum, Curtis finally landed a big breakout role in Freeform’s Siren back in 2018 where he portrayed the poker-playing fan favorite Calvin. The actor has fond memories of his time on the series and looks at it as a turning point for him personally.

A friend of SPO!LER, Curtis chats once again with Galaxy about his career, his latest show Kung Fu, and his upcoming podcast Matched, which we’re really excited about. He’s also a great follow on Instagram.

Curtis Lum/Taylor Kane/(previous spread): Curtis Lum/IMD

SPOILER: Your Instagram cracks me up, especially the post where you’re licking that spoon and doing a scene from Bridgerton. CURTIS LUM: [laughs] I’m glad you found that funny because I was very serious about licking that spoon [laughs]. That was a fun one. I actually took a month off of social media and it was that post that brought me back. My dear friends over at Mumgry, they’re a local company here in Vancouver, they do amazing almond butter. The one I was having was chocolate pistachio almond butter spread. They’ve been blowin’ up and absolutely killin’ it. I’m all about supporting small businesses and my friends, and we wanted to do a fun Super Bowl halftime spoof to promote that, especially before Valentine’s Day. And they talked me into it and got me out of my comfort zone.

SPOILER: Unfortunately Siren came to an end last year. What was your experience like on that show? CURTIS LUM: I mean, Siren was one of the best experiences of my life. We did three seasons of that—-36 episodes— and some of my fondest memories were from that series. It’s the show where I built a lot of my confidence, met a lot of great people—a lot of my dearest friends. It’s also a show where, for the first time, I worked with a director who really changed everything for me: Joe Menendez, who I had the pleasure of working with again on Kung Fu. So a lot of firsts for me on that show. I’m very, very grateful.

SPOILER: You are so good in everything you do. Are you looking to enter the movie realm as well? Or are you being very careful with the projects you pick? CURTIS LUM: That’s a great question, my friend. Only time will tell [laughs]. I mean, the way that it’s all played out, these last couple years have been incredibly informative. I’ve learned so much. The growth for myself has been insane. But we’ve come really close to a lot of projects, which have not worked out due to scheduling conflicts. You can never really tell what’s the next big thing or which project to fight for. You just never know. I do believe that we have

some really exciting things coming down the pipeline. For me, it’s about putting stuff out that’s meaningful and that has a lasting effect. I’m not rushing into just any project just for the sake of it or just for a check. So that can be a slow process for sure, but I’m really excited for what’s to come.

SPOILER: How do you pick out a project?

CURTIS LUM: I’m not in a position where I’m fielding offers left, right, and center. With that said, the projects that resonate with me the most are the ones that have a strong message behind them or inspire me. Or it’s something that looks or sounds incredibly fun, or something I’ve never done before. I’ve had plenty of opportunities like that over the past few years. I’ve always used this sort of barometer for myself, the four P’s: payment, purpose, passion, and people. And I need at least two out of the four for me to go through with it.

SPOILER: You’re on a new series called Kung Fu. Is this similar to the David Carradine Kung Fu from the ‘70s, or is it a different series entirely? CURTIS LUM: It is not the same as the David Carradine series. This is a 2021 version of Kung Fu, live, comin’ at ya! We follow the life of Olivia Liang’s character, Nicky Shen. She’s this Chinese American woman coming up in the San Francisco streets. She’s constantly fighting. Fighting for her family, fighting for her community, as well as fighting a lot of real badasses out there to keep everyone safe. I’m really excited about it. I think it’s a really fun adventure, action-drama. I had the privilege and the pleasure to play a really fun character named Eddie Kwong. He’s got a clothing line called King Kwong that plays into the storyline of the show. He’s a local designer and bigtime social media star, but a big community guy. Honestly it was so much fun to play. I gotta tell you, man, even from the first readthrough on the Zoom call with everyone, seeing all the actors and producers—seeing for the first time in my life that many Asians who are part of a project that is of this scale and this caliber, it brought so much pride and joy to me. And the extra cherry on top was that I got to work with an old friend of mine— the guy who changed the game for me and helped really instill all the confidence in me, and again, that’s Joe Menendez, who’s the producing director on the show. He was the director for the episode I worked on. And we had so much fun. It was so good to see him again. My hat goes off to him, and also Christina Kim, the creator of the show, as well as the cast and crew of that show. I think there’s some really big things happening for them.

SPOILER: It’s so great to see these amazing Asian American shows coming out, such as Kung Fu and Warrior, especially with all the craziness that’s been happening in the US as of late. CURTIS LUM: The original Kung Fu series with David Carradine, it was a good show, but at the end of the day, it was something that was stripped from us. The character was whitewashed. The character was supposed to be played by Bruce Lee originally. So even though that was decades ago now, we’re finally making the right steps in the right

Curtis Lum/Justin Wu/Mark Stenson/IMDb

direction. And to see it all unfold and to be a part of it, it’s such a pleasure and it means a lot.

SPOILER: You have a great head on your shoulders, bro. You’re very different from a lot of actors and artists in this realm. You have a different mindset. You think very business-like, but also artistically. So from your point of view in the mind of Curtis, how do you think things will change from here moving forward? CURTIS LUM: I think it’s definitely going to be an ongoing battle and struggle. As Nipsey Hustle says, “The marathon continues.” But I think everyone is in place now. We finally have a seat at the table and enough people who are fighting the good fight and putting on for representation of all backgrounds; of all races and all creeds. People are talking now. There’s buzz everywhere. People are open to diversity. Diversity is sexy now, and it’s profitable to have more diversity, whether it’s television or film. That’s the first step. We’re through the door now, and so now it’s about putting out good, quality content, and things that actually have lasting value and lasting effect. But I’m really excited about the time right now. We’re literally seeing a real life battle unfold where we’re taking steps forward. I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this generation that’s putting on for Asian and, in my case, Chinese representation here in North America and the rest of the world. The more you have Asians in producing roles and writing roles and directing roles on that side of the camera, the more noise we’re going to make. 2021 is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what’s gonna happen in the next two to five years, with this next generation coming up. They’re gonna kill it!

SPOILER: You say, “next generation,” but you’re still young though, man. CURTIS LUM: But I’ve seen the up and comers. 8-, 9-, 10-yearsold—these kids who are incredibly talented. I think my generation was the last generation where going into the arts was still a little bit taboo. Telling your parents that you wanted to be an actor or something was still kind of a shocking thing. But this new generation, it seems like the parents are more supportive. There’s so much access to content, so these kids are growing up smarter and quicker.

SPOILER: It’s not like the Tzi Ma phase. He was revolutionary. CURTIS LUM: Yeah, they were like the OGs of it all, coming over and becoming working Asian actors in North America. And hopefully our generation, we just carry the torch and pass it on to the next one.

SPOILER: Do you think Siren ended too early? CURTIS LUM: I think it could’ve gone either way. I think we could’ve squeezed out another season, but I’m not mad at the way it ended. It’s always good to end something leaving people wanting more rather than them saying, “Man, this show is past its prime.” We did 36 episodes. Fans still seem to love it and can’t seem to get enough of it. They put it on Disney+ so you can stream all three seasons right now as we speak, and that will open up the doors to a whole new demographic.

SPOILER: I think it could’ve gone three more seasons. The finale was awesome, but they could’ve extended it even longer. CURTIS LUM: To be honest with you, we talk about it amongst ourselves all the time and we all have our

different theories. But you’re right. From that standpoint, there’s so much content out there, and I know with all my heart that Siren—it’s not the greatest show in the world, but it’s up there in terms of quality. We’re all very proud of what we did for those few years. There was nothing else like it, which was the mindblowing thing for me. We had the only mermaid show in the world and it’s a good mermaid show. And there’s some incredible actors— especially Eline [Powell] as our lead. You’re right though, it definitely could’ve gone a few more seasons.

SPOILER: That’s the great thing about television, nothing’s ever truly over. CURTIS LUM: Exactly. You never know, man. One of my favorite shows was Entourage. That show ended back in 2011, and they were doing a podcast years later, and through them talking about their episodes every week, there’s now talks of doing a reboot or limited series or possibly another movie. You just never know.

SPOILER: When Siren finished, the pandemic hit, and you guys didn’t get the chance to go to conventions and maybe get the fans to help keep things going. CURTIS LUM: From day one, I think our show didn’t get the respect that it deserved. And somewhere along the lines something got lost in translation and our show was never really pushed as hard as it should’ve been. And that was the result. There are other Freeform shows that do really well. A good show can live anywhere.

SPOILER: Look at Warrior. It got put on HBO Max and now it’s getting another season and everyone loves it. CURTIS LUM: That show is amazing. What they’re doing is incredible in terms of representation.

SPOILER: Why don’t you go on that show? You know so many of the people on that series. CURTIS LUM: [laughs] There were a few times where I came really close to a role, but the timing of it all… And the guy who got the role is amazing, so I’m not saying it shoulda been me. But just the timing of everything didn’t work out and the best man got the job. I support that show fully. They’re absolutely crushing it.

SPOILER: What is something you do every day to keep yourself busy? CURTIS LUM: There’s enough things keeping me busy, but as soon as I get up I’m trying to keep my body moving. Before I started talking to you I ran 4 miles, and that gets me flowing and moving, and then I get straight to the grind. I’m working on a show on my own right now. It’s an audio drama series called Matched, and that will hopefully be available soon. I’m working with some amazing talent and cast from here in Vancouver. So that keeps me busy. And I’m also looking for the next big project. My team is working hard with me finding that next show or that next film that we can really sink our teeth into. It’s been a grind.

SPOILER: You need to be a lead on a project. It’s time for you to explode. CURTIS LUM: I appreciate that, man. That’s what we’re workin’ on. I’m thankful for the way that everything’s been happening and been coming into place. I’m attached as the lead in 2 or 3 projects right now that are films that I would sink all my own money into if I could. They’re projects that have so much soul and symbolism and meaningful dialogue. And the takeaway is incredible.

SPOILER: Growing up, were you the class clown? CURTIS LUM: You already know, baby! That’s exactly what I was. I was the guy who would say something stupid and the teacher would say, “Would you like to repeat that, Curtis?” And I would say, “Nope!” And she would say, “Come see me after class.” I was that type of guy and I was able to parlay that into a career.

SPOILER: Why’d you get into acting? CURTIS LUM: I was just tryna make a buck. I grew up just hustling, doing

anything I could to get my paper. Around 2008, the Vancouver film and television scene was blowing up. I saw enough of my peers doing it and I thought I could do that too. I found out real quick that it wasn’t at all as easy as I thought it would be. The next five years really humbled me and I realized that there was a process to this. And I fell in love with it. Being in the trenches of it all, I fell in love with performing and creating. And here I am.

SPOILER: Which project made you realize that this was gonna be your career? CURTIS LUM: We all have our selfdoubt. Every project could be the biggest project or our last project. It’s a day-to-day thing. Honestly, Siren was that show for me. Siren revived my inspiration to act and my creative flow. Again, I give a lot of credit to Joe Menendez. He was the first director I worked with who really collaborated with me and pushed me to really try things. A lot of times, especially in TV, there’s not a lot of time to just play, and Joe just trusted me. He built this confidence in me and just let me do my thing. Even when we were blocking, he would show me his version and I would show him my version. It was a true collaboration. And what that did was it stoked this fire in me and I’m forever grateful for that, because it’s led to me truly feeling like I’m making music that’s my music. I have something that I can bring to the table now. He really brought that out of me.

SPOILER: Where do you feel most comfortable, acting or behind the camera? CURTIS LUM: I think my biggest strength is in producing. I’m a mover and shaker. I love connecting the dots and putting people together. That’s why when I grew up, when I was 16, 17, 18, all the way until I was legally allowed to be in the clubs, I was throwing these jams, these highschool parties, which led to me throwing the prom, which led to me throwing these club events—all this before I was of age. And that’s what I really love to do; I love bringing people together. Fast forward years later, I love bringing players together. I love creating stories and then casting the stories. I definitely get off on doing that. But when it’s all said and done, and you’re in a scene that’s really good, and you’re in that fight or flight moment of needing to deliver and connecting with someone on set, and you’re finally getting to act—because any actor will understand we need to jump through so many hoops to get to the point to finally act—there really is nothing better than being in the moment and getting to act. Especially if it really clicks and you’re really inspired. But if you’re talking about the process, producing is where it’s at.

SPOILER: Have you ever had moments before you made it where you wanted to quit? CURTIS LUM: All the time. If you could really see the amount of work that comes for an actor, even these past months, the amount of auditions that my girl and I have had, and constantly having to learn these lines and then be in the mindset of bringing these characters to life, it’s sometimes quite hard to have any kind of bandwidth or energy left for yourself as a human being. It’s very, very tough. I was ready to quit right before Siren came. I just wasn’t feeling it. I was 0 for 50 auditions or something like that. And I was

ready to hang up the towel. And that seems to be a recurring thing in my life. It seems like every time I’m about to throw in the towel, a big opportunity comes up. And Siren was one of them for sure.

There’s not really such a thing as an overnight success. Most of the actors who blow up, when you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that they’ve been doing it for decades. Even most child stars—you’d think like, “Zendaya, where’d she come from?” Well, she’s been acting since she was like, 4! That goes with every business and every artistry. It took me 10 years in the game, and then with Siren things finally started to click. And I’m still nowhere near my potential. I’m still learning every day. That’s the hardest part: keeping after every day. Imagine going for 100 job interviews and not getting any of them. It takes its toll on your soul. But you have to keep reminding yourself that this is what you enjoy doing.

SPOILER: If you had a chance to redo things in life, would you do this all over again? CURTIS LUM: In a heartbeat. I don’t have too many regrets in my life. But it’s all I know now.

SPOILER: Do you think Hollywood is still “Hollywood,” or is it global now? CURTIS LUM: “Hollywood” is whatever you wanna make it. I think the doors have opened up and expanded to a much more global scale. But I think Hollywood still runs the scene, most definitely. But in this new day and age, people are creating content and it’s a beautiful thing, and there’s a whole new market opened up for that. But I’m talking about filmmakers and content creators—you can kind of market it yourself nowadays. You can build your own following with Patreon and OnlyFans. You have people making like, hundreds of thousands of dollars being their own distributors. You cut out the middle man. You don’t need someone to give you a greenlight. You can just do it yourself. So yes and no. SPOILER: Yeah, these social platforms have given the accessibility and availability for a lot of people to make it on their own. But studio movies are definitely another realm. CURTIS LUM: There’s just so much content now. And then especially with no theaters. Remember what it felt like to really wait for a movie to drop, and then go with your friends or family to see that movie on a Friday night? That’s all kinda gone now, which is really sad. Kids are watching Martin Scorsese movies on their iPhones whenever they want. I mean, there’s something sort of cool about the futuristic technology, but also sad in that the prestige and the mystery of it all is completely gone.

SPOILER: Tell me about your audio series coming up, Matched.

CURTIS LUM: It’s based on real life dating stories that we’re bringing to life. And I’ve got an amazing cast of talent. A lot of the cast that we have are people you’ve seen on some of your favorite shows. It’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of online dating. We have some hilarious, some horrific, and some just absolutely insane stories. It’s a short anthology series. Most episodes are between 10 to 15 minutes. There are a lot of scripted podcasts out there, like Homecoming, and Rami Malek has done a show—there’s so many to think of—but we wanted to have our own piece of the pie with this and just play with just doing audio. So we’ve built these worlds and it’s been a lot of fun. I cannot wait to show you guys.