Thomas Frank was just 7 years old when he stepped onto the set of the upcoming Chinese blockbuster, The Curse of Turnadot – aka Turnadot, 图兰朵, tú lán duǒ. He had never acted before and doubted his ability to perform in front of people. Now, however, he was expected to act in both English and Chinese, as well as perform stunts.

Just two days earlier, Thomas had gone to an impromptu casting call after his one-time martial arts coach Frederick Yderstorm received word that the film was looking for a “blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy” around Thomas’ age. The minute the casting director laid eyes on Thomas, he excitedly yelled, “He’s the one!” Just like in the movies.

48 hours later, he was on set, in front of at least 80 people, for a series of speaking and fighting scenes, which open the film. He was feeling the pressure like never before, and it required several takes before he got it, but he didn’t want to give up. As the days got longer and longer, his father tried to pull him out, but 7-year-old Thomas told him, “No, daddy, I want to try it. I think I can do it.” And he did, eventually. “That was a proud Dad moment for me,” admits Andrew Frank.

During the course of the next ten days that Thomas spent filming, he traveled from Beijing to a big Tang Dynasty set in Xiangyang, Hubei province. He met the main director of the film, Zheng Xiaolong, as well as American actor Dylan Sprouse – of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody fame – who plays the older version of Thomas. He even got an autograph from French actress Sophie Marceau (Braveheart) who plays his mother in the movie, though he lost the autograph.

Under the tutelage of “very big kung fu guy” Collin Chou, whom you would recognize as Seraph from The Matrix trilogy, Thomas received all of two days’ fight training before he had to perform his scenes. Luckily, he had a stand-in, a local boy around his age, with whom he became fast friends.

“The hardest part were the scenes where I had to cry or faint. They took a lot of takes, but eventually I got there,” Thomas recounts of his experience. But there were high points as well. “I got to ride a camel. It was very scary the first time and I really hated it. But each time I did it, I got to enjoy it more and more and in the end, it was really fun. Except that the camel kept peeing.”

After his first foray into show biz, Thomas feels that “acting is quite fun” and may consider a career of it. His father isn’t surprised, considering the generous amount of money he made during his ten days of filming. “When I told him how much he made per day,” reveals Frank, “he asked me why he was going to school.”

A student at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), Thomas has spent all 11 years of his childhood growing up right here in Beijing. Born to Irish and Canadian parents, he enjoys playing badminton, hanging out with his friends, and watching movies. Well Thomas, we are excited to watch your movie when it comes out on the big screen on Oct 15!

KEEP READING: A Case For Why Children Need Playfighting And Bad Guys

Images: Courtesy of Andrew Frank 

Just two weeks after its release, Nezha (哪吒之魔童降世) is already the most successful animated film ever to hit Chinese theaters, raking in over RMB 1.5 billion – and for good reason. It’s not just the barrage of special effects, snappy dialogue, and hand-to-hand combat scenes between magical beings, but also its titular hero’s unique journey that makes this one of the most unique – and watchable – films to come out of China in years.

Like so many subjects of Chinese movies, Nezha is a mythical figure of classical Chinese literature, most famously from Investiture of the Gods, but also appearing in other works, including Journey to the West. According to these stories, the prodigious Nezha is born to a military leader and is immediately able to speak and walk. After training under Taiyi Zhenren, another famous figure of Daoist literature, he later becomes embroiled in a conflict between the Dragon King and his own family.

This latest retelling is not particularly faithful to classics, but is rather a vehicle for the writer and director, Jiaozi (yep, like the food), to tell a story of mastering one’s own fate. And what better way to do that than through a rebellious youth with the powers of a god?

Part of the fun is that the audience is forced to question whether Nezha is fundamentally good or bad

While it is not exactly a coming-of-age story (unless you count the bizarre fight scene where Nezha is briefly transformed into a more powerful teenage version of himself), nor is it quite the tale of a reluctant hero –Nezha is eager for action literally from birth – the story does center around a young Nezha as he struggles to uncover his own true nature. After being outcast from a society that views him as the devil incarnate and put on magical lockdown in his room in the military fortress, this proves to be no small task.

The viewer is more aware of his origin story than Nezha himself, but due to his depiction as a rambunctious, egocentric, and frankly, kind of ugly child, the audience is forced to question whether he is fundamentally good or bad. Indeed, the lines between good and evil are blurred throughout the movie as even the Dragon King antagonist is somewhat complex and worthy of sympathy. That is exactly what makes Nezha’s struggle so interesting: the “right” thing for him to do is not cut and dried, and only he can decide for himself.

Refreshingly, “Nezha” is unafraid to put a modern spin on an ancient Chinese tale

Unfortunately, you probably will not be able to catch this movie in theaters with English subtitles (watch a subtitled trailer here to get a taste). There are still, however, a number of reasons to see it on the big screen, even if your Chinese isn’t quite at the top of the HSK ladder. For one thing, the plot is relatively easy to follow without understanding every bit of dialogue, even if some of the explanations about the power dynamics between the dragon race and humanity get lost in the background. More importantly, this movie is downright fun. Both action and humor are fast-moving, and just as the story’s philosophy is updated for a modern audience, so too are its jokes, which creatively blend traditional elements with concepts from modern technology. Oh, and there are a couple of fart jokes as well.

Overall, if you want to see what locals are watching, Nezha is great place to start.

READ: Jackie Chan and Arnie, Liam Neeson, and Clint Eastwood Films All Secure China Release

Images: Medium, Huanghelou