The Tiger’s Apprentice features an all-star AAPI cast including Sherry Cola and Leah Lewis who spoke with us about the zodiac animal that best personifies them as well as superstitious beliefs they practice in their lives.
Andrew Nguyen: Throughout this film, we see so many different zodiac animals and their different personalities and powers. Can I ask which one of these zodiac animals, if you could choose, would personify you the best?
Leah Lewis: I’m outing myself here. I think I would be like the tiger. I feel like there are a lot of qualities [such as being] slightly stubborn at certain times, but then the loyalty, the courage that ends up pulling through, and the sacrifice on the tiger’s end. I don’t know specific qualities of what the tiger is like in real life, but I imagine this one is similar to what it would be in the zodiac. I definitely resonate with a lot of the different themes that he holds.
Sherry Cola: This is actually a tough question because I want to say monkey because I’m just like, “You monkey,” you know what I mean? I monkey around 24/7, 365.
Leah Lewis: But what’s the real story? I heard that you were a wood snake.
Sherry Cola: I am, I’m a wood snake. That’s the rumor on the streets. Maybe is it Rav? No, I don’t know.
Leah Lewis: Wait, but Rav’s not a zodiac. But you are like Rav, the human, though. I agree.
Sherry Cola: Yeah, I mean, I’m looking at the poster for some info. Okay, I think the zodiac animal that personifies Sherry Cola the most, let’s go Dragon, honestly, because I’m feathery. Because I’m fiery. I have this beautiful mane. You know what I’m saying? I think Dragon feels accurate for me IRL because yeah, she’s fiery, she’s honestly a power top mamasita, period. Power top is a family-friendly term, right?.
Andrew Nguyen: One of my last questions I wanted to ask was that there are so many clever Easter eggs of Asian culture represented in this film, especially with the charms around the house to ward off evil spirits. Is there a superstitious belief that you hold or that you thought was silly at first and now you kind of practice it in your daily life?
Sherry Cola: So, okay, the superstition is that when it’s your year of the Chinese zodiac, it’s a very transformative year. You have to do things to protect yourself from whatever comes at you. You have to stay vigilant. When it was the year of the snake 12 years ago, my mom made me wear red underwear all year, just to protect myself and fight off bad things. Here we are, and here we are. Anything my mom says, I just believe it.
Leah Lewis: My sister is a dragon, and it’s her year, and lots of things are happening. I’m going to send her some red underwear.
Sherry Cola: It’s transformative. It’s kind of similar to the Saturn return, you know what I’m saying?
Leah Lewis: She’s returning to Saturn, that’s for sure.
