The Tiger’s Apprentice, an animated action adventure movie, hit theaters back in January. The film is based on the book series “The Tiger’s Apprentice” written by Laurence Yep. It follows a boy named Tom (Brandon Soo Hoo) who goes through school as a Chinese American as he attempts to stop the villainous Loo (Michelle Yeoh). Accompanying Tom throughout the film is a variety of different animals, including a pig named Joy (Deborah S. Craig), a blue dragon named Mistral (Sandra Oh) and a Tiger named Hu (Henry Golding).

I had the opportunity to interview voice actor Deborah S. Craig about her thoughts on the movie, which is chalked full of different fun characters and moments. “[I loved] the very beginning when the grandma shows that she’s super badass, [and] drives into the antagonists, [showing] that she can kick ass. That first moment was so exciting, and then of course I love when the pig comes in with the ham slam,” she said.

One of Craig’s favorite parts of the movie was the setting, which was San Francisco during Lunar New Year. “I just thought the animation was fantastic. I thought they made an amazing world and I loved seeing these parts of [come together],” she said.

She expressed the importance of the Lunar calendar in order for people to be made aware of these celebrations, experience different traditions and to feel a connection to other cultures.

“I think [the movie is] really great for the generation of kids that never saw themselves represented, that never saw characters that looked like them, sounded like them, or existed like them in the world,” explained Craig.

The film voices an impressive all Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) cast along with a mostly all-AAPI creative team and directors. Craig explained that there’s sometimes an issue on a show or movie when there’s just one AAPI actor, and that those actors and actresses feel like they have a great deal of responsibility to make sure they represent all of Asia. She also mentioned that on this project, with so many from the AAPI community, she didn’t feel that weight of representation on her and that it was liberating.

She ended with sharing some advice for people who want to become actors or actresses, stressing the importance of having an inner compass due to the entertainment industry being an entrepreneurial career.

“See as much as you can, say yes to everything you can and be open to opportunities that come your way and where it leads you. Really at the core of it, know how to be a self starter and how to have self discipline,” she said.