Sam Song Li Stars on DSCENE Magazine’s March 2024 Cover

In the exclusive interview with DSCENE Magazine, we sit down with the multifaceted Sam Song Li, star of “The Brothers Sun” and the face of our March 2024 digital cover. As he steps into the spotlight, Sam shares deep insights into his character, Bruce Sun—a college student caught between his dreams and familial expectations. With a blend of humor, drama, and action, “The Brothers Sun” has quickly captured the hearts of audiences, offering a fresh perspective on AAPI representation and the power of choice.

EXCLUSIVE

The rising star talks about the complexities of his role, his dynamic with screen legend Michelle Yeoh, and the impact of the show on viewers and the industry. From behind-the-scenes laughs to the personal growth and challenges faced during filming, Sam’s journey is as engaging and thought-provoking as it is motivational.

Can you tell our readers a little more about the character Bruce you play? – Bruce Sun is a naive college student in Southern California who has dreams of becoming a famous improv artist. However, his mom wants him to study to become a doctor so he’s been hiding his secret passion from her. Bruce deals with a lot of privileged first world problems that suddenly pale in comparison to the problems thrown at him once Charles Sun (his long lost older brother) comes to town!

How do you prepare for filming, do you have a special routine? – Yes! Before filming, I created a biography for Bruce. I would describe some of his key traits and specifically, how he views the world, how he thinks the world views him. I would take a look at this everyday before filming to really lock-in on who Bruce was. I think Bruce and I have a lot of similarities, but we definitely have different views on the world. The way we approach problems is pretty contrasting as well, so it was important for me to understand where he’s coming from and why he makes the decisions that he does.

Speaking of diversity and inclusivity, have you received feedback from viewers about the impact of your character, particularly within the AAPI community? What changes would you like to see in terms of representation in the industry? – Absolutely! I think this show opens up important conversations about having the opportunity to make our own choices, versus following more traditional family values and listening to our elders. This is definitely something that I know the AAPI community has dealt with for a while, and it’s something I dealt with in my personal life as well. Seeing the reception to this show and hearing people discuss these values, I’m just glad it’s impacting people and creating some discourse around the subject!

I hope a generation of young people who wouldn’t have had these opportunities in the past come forward and continue to make waves for all of us.

In terms of changes to the industry, I feel like we’ve done so much to create opportunities in these past few years. It’s awesome. Like, so awesome. I really feel like we’re in a golden era of representation on screen. But you know, there’s still so many stories to tell, so many perspectives and experiences to share. But I think the industry is seeing this. And I hope a generation of young people who wouldn’t have had these opportunities in the past come forward and continue to make waves for all of us.

Working alongside an Oscar winner actress like Michelle Yeoh must be a great experience. How did this collaboration influence your performances on the show? – Michelle is the best! In a lot of ways, acting is like a team sport, you really can’t do it all by yourself. I think team chemistry is very real, and Michelle is a certified pro at building chemistry. From the very first moment I met her at Sunday morning dim sum, prior to production starting, I felt like I was treated as if I was her own son. She has such strong maternal instincts and a fantastic scene partner. She is so generous with her acting and I feel like so many of our best performances were with her and when she’s around.

The show has been gaining wide attention in a very short period of time. In your view, what makes this show stand out, and how do you hope it will impact audiences? – This show is so fun! It’s freakin’ kick-ass, it’s funny AF, and at times, really sentimental and deeper than people would initially expect. I think in this way, it’s quite unique and genre-bending to say the least. To be honest, shows like these aren’t really given the chance to be made these days. Studios like to know exactly what genre/tone a series or movie is supposed to be. But with this show, we kinda said, “screw it, let’s just be ourselves”. I think that’s so badass, haha.

Taking in the massive success of the show, how do you reflect on this milestone in your career, and do you foresee any changes in the types of roles you pursue in the future? – I think I am very much still processing it all. First of all, I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to portray Bruce. I remember thinking to myself, while in the middle of filming, “If I never act again, if this is the only role I ever get to play in my life, I am happy, I am content.” This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime role for me. I got to do comedy, I got to do drama, even some action here and there, and to share the screen with Michelle freaking Yeoh!? C’mon, haha.

However, I’m definitely not done yet. I like to keep people on their toes, you know? I have always enjoyed defying people’s expectations of me. Obviously Bruce is a dorky dude, and I’m pretty dorky dude too. But there are so many sides of me that people don’t know about unless they know me on a personal level. I’m excited to show the world these sides now that I’ve peaked their interest, haha.

Would you share any interesting behind-the-scenes moments or challenges faced during the filming, perhaps involving any cast members? – There was one time where I had to share an emotional moment with Michelle. I was teary-eyed and totally lost in the moment. I’m pouring my heart out in the scene. Suddenly, she burst into tears of LAUGHTER and I was like, “what the heck is going on? Was this supposed to be funny??” I was so confused. Later we watched the playback of what she saw while acting with me in the scene. I had a trail of snot coming out of my nose that reached all the way down to my elbows. It was honestly impressive how long that trail of snot was. And then to top it off, I sniffled and the long trail of snot shot all the way back up into my nose. Honestly, I would have lost it too if I saw that happen in real time haha.

Be delusional. If you are not, you’re doing it wrong. Delulu is the Solulu.

Your Instagram and TikTok videos are so entertaining and relatable in many ways. Where do you find inspiration for them? – Thank you! As a storyteller, I love sharing my relatable experiences online. So much of my content these days is dating related. It’s a big part of my life that I’m trying to figure out. It’s just so cursed, haha. A lot of my inspiration is based on real experiences, or experiences I hear from friends. Sometimes I’ll look online too. But I think there’s just something very unhinged about dating in 2024. Especially in big cities like New York or Los Angeles. You really have a lot of larger than life personalities there, and it’s fun to see how many people seem to be relating to my experiences.

What advice would you give to the aspiring actors and individuals who look up to you, hoping to navigate the entertainment industry and achieve their goals? – Be delusional. If you are not, you’re doing it wrong. Delulu is the Solulu.

But also, have no expectations. It’s weird, you need to find this balance of unlimited confidence while having zero expectations of anything actually happening. That way you won’t get emotionally wrapped in your head about stuff. I hope that makes sense.

What are your hopes for future collaborations or projects? What genres do you see yourself in? – Ok, I consider myself a huge simp, a hopeless romantic. I think dating has been such a big topic of my personal life. What romance is supposed to be. What love should mean to a person. How relationships are affected by circumstances outside of our control. Past Lives was one of my favorite films of 2023, that movie just hit me so hard in the feels. I would love to work with a filmmaker who has a very personal story to tell. I often find those to be the most compelling. I’m also in my romance era. So maybe a romantic pic, or a rom-com or something of that nature. I’m basically making them myself on my personal pages on Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube. You can find me @thesamlitv and @samlitv on tiktok and youtube.

Photographer David Urbanke – @davidurbanke
Stylist Andrew Gelwicks at The Only Agency – @andrewgelwicks @theonly.agency
Grooming Michael Moreno at The Only Agency – @michaelmorenohair
Talent Sam Song Li – @thesamlitv
Interview Nikola Bajovic – @nikolabajovic