Andy LE, The Frontrunner for Victory
Geraldine Zialcita
When measuring speed, vitality, and flexibility, you’ll discover that Andy Le surpasses all expectations combined with his razor-edged foresight, keen-witted tenacity, and insurmountable will to succeed. Andy transforms simple punches and steady kicks to revolutionize his signature moves, express his passion, and create his mark.
Of Vietnamese descent, Andy was born and raised in Westminster, Orange County, California. His parents departed Vietnam and immigrated to California during the Vietnam War. Their personal stories have struck a chord in Andy who lives his life with the values they taught him. “Upon fleeing Vietnam, my dad discovered that there was not enough room in the boat so he sacrificed his life and stayed at the concentration camps for his family to emigrate ahead of him. His selfless act taught me the values of hard work and discipline which are deeply rooted in my mind. My parents came from nothing to offer me something and I will never take that for granted,” he shares.
Andy spent his time after school devouring films played by iconic martial artists like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan who motivated and inspired him to be at the forefront of the next generation of Martial Arts. “Since I was bullied in school, seeing how these renowned martial artists could kick twenty bad guys at a time resonated with me and provided empowerment. I wanted to stand up for myself and be like the heroes I watched on screen so I can change the world,” he reveals.
With strength, stability, and endurance, Andy spends six to seven days a week and four to six hours a day engaged in Martial Arts. Although a majority of learning the moves, punches, and kicks were acquired on his own due diligence, practice, and performance, Andy also had formal training at a Martial Arts school. Andy’s strong passion inspires him to maximize his potential and keep reaching higher levels. “I find inspiration in art and music which evokes a powerful emotion while I’m throwing a punch or executing a kick. I’m a workaholic, goal-oriented person with tunnel vision and believe that chaos creates good art. I must admit, I find it difficult to just chill out and relax,” he discloses.
When the distinguished Urban Ninja martial artists visited Andy’s school during career day, this became one of the highlights of Andy’s life since he was an avid fan who studied their viral videos. “Just witnessing first-hand how they portrayed their flips gave me goosebumps. I stood still, contemplating each moment that led to my epiphany. From that day on, I vowed to be a martial artist that could inspire the world. My dream manifested into a reality and I’ve been living my passion for ten years now.” He beams with pride.
Andy believes that Martial Arts is universal and doesn’t only refer to kicks and punches. “Martial Arts is a lifestyle that involves discipline and values which can be applied to your life. The literal meaning of Kung fu is ‘hard work achieved over time’ which means anybody can be a Kung fu artist as long as you are persistent. Since every martial artist is unique, it’s important to be true to yourself and your being, and your emotion. We all have different ways to do it derived from our training, principles, and upbringing,” he informs.
In 2011, Andy harnessed his skill and forged ahead by launching a Martial Club with his brother, Brian, and friend, Daniel Mah. The three-man show is responsible for writing, rehearsing, producing, action choreography, directing, acting, and editing their videos featured on YouTube. To date, Martial Club has garnered over 700k viewers. “Martial Club is like a brotherhood―an expression of our passion. We just picked up a camera and started consistently teaching YouTube skits involving Martial Arts action scenes which went viral and people started to notice us. We wear multiple hats defining our vision of bringing back Martial Arts movies while inspiring people with our own twist. This is our blueprint.” He smiles.
Andy keeps an open mind and genuine willingness to learn, grow, and enhance his skills. “I believe in two of Bruce Lee’s principles which I’ve applied in my life. ‘Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.’ ‘Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless—like water.’ When you practice Martial Arts long enough, you’ll learn that there are no limitations,” he states.
Shortly after building up clout on YouTube, Jackie Chan’s acclaimed stuntman, Brad Allen who often searched for fresh and undiscovered talent stumbled upon Andy’s videos and recognized his potential. Although Brad passed away recently, his solid efforts and commitment paved the way for Andy’s career―a villain role for Marvel Studios film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. “Everything was so surreal. What started as me training the protagonist, Simu Liu for several months to carry out his stunts developed into me playing Death Villain. Brad acknowledged and respected my goal of appearing in a movie, and when a spot opened, he encouraged me to apply for the ninja villain role. I never expected to secure the part and I’m so grateful to Brad for positively impacting me and serving as the gateway to opportunity,” he relays.
Jackie Chan has played an instrumental role in Andy’s life and inspired him in all his endeavors. “He’s one of my biggest heroes and I can relate to him in so many ways. He’s not just a martial artist, but also a true filmmaker who procured every aspect of the craft into his own hands and obtained control of telling his own story. Coming from a YouTube background, this summarizes what I did to learn all the angles of the craft. I felt I had embodied his filmmaking spirit over the years of creating YouTube videos,” he narrates.
Andy Cheng, a veteran of Jackie Chan’s stunt team and the Action Choreographer in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also discovered Andy and his partners on YouTube. Impressed with their stunts, Andy hired him to help choreograph a few simple movements for a Jackie Chan commercial. “Throughout the years I had downloaded a lot of Jackie’s movements into my muscle memory. For the job, I recycled some of Jackie’s classic movements which he was familiar with and added a bit of a modern flair to the choreography. I remember my legs wobbling the whole time on set when I was working with him. I couldn’t fathom how I was in the presence and breathing the same air as the hero who had made such a positive impact on my life and inspired me to pursue something greater with purpose.” A glow radiates from within.
After wrapping up the commercial, Andy, Brian, and Daniel sneaked up to Jackie Chan to snap a photo. To express their gratitude, Andy and his team gave a present to Jackie Chan which comprised of a Martial Club team shirt, a letter of appreciation, and a flash drive with their videos, action demo reels, and contacts. “I thanked him for the many decades of inspiration and his contribution to the world of Martial Arts Action Cinema. I also assured him that I will continue to work hard and inspire the next generation as he has inspired me. At the end of the day, Jackie put his hand on my shoulder, pointed to me, and said, ‘The Next Generation.’ My brothers don’t usually get starstruck, but this was the first time I saw their lips quivering from the jitters. We had just been covered in the dust of our master. This moment has been etched in my memory and will reign for the rest of my life,” he expresses with conviction.
After Jackie Chan left the parking lot, Andy, Brian, and Daniel huddled together with arms over their shoulders while tears spilled out of their eyes. Savoring the moment, they realized that prior to this day, they were a group of kids with big dreams creating YouTube videos out of sheer passion with no expectations. “This was the day where we got to rub elbows with our hero who definitely showed us that we are doing something right. This signifies a bookmark in our journey and a stepping stone of what’s yet to come,” he affirms.
Andy has fulfilled stunt roles in various films and also appeared in The Paper Tigers, Wu Tang: An American Saga movie, and Everything Everywhere All at Once with famed actress, Michelle Yeoh. While playing Death Villain, Andy captured the audience with his unforgettable signature full-twist sidekick and defined history. “Martial Arts consists of different flavors and I wanted to be innovative. This full-twist sidekick has never been done on film before.” A twinkle plays in his eyes.
As a Vietnamese American, Andy appreciates the value of culture and acknowledges how Martial Arts has been instilled as an Asian heritage. “There has been a rise of Asian movement in film and I’m all about embracing your culture especially if it serves to provide a better life for you and can create an impact to other people as well,” he declares.
Although this relentless martial artist has faced some challenges ranging from injuries to sequencing his YouTube videos are at par with their vision, Andy remains steadfast knowing he has built a strong foundation embedded in his being. “When we pursued Martial Arts as a career, we were quite doubtful where this route would lead us. We sacrificed our blood, sweat, and tears and took ample risks to put ourselves out on YouTube during a time when not too many people appreciated Martial Arts. The low view counts were discouraging, yet we kept focusing on our goal. We were carving an uncertain path with no blueprint, yet we forged ahead and trusted the journey. In a nutshell, there’s no easy way to achieve your dream, but I’m a firm believer that challenges can lead to breakthroughs, and we should celebrate our milestones. It’s a never-ending journey, and we continue to learn and grow knowing we are living our purpose,” he describes.
Andy, Brian, and Daniel are currently writing two scripts and plan to take them to the big screen. “It’s been a long journey with obstacles and hoops, yet my advice to everyone who wants to fulfill their dream is to not listen to the naysayers. Just keep your head down and keep pushing forward. Keep trusting your gut and as long as you have the heart and passion to do it, you will succeed. I hope my story will reflect how hard work, practice, and discipline can produce amazing results,” he concludes.
Andy never anticipated for his childhood dream to manifest into a reality, yet, he has proven that his fervent passion, hard work, and discipline are the keys to success. Martial Arts has been the cornerstone of his life and Andy Le is the frontrunner for victory.
Photo Credits:
ANDY LE @andyle_official
HMUA: DANNI KATZ @dannidoesit
Fashion Stylist: GABRIEL LANGENBRUNNER @langy
BTS Videographer: RED CHUA @redchuaaa
Executive Producer and Jewelry Designer: ROSALINA TRAN LYDSTER @rosalinalydster
Editorial Assistant: BESSIE GOTINGCO @besscr8tiv
Writer: GERALDINE ZIALCITA @geraldineauthor
Art Director: NIGEL JOHN DEL MUNDO @nigeldelmundo
Photographer: VINCENT GOTTI @vinniegotti
Location Provided by: Ned and Lan Kisner
Thank you to: BRIAN LE @briandemonwolf and DANIEL MAH @dmah_mc for providing support to Andy Le