Ben Wang headlines Karate Kid: Legends as Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy navigating life in New York & embracing legacy

Actor Ben Wang is set to take on a legacy role in Karate Kid: Legends, playing Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy navigating a new life in New York City. For Wang, this isn’t just another film—it’s a deeply personal journey that mirrors his own experiences.

Wang recalls first watching the 2010 Karate Kid reboot shortly after moving back to the U.S. from Beijing. “It takes place in Beijing, and I had just returned from there. It felt like my story in so many ways,” he shared. That emotional connection now comes full circle as he headlines the latest installment in the beloved franchise.

Karate Kid: Legends unites two martial arts worlds—Jackie Chan’s kung fu and Ralph Macchio’s karate—as both iconic actors return to train a new generation. Wang’s character, Li Fong, is uprooted from China to the streets of New York, where he must face local challenges and rise through discipline, mentorship, and self-discovery.

“Behind all the kung fu and karate, these movies are really about starting over, finding your people, and learning from great teachers,” Wang said in a recent interview.

Landing the role, however, wasn’t simple. “I sent in five or six tapes, tested in L.A.—nothing. A month later, they called: ‘Can you come tomorrow?’” he recalled. “Then suddenly I’m in a room with Jackie Chan, Joshua Jackson, Mulan as my mom, Kim Possible as my girlfriend, and Ralph Macchio too. It was surreal.”

The film promises action, legacy, and heart, continuing the themes that have made The Karate Kid a multi-generational phenomenon. For Wang, it’s also a personal triumph—where art, culture, and destiny intersect on screen.