Yvonne Chapman is playing the role that everyone loves in the hit show Kung Fu. It’s a popular show that was first aired in the 70s, and while not everyone is happy with the reboot, there are plenty of fans who will keep this show on the air for some time. She plays Zhilan, the amazing assassin that was recently promoted to regular, and she is killing it. However, her fans want to know more about her. She’s led such a fascinating life thus far, and we all want to know what she was like when she was younger as well as how she found herself in the acting game as an adult.
1. She is Canadian
She is a born and raised Canadian. She spent her life growing up in Calgary, but we don’t know much about her childhood or her time there. She is very low key about her private life, her family, and what she did as a child.
2. She Loves Her Character
Playing Zhilan has been so much fun for her. She calls it “a blast,” and we can see it. She’s playing someone who gets to assassinate people – which, as you may know, isn’t exactly a job too many people pick up after graduation.
3. She’s a Martial Artist
To take on this role, she had to train. Her training was extensive, and she’s loving it. Not only is it so cathartic to work out in general, but it’s also so good for her body, mind, and soul, and this is such an art. Martial arts is not something for the weak, and she’s proven she is not weak.
4. She Loves the Arts
The arts are so important to her, and she is careful to allot time in her life to advocate for the arts. She spends time on boards, she works with companies that do good work, and she is passionate about her mission. She spent years working as the treasurer and executive board member of the Calgary International Film Festival, and she is quite proud of her time served.
5. She Loves Spending Time with Aspiring Artists
She loves it, and we can only assume that being surrounded by people who have such a passion and a drive to create is both motivating and inspiring. She finds so much joy in this, and it’s something we have a feeling she will never allow to slow down or become less of a priority than it is now.
When she first began working on Kung Fu, she was not a series regular in the cast. However, she is now. She’s been upped to a series regular, and she is not the only one excited about it. Fans of the show love her and the character she is playing, and no one is upset they’re going to get more of her in subsequent seasons.
7. She May be 30-Something
There are a few rumors going around that she was born in 1988, but we simply don’t know. If this is true, she might be anywhere from 34 to 35 at this point. However, we cannot go by appearance alone. She is so youthful and lovely that it is nearly impossible to pinpoint her age.
8. She Was a Shy Child
Believe it or not, this famous actress was not an outgoing child. She was so shy that she didn’t think she could pursue acting. She did feel more alive and confident when she was acting as a child in plays and the like, but she was so shy that she didn’t think she had a future in it.
9. She Had to Find Courage to Pursue Acting
She did not grow up and go straight into acting. She went into finance. However, it simply wasn’t her passion (is finance anyone’s passion?). She wanted to act, but Chapman did not have the courage to make this happen. She had to find it, and that is when she changed her life.
10. She is a Buffy Fan
Young Yvonne was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and who wasn’t? We are all with her on this one. Buffy was her total pop culture icon growing up, and we all wanted to be like that, too. Imagine being the kind of girl who gets to be so cool you befriend some vampires yet also spend your nights fighting off the bad ones and protecting your entire community. A dream, honestly.