Posted in: Max, streaming, TV | Tagged: Andrew Koji, bruce lee, max, warrior

Warrior Star Andrew Koji Has "Gut Feeling" About Season 4 & More

Warrior star Andrew Koji reflects on the ways that the Max series changed his life, the possibility of a fourth season, and more.

There isn't anyone more self-aware of what the Bruce Lee-inspired series Warrior has done than star Andrew Koji, who plays Ah Sahm, the martial arts prodigy trying to survive the social unrest of 19th-century San Francisco during the Tong Wars. The first thing Koji had to shed was that he isn't playing Lee because the actor and martial arts legend passed in 1973, as co-star Jason Tobin told Bleeding Cool. Instead, Koji, like Lee, had to find his own way to express himself, but with similar rigorous intense physical training. The actor spoke with Inverse before the SAG-AFTRA strike on his journey to season three coming from the COVID pandemic.

"The training's always tough," Koji said. "And getting older is always tough because I'm 35 now, and I know it's not old, old, but for that kind of level of action, it's a lot on the body." He recalled when everyone returned to film the third season. "We all came back broken in different ways because of Covid. I think a lot of that matched with what happened with the riots at the end of Season 2, and that informed us emotionally."

The gap between seasons two and three was nearly two years, not only due to the pandemic but the series' uncertain fate as Warner Bros Discovery was in reorganization. While Warrior was a Cinemax Original, the martial arts drama was shifted as an HBO Max exclusive before it was rebranded to Max. The series came off its season three finale, "A Window of Fucking Opportunity," which saw Koji's character expand his repertoire. "There was a bit more Muay Thai," the British-Japanese actor said. "We focused a little bit less on the Wushu, the more performative [styles]. We did a lot of sparring, MMA kind of things."

As far as what the series has done not only Koji's physical lifestyle but also gained just as much mental. "'Warrior' gave me a lot,'" Koji said. "It gave me confidence and belief in myself that I can do this. I have something to say and give in this field. But even around this time, I'd be getting requests to audition for tiny parts and Asian henchman number four, or whatever." As far as the series' future, "If we did 'Warrior' season 4, that would be next year because everyone has to become free," Koji says. "It might not be until the middle of next year if we did, and I'm going to be getting old." As of right now, the series' future is still a question mark. "The cast and crew, we've got no idea if we're going to go back. But I think it will all be all dependent on how much of a splash this [season] can make," Koji explained, adding that he had a "gut feeling" that "we got a very good chance" at a fourth season – depending on how well the third season performs on Max.

For more, including how Koji's martial arts evolved with his acting career, Warrior co-stars, the typecasting he endured like Lee before him, how GI: Joe: Snake Eyes was doomed, and being as active behind-the-scenes creatively producing his own work, and more, you can check out the interview here.

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