September 3, 2025 • 27 mins
ICYMI: ‘Later, with Mo’Kelly’ Presents – An in-depth conversation with actor Nhut Le, best known for his fan-favorite role as ‘Judomaster’ in the DC Studios series ‘Peacemaker’; Nhut joins the program to preview his highly anticipated return in season 2 of the Emmy-nominated HBO Max hit series - on KFI AM 640…Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app & YouTube @MrMoKelly
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Peacemaker season two on HBO Max. And if you recently
saw the movie Superman directed by James Gunn, or you
saw season one a Peacemaker, it's a part of the
new DCU, that cinematic universe where everything is tied together
and Peacemaker if you didn't see season one. In season one,
(00:28):
Peacemaker is starring John Cena. He was getting his ass
kicked just about every episode by my next guest. I'm
not exaggerating. His name is Nutt Lee and he plays
Judo Master. In fact, he's going to be part of
five of the total eight episodes of this season of Peacemaker,
and he's going to be debuting in this season in
(00:51):
episode three, which is getting ready to drop on HBO Max.
And Nutley joins me in studio right now, Mitch Lee,
how are you doing this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I'm doing well because one, I love the show, and
I specifically love your character Judo Master, because you're a
martial arts enthusiast.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
You are well.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Let me ask you how much of the stunt choreography
the fighting choreography are you doing?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
So we do all of the fights, We do all
of our fights, and then the stunt guys they'll come
in take a pass at it, and then the editors will,
you know, cut whatever they need to.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
But a fair amount that's you out there throwing kicks
and flipping and everything.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So for our season two, my stunt double he's an acrobat,
so you know, he's very good with like the gymnastics part,
and he's a wooshoe champion, so he's very good at
fighting as well.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Did you study wooshoe? I did.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I studied wooshoe for about two years, and then before
that I studied a little bit of shouting kung fu.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
What I like about not only your story but also
how it applies to Peacemaker is that you had an
incredible journey before you got to this point. And if
you don't know, your name is not Lee spelled Nhut,
which is Vietnamese. You were born in Vietnam. You spent
the first six years of your life in Vietnam. So
(02:28):
when you came to America, obviously English was not your
first language, but was acting in cinema your first.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Loves it was a part of it. Growing up, I
wasn't encouraged to express myself because growing up in an
Asian family, you know, it's all about doing well in school,
and so anything creative or artistic, we didn't really say that.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Again, you had to do well in school. Education was
a thing, right.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Education was a bit thing, Yeah, for sure. And so
my first play I did when I was in fourth grade.
It was a musical called South Pacific, and I was
in fourth grade, but the production was a high school production.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Is that The one was some in Shanto evening, Yes,
some in Chanday evening.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Okay, we're musical folks, Oh yeah, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
So they needed two little Asian kids to fill these
two roles.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So my.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Friend's dad was friends with a director for the high
school and so he called me in. I auditioned for it,
my first time singing, my first time acting.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
In not your birth language.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Right yeah yeah. And oddly enough so that character only
spoke in French, so all my lines were in French.
All of my singing was in French.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So are you a polyglot? Do languages come rather easily
to you?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I wouldn't say that, but I do like learning a
lot so I enjoy learning different languages, different skills for
you know, whatever the role is. So it worked out.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
How did you know that this was going to be
your life's work? What was it?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Was it a moment when you were doing a play
and you fell in love with the just the acting,
I'll say, the just the commitment to acting.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You know it's not necessarily a job, but it turned
into a job for you. How did you know that
this was what you were going to do.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, I think younger in life it was whenever I
was on stage, it was a chance for me to
express myself and you know, be able to feel happy
or sad and show it, whereas in my home life
it was very stifled. So it was cathartic for me
growing up and being able to express myself. And then
around when I was sixteen, I booked my first television
(04:56):
show on PBS. It was an educational series. And I
remember because my parents didn't take me to the auditions
or any of the shoots or anything. So as a
sixteen year old with my backpack on, I got on
the Septa, which was the regional rail of Philadelphia. Two
buses later went to the audition, bused my way back,
and then I booked that job and then it was
(05:20):
the first time I got paid ever, and one hundred
and fifty dollars was like, you know, the biggest everything,
like I've made it.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Did it mean anything to your parents where you could say, look,
I'm actually making my way in this business. I know
you want to be to be a doctor, to be
a lawyer, something along those lines.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
But did your parents ever start slowly coming around?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
They did not until I found more success later on,
you know. And so for a long time, it was
just me motivating myself with my passion and my dreams,
and that's what, you know, propelled me to do, like
to move up to New York by myself, to move
up to LA by myself, you know. So it's all
(06:05):
of these things that I I really wanted to do
because I just love acting so much.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
How familiar were you with any of the Peacemaker characters
or the DC universe when you audition?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
When I auditioned for Tjudo Master, the the role had
a generic name. The name was Marshall, like Marshall Mathers
hiding the name, so it was Marshall Artists And so
I thought it was just you know, some henchmen, and
in that scene I was supposed to be eating chips.
(06:39):
I was eating salt and vinegar chips, which are my favorite. Uh.
And at this point I was it was around the
pandemic era, so I was actually about to give up
acting at that point and moved back to Philadelphia and
teach pottery full time.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So that was tea pottery.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Teach pottery.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
That's a long ways away from acting.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I was, you know, resigned from the acting world completely.
I had found a house in Philadelphia, was in ascrow
for it, and then I get this audition for Peacemaker.
It was James Gunn was attached, John Cena was attached.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
And that's all I knew.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
That's enough. I'm like, yeah, of course I'm doing this.
So I send it in and then or first my
manager sends in my stunt reel because it's you know,
a lot of fighting for Judo Master. And then they
liked it, and then they came back and then they
gave me sides for it, and then I did the
sides and had another meeting and then another audition, and
(07:41):
then about a week later, Uh, they called me. They're like,
they'd like to offer you judo master. But in my life,
I was getting ready to move, so I was like,
I don't know what to do. So I ended up
taking the role of course, and then also taking the house.
(08:03):
But I haven't lived in.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
That house, but you still have the house.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I saw the house.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, my goodness, that is a wonderful start to this conversation.
If you just tuned me in Lee joins me in studio,
you will. If you don't already know, he plays judo
master on Peacemaker, And if you haven't seen peace Maker,
let me just say it's not for kids.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Let me just say that.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
There's a lot of cussing, there's a lot of fighting,
there's a lot of nudity, there's a lot of sex.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
There's a lot of action, and.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Get you get to kick John Cena's ass just about
every scene that you're in.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It's it's amazing and I love acting for that reason.
I'm a five foot zero, one hundred and ten pounds,
soaking wet, and I'm up against John Tena who's like
six three six four, but you're as I'm whooping his ass.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Every time, and I love it. It's great.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
And like, so I just touched you and you go flying,
and that's acting.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
When we come back, we'll have more about Peacemaker. We'll
have more with my guest Lee. We're talking about Peacemaker
season two. He plays Judo Master. And look, I don't
know where your stunts begin and your stunt doubles may end,
but I am all in. And you get to have
a smart mouth, you get to you get to taunt
(09:29):
John Cena's Peacemaker throughout.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
It's the best job, the best.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We'll have more with no Lee, just a moment. K
if I am six forty We're live everywhrny I Heart
Radio app.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Forty KFI Later with mo Kelly Live everywhrny I Heart
Radio app and on YouTube. And I wish we could
show you. I wish we could play for you some
a Peacemaker with my guest who is Judo Master. But
it is so profane, so vulgar, we just can't do it.
(10:08):
You're gonna have to take our word for it and
check out Peacemaker season two on HBO Max. And I
wonder because when I see a show like Peacemaker, NA,
when you have all these characters and they all have
great lines, and you have this interplay, it would seem
to me that there's not a lot of room for
improvisation because the lines are coming and going so fast.
(10:32):
Take me on to the set with James Gunn. How
does he run his set when you're doing scenes in Peacemaker.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I love working with James because when he's on set,
there's a sense of ease because you know that he's
always got your back.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So, oh, he's an actress director and.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Actress director one hundred percent. So with some of the
other directors that I've worked with before, you know, will
block the scenes and two whatever. But with James, who
we like, you know, do the blocking and we'll set
up the camera and we'll figure it out afterwards, you know.
So it's it's more character driven. And the great thing
about James is so we'll do several takes of the
(11:13):
what's written in the script, and if he's got it,
will do like sort of a throwaway take and you
could just sort of improvise here and there and do
whatever you want. But I know a lot of interview
outlets will pick up like, oh, like a lot of
the fun is improvising. But to give credit to James,
like ninety nine percent of what you see on screen
(11:35):
is actually written in the script and really seems improvised
because he's such a good writer.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
It is going so fast.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
How do you find the synergy the timing to be
able to deliver the lines in such a fast paced way.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
I think he does also a great job with casting people,
and you know, the chemistry because after the two seasons,
I've become super good friends with like Steve ag Sol Rodriguez,
Danielle Brooks. Like the energy is so natural and so
it just sort of like diffuses its way into the screen.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
When you first stepped on that set, how nervous were you,
if at all?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
It was sort of bizarre how not nervous I was,
because you know, you're working with like some of the
titans of the industry, John Cena, James Gunn. But I
think what really helped me out was I've been in
this industry for ten years, you know, struggling doing background work,
being an extra, being a stand in. So I sort
(12:41):
of cut my teeth on set being the photo double
or the stand in. So I was working with the
camera crews, they set up the lights and I run
through the blocking and so I know all the terminology.
I was super comfortable on set, and so when I
was on set for the first time, I felt so
prepared and it was just like, I get to do
(13:01):
something that I love so much, you know, and here's
my chance to be the actor and not just standing
in or the background your character.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
You're wearing a mask for the most part, and so
it wouldn't surprise me if you still get to retain
a level of anonymity when you walk out. Are you recognized?
Because you're five feet so people, You're going to be
noticeable to people, And I mean that respectfully. Do people
make the connection quickly that you're Judo Master?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah? I think after because I didn't really do a
lot of press in season one because it was just
a small character. So having him come back in season
two and doing all the press junkets and all that
stuff outside of my mask. I remember right after the premiere,
we were walking down the streets of New York and
some guy ran out of the bodega and was like
(13:52):
Judo Master. I was like, what is going on? So
I think now it's it's more prevalent.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
All right, Do you do you ever have any not
notes for James Gunner? Do you ever sit down and
say or just have a request for him what you
want your character to be or how much input are
you allowed to offer.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
So I think the scripts are pretty packs when we
receive them, but there are some instances here and there,
like in season one, during the convenience scene or the
convenience store scene.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
My character like we were just playing that.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah, it's like a little joking dance like that wasn't
in the script and you did that. I did that.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, you're basically doing the touchdown dance.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, like emoting on you know, through video games. Yeah,
so that I did during the day, and James loves
that bit so much. So there's I think, as Judo Master,
he's so free to do whatever he wants, and James
sort of recognizes that, and so he does give some
some room that Judo Master can play.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I'm curious, and you probably couldn't tell me even if
you know, But my job is to ask the question,
whether you can answer it or not. We know that
James Gunn is real big on crossover and synergy between
the film universe and television universe. In fact, the first
episode of season two. Don't want to give it away
(15:20):
too many specifics, but it made it very clear that
this is happening in the time of Superman, the movie,
which just took place. In a cinematic sense. Have you
had any real should I say this? Is there any
possibility that we might see Judo Master on the big screen?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Let me put it that way.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I would love that to be the case, and I
will say following Superman, Peacemaker is a pretty consequential in
the story of DC. You and I'm not sure if
(16:04):
studio heads are here.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It's just you and me. Just change the gun. Is
not gonna even listen, Okay, he has no idea what's
going on?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Right, this is what's gonna make him listen, and then
he'll shut down your show.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
No, he wouldn't do that, but it is something at
least in the back of your mind you could see
the possibility.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Is that fair to ask? Yeah? I think you know.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He He is playing in the realm of this bigger
DC universe for sure, and Peacemaker showed up in Superman,
so it's definitely a through line of some sort.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
If you're just tuning in, my guest right now, in
studio is Lee. We're talking about Peacemaker. Lee plays the
character of Judo Master. And if you haven't seen Peacemaker,
let me just warn you in a good way. It's
very profane, borderline vulgar at times. There's nudity, there's sexual situations,
(17:06):
there's a lot of violence. It's a great show for
adults like Mark Runner and me and Twala and Sam
and Nick who's in studio.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
It's yeah, it's absolutely no, no.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
It is over the top in all the best of ways.
And now do you have a some time. I would
love to have you for one more segment. Yeah, yeah,
for sure, let's do this. It's Later with Mo Kelly
caf I AM six forty. We're live on Facebook, We're
live on Instagram and the iHeartRadio app and also YouTube.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Kelly and six live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app and
YouTube at mister mom Kelly. And if you're just tuning in,
if you happen to be an HBO Max fed, if
you happen to be a DCU fan, or happen to
be a fan of Peacemaker, you probably enjoying this to
(18:06):
no end. My guest in studio right now is Lee.
He's one of the co stars of Peacemaker now on
HBO Max, and your debut episode for this season is
dropping next.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
What should we expect?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
You should expect a nice little surprise, you know, seeing
an old friend again. I think the way that Judo
Master is introduced this season's pretty cool, pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
And we're playing your reel right now from a Peacemaker
where you're routinely kicking everyone's ass from peacemaker to vigilante.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
How fun is that? Let me ask you a question
a different way.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Do you get the season episode by episode so you
don't know where the season is going to go?
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Or do you get the whole season in advance? Do
you understand the character arc so.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
We do get all eight episodes out one so we
know entirely what's going on, and in the way that
it's shot, it's sort of shot like a movie and
not like a weekly episodic thing.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Got you, m.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Is there anything which surprises you after you do a
scene or an episode. Are you gonna sit there and
watch it the moment that it drops or you an
actor who doesn't like to look at yourself on screen.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
I love watching Judo Master. I do not like watching
myself on screen. But Peacemaker is so fun to watch
and I sort of black out when I'm filming. So
we're watching it.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
There's a lot that's being asked of you.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Yeah, and so you know when I'm when I'm watching it,
it's like the first time because you know, you read
the script and you have your interpretations of it and
you're on the other side of the camera, But then
what the editors choose, you know, and what takes make
it you I'm just watching it for the first time.
I'm like, and I forget that it's actually me.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
You don't see any of the dailies as you go.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Rarely, very rarely.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Is that by choice? No? Okay? In other words, James
is not going to share, right.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Okay, it's like a really cool sequence, and you know,
you might see a little here and there, but it's
not like we sit down and we go through the
whole thing.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Now. Is he one of those three takes?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
You know, one his way, one he allows the cast
to kind of improvise, and then one just to make
sure he's got it or how is it his directorial style.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Generally, in that regard.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
James is a director who knows exactly what he wants.
And so I remember in season one we did like
this quick little thing and we did one take of
it and I was like, Okay, yeah, that feels good.
Let's let's go again, and he's like, we're moving on.
We already got it, you know, like why beat a horse?
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Have you ever hit John Cena in the face unintentionally? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Yes, yes, but I mean look at my hands, like
they're so small. He's like a fly just hit me.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Has he ever hit you unintentionally?
Speaker 3 (21:18):
No, because you know that would maybe break some ribs.
But like he's been a wrestler for twenty years or something,
you know, like he's a pro.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I'm looking right now at the real and he's slipping
you or your stunt double onto these cars. How much
are you getting slipped around?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
The car? Stuff? Is all?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
This is season one, So it was Robin, that was
all him. He took the car hits.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So you get to say, okay, bringing the double, I'm
not doing this. I'm not being thrown on a car today.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Right, Not today, maybe tomorrow. But if we already got
it today, then we don't need to need.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
To do it again.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I know people are listening right now or maybe watching
on YouTube. They want to know more about you, see
more of your work. What to look forward to with
Peacemakers Season two, Episode three, which is going to be
dropping shortly.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
How can they find you on social media?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
They can find me on Instagram at it s n
h u t l E. So that again, yes, it
s nhut l E. So it's Nully just my name.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
What has been the best part of what you do?
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I think the best part of Peacemaker is the cast
and the crew, Like truly, everyone's been so nice, so friendly,
so welcoming, and there's just all such good actors and
creatives and just a pleasure to be around as people.
But then I also just love acting. I just any
(22:50):
day that I get to act is a win for me.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Let me throw you a question out of left field,
and it's something that I want to know. I have
a job to ask questions that I think the audience
wants to know, and then the questions that I just
want to know. And this goes back to your history
coming from Vietnam. You came from Vietnam obviously post war Vietnam.
How has the country developed since that time and did
(23:17):
that impact your family's decision to come to the United States.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, I think after the war. I wasn't alive during then,
so we came over maybe a few decades after. So
it was our decision to come to America was to
have better opportunities for myself and my family. The education
(23:43):
system is a lot better here, and they.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
There's that education thing again.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
They like that they do prioritize the education, and it
was it was difficult in Vietnam because I remember going
to school would call money and then everyone after school
would do after school programs or study during the summer,
so you really didn't get summerification and all of those
you had to pay for. So it was a little
(24:12):
bit more difficult. And I really appreciated growing up in
a small rural town because our schooling system was actually
really good, and I think that definitely attributes to you know,
reading scripts and learning about everything that I would need
(24:33):
to know as an actor.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You got some i'll say, playful comments in the chat.
I always talk about how when I do my job,
I usually wear a polo okay, and you come into
studio wearing a polo, I said, I like him.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I like him. I used to have a polo just
like that.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
It was from the nineteen eighties when Isaad LaCOSA was
huge and they had the small alligator.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Now they usually have the big alligator.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
When he came in with the classic iesod, I said, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
You know, I did my research.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Great answer.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
There's a pole that you're wearing that I like particularly.
It's a black one with a white stripe. Yes, yeah,
I love that one.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Judo Master is both stealthy and his research and also
in kicking somebody's.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
I'm glad, I'm glad my house was in order. This
is what happens when you go on vacation.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I know, but you house Oh sorry, oh no, no, no, no,
what else on vacation?
Speaker 3 (25:33):
You say no, no, no, you're good.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
He's just he's stalking you. It's fine, that's all the time.
Let's just literally call it what it is. It's docky.
It's okay. We've been stalking.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
You, not Lee, and we enjoy you on Peacemaker obviously
from season one. We're getting ready to see you debut
in season two. Can you give me a roundabout number
of how many asses you kick this season?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Oh so many asses?
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Small assess.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
I just like kicking ass.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
How about this? This has been a great time.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
But by time this runs short with you, possibly can
you come back maybe at the end of the season
or whenever you have a project that you're working on
in the future.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
There was a little rumor going around that this was
your first radio interview ever, and and I'm just letting
you know, whoever interviews you after this is going to
be a disappointment.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I'm just letting you know.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I'm already tell I can already tell. Yeah, I would
love to come back. Under one condition, all right, next
time I come back will have to be wearing matching polos.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Well, that means you have to let me know in advance.
I mean unless we're gonna be able to Okay, all right, JT.
Can you make sure that happens.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
Yeah, it's stupid. It's Later with Kelly.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Be sure to watch Peacemakers Season to available right now
on HBO Max. We're live everywhere in the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Peacemaker season two on HBO Max. And if you recently
saw the movie Superman directed by James Gunn, or you
saw season one a Peacemaker, it's a part of the
new DCU, that cinematic universe where everything is tied together
and Peacemaker if you didn't see season one. In season one,
(00:28):
Peacemaker is starring John Cena. He was getting his ass
kicked just about every episode by my next guest. I'm
not exaggerating. His name is Nutt Lee and he plays
Judo Master. In fact, he's going to be part of
five of the total eight episodes of this season of Peacemaker,
and he's going to be debuting in this season in
(00:51):
episode three, which is getting ready to drop on HBO Max.
And Nutley joins me in studio right now, Mitch Lee,
how are you doing this evening?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I'm doing well because one, I love the show, and
I specifically love your character Judo Master, because you're a
martial arts enthusiast.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
You are well.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Let me ask you how much of the stunt choreography
the fighting choreography are you doing?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
So we do all of the fights, We do all
of our fights, and then the stunt guys they'll come
in take a pass at it, and then the editors will,
you know, cut whatever they need to.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
But a fair amount that's you out there throwing kicks
and flipping and everything.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So for our season two, my stunt double he's an acrobat,
so you know, he's very good with like the gymnastics part,
and he's a wooshoe champion, so he's very good at
fighting as well.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Did you study wooshoe? I did.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I studied wooshoe for about two years, and then before
that I studied a little bit of shouting kung fu.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
What I like about not only your story but also
how it applies to Peacemaker is that you had an
incredible journey before you got to this point. And if
you don't know, your name is not Lee spelled Nhut,
which is Vietnamese. You were born in Vietnam. You spent
the first six years of your life in Vietnam. So
(02:28):
when you came to America, obviously English was not your
first language, but was acting in cinema your first.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Loves it was a part of it. Growing up, I
wasn't encouraged to express myself because growing up in an
Asian family, you know, it's all about doing well in school,
and so anything creative or artistic, we didn't really say that.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Again, you had to do well in school. Education was
a thing, right.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Education was a bit thing, Yeah, for sure. And so
my first play I did when I was in fourth grade.
It was a musical called South Pacific, and I was
in fourth grade, but the production was a high school production.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Is that The one was some in Shanto evening, Yes,
some in Chanday evening.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Okay, we're musical folks, Oh yeah, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
So they needed two little Asian kids to fill these
two roles.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So my.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Friend's dad was friends with a director for the high
school and so he called me in. I auditioned for it,
my first time singing, my first time acting.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
In not your birth language.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Right yeah yeah. And oddly enough so that character only
spoke in French, so all my lines were in French.
All of my singing was in French.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So are you a polyglot? Do languages come rather easily
to you?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I wouldn't say that, but I do like learning a
lot so I enjoy learning different languages, different skills for
you know, whatever the role is. So it worked out.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
How did you know that this was going to be
your life's work? What was it?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Was it a moment when you were doing a play
and you fell in love with the just the acting,
I'll say, the just the commitment to acting.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You know it's not necessarily a job, but it turned
into a job for you. How did you know that
this was what you were going to do.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, I think younger in life it was whenever I
was on stage, it was a chance for me to
express myself and you know, be able to feel happy
or sad and show it, whereas in my home life
it was very stifled. So it was cathartic for me
growing up and being able to express myself. And then
around when I was sixteen, I booked my first television
(04:56):
show on PBS. It was an educational series. And I
remember because my parents didn't take me to the auditions
or any of the shoots or anything. So as a
sixteen year old with my backpack on, I got on
the Septa, which was the regional rail of Philadelphia. Two
buses later went to the audition, bused my way back,
and then I booked that job and then it was
(05:20):
the first time I got paid ever, and one hundred
and fifty dollars was like, you know, the biggest everything,
like I've made it.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Did it mean anything to your parents where you could say, look,
I'm actually making my way in this business. I know
you want to be to be a doctor, to be
a lawyer, something along those lines.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
But did your parents ever start slowly coming around?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
They did not until I found more success later on,
you know. And so for a long time, it was
just me motivating myself with my passion and my dreams,
and that's what, you know, propelled me to do, like
to move up to New York by myself, to move
up to LA by myself, you know. So it's all
(06:05):
of these things that I I really wanted to do
because I just love acting so much.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
How familiar were you with any of the Peacemaker characters
or the DC universe when you audition?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
When I auditioned for Tjudo Master, the the role had
a generic name. The name was Marshall, like Marshall Mathers
hiding the name, so it was Marshall Artists And so
I thought it was just you know, some henchmen, and
in that scene I was supposed to be eating chips.
(06:39):
I was eating salt and vinegar chips, which are my favorite. Uh.
And at this point I was it was around the
pandemic era, so I was actually about to give up
acting at that point and moved back to Philadelphia and
teach pottery full time.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So that was tea pottery.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Teach pottery.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
That's a long ways away from acting.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I was, you know, resigned from the acting world completely.
I had found a house in Philadelphia, was in ascrow
for it, and then I get this audition for Peacemaker.
It was James Gunn was attached, John Cena was attached.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
And that's all I knew.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
That's enough. I'm like, yeah, of course I'm doing this.
So I send it in and then or first my
manager sends in my stunt reel because it's you know,
a lot of fighting for Judo Master. And then they
liked it, and then they came back and then they
gave me sides for it, and then I did the
sides and had another meeting and then another audition, and
(07:41):
then about a week later, Uh, they called me. They're like,
they'd like to offer you judo master. But in my life,
I was getting ready to move, so I was like,
I don't know what to do. So I ended up
taking the role of course, and then also taking the house.
(08:03):
But I haven't lived in.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
That house, but you still have the house.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I saw the house.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, my goodness, that is a wonderful start to this conversation.
If you just tuned me in Lee joins me in studio,
you will. If you don't already know, he plays judo
master on Peacemaker, And if you haven't seen peace Maker,
let me just say it's not for kids.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Let me just say that.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
There's a lot of cussing, there's a lot of fighting,
there's a lot of nudity, there's a lot of sex.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
There's a lot of action, and.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Get you get to kick John Cena's ass just about
every scene that you're in.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It's it's amazing and I love acting for that reason.
I'm a five foot zero, one hundred and ten pounds,
soaking wet, and I'm up against John Tena who's like
six three six four, but you're as I'm whooping his ass.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Every time, and I love it. It's great.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
And like, so I just touched you and you go flying,
and that's acting.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
When we come back, we'll have more about Peacemaker. We'll
have more with my guest Lee. We're talking about Peacemaker
season two. He plays Judo Master. And look, I don't
know where your stunts begin and your stunt doubles may end,
but I am all in. And you get to have
a smart mouth, you get to you get to taunt
(09:29):
John Cena's Peacemaker throughout.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
It's the best job, the best.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
We'll have more with no Lee, just a moment. K
if I am six forty We're live everywhrny I Heart
Radio app.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Forty KFI Later with mo Kelly Live everywhrny I Heart
Radio app and on YouTube. And I wish we could
show you. I wish we could play for you some
a Peacemaker with my guest who is Judo Master. But
it is so profane, so vulgar, we just can't do it.
(10:08):
You're gonna have to take our word for it and
check out Peacemaker season two on HBO Max. And I
wonder because when I see a show like Peacemaker, NA,
when you have all these characters and they all have
great lines, and you have this interplay, it would seem
to me that there's not a lot of room for
improvisation because the lines are coming and going so fast.
(10:32):
Take me on to the set with James Gunn. How
does he run his set when you're doing scenes in Peacemaker.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
I love working with James because when he's on set,
there's a sense of ease because you know that he's
always got your back.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
So, oh, he's an actress director and.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Actress director one hundred percent. So with some of the
other directors that I've worked with before, you know, will
block the scenes and two whatever. But with James, who
we like, you know, do the blocking and we'll set
up the camera and we'll figure it out afterwards, you know.
So it's it's more character driven. And the great thing
about James is so we'll do several takes of the
(11:13):
what's written in the script, and if he's got it,
will do like sort of a throwaway take and you
could just sort of improvise here and there and do
whatever you want. But I know a lot of interview
outlets will pick up like, oh, like a lot of
the fun is improvising. But to give credit to James,
like ninety nine percent of what you see on screen
(11:35):
is actually written in the script and really seems improvised
because he's such a good writer.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
It is going so fast.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
How do you find the synergy the timing to be
able to deliver the lines in such a fast paced way.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
I think he does also a great job with casting people,
and you know, the chemistry because after the two seasons,
I've become super good friends with like Steve ag Sol Rodriguez,
Danielle Brooks. Like the energy is so natural and so
it just sort of like diffuses its way into the screen.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
When you first stepped on that set, how nervous were you,
if at all?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
It was sort of bizarre how not nervous I was,
because you know, you're working with like some of the
titans of the industry, John Cena, James Gunn. But I
think what really helped me out was I've been in
this industry for ten years, you know, struggling doing background work,
being an extra, being a stand in. So I sort
(12:41):
of cut my teeth on set being the photo double
or the stand in. So I was working with the
camera crews, they set up the lights and I run
through the blocking and so I know all the terminology.
I was super comfortable on set, and so when I
was on set for the first time, I felt so
prepared and it was just like, I get to do
(13:01):
something that I love so much, you know, and here's
my chance to be the actor and not just standing
in or the background your character.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
You're wearing a mask for the most part, and so
it wouldn't surprise me if you still get to retain
a level of anonymity when you walk out. Are you recognized?
Because you're five feet so people, You're going to be
noticeable to people, And I mean that respectfully. Do people
make the connection quickly that you're Judo Master?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah? I think after because I didn't really do a
lot of press in season one because it was just
a small character. So having him come back in season
two and doing all the press junkets and all that
stuff outside of my mask. I remember right after the premiere,
we were walking down the streets of New York and
some guy ran out of the bodega and was like
(13:52):
Judo Master. I was like, what is going on? So
I think now it's it's more prevalent.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
All right, Do you do you ever have any not
notes for James Gunner? Do you ever sit down and
say or just have a request for him what you
want your character to be or how much input are
you allowed to offer.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
So I think the scripts are pretty packs when we
receive them, but there are some instances here and there,
like in season one, during the convenience scene or the
convenience store scene.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
My character like we were just playing that.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah, it's like a little joking dance like that wasn't
in the script and you did that. I did that.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, you're basically doing the touchdown dance.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, like emoting on you know, through video games. Yeah,
so that I did during the day, and James loves
that bit so much. So there's I think, as Judo Master,
he's so free to do whatever he wants, and James
sort of recognizes that, and so he does give some
some room that Judo Master can play.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I'm curious, and you probably couldn't tell me even if
you know, But my job is to ask the question,
whether you can answer it or not. We know that
James Gunn is real big on crossover and synergy between
the film universe and television universe. In fact, the first
episode of season two. Don't want to give it away
(15:20):
too many specifics, but it made it very clear that
this is happening in the time of Superman, the movie,
which just took place. In a cinematic sense. Have you
had any real should I say this? Is there any
possibility that we might see Judo Master on the big screen?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Let me put it that way.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I would love that to be the case, and I
will say following Superman, Peacemaker is a pretty consequential in
the story of DC. You and I'm not sure if
(16:04):
studio heads are here.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It's just you and me. Just change the gun. Is
not gonna even listen, Okay, he has no idea what's
going on?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Right, this is what's gonna make him listen, and then
he'll shut down your show.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
No, he wouldn't do that, but it is something at
least in the back of your mind you could see
the possibility.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Is that fair to ask? Yeah? I think you know.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
He He is playing in the realm of this bigger
DC universe for sure, and Peacemaker showed up in Superman,
so it's definitely a through line of some sort.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
If you're just tuning in, my guest right now, in
studio is Lee. We're talking about Peacemaker. Lee plays the
character of Judo Master. And if you haven't seen Peacemaker,
let me just warn you in a good way. It's
very profane, borderline vulgar at times. There's nudity, there's sexual situations,
(17:06):
there's a lot of violence. It's a great show for
adults like Mark Runner and me and Twala and Sam
and Nick who's in studio.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
It's yeah, it's absolutely no, no.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
It is over the top in all the best of ways.
And now do you have a some time. I would
love to have you for one more segment. Yeah, yeah,
for sure, let's do this. It's Later with Mo Kelly
caf I AM six forty. We're live on Facebook, We're
live on Instagram and the iHeartRadio app and also YouTube.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Kelly and six live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app and
YouTube at mister mom Kelly. And if you're just tuning in,
if you happen to be an HBO Max fed, if
you happen to be a DCU fan, or happen to
be a fan of Peacemaker, you probably enjoying this to
(18:06):
no end. My guest in studio right now is Lee.
He's one of the co stars of Peacemaker now on
HBO Max, and your debut episode for this season is
dropping next.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
What should we expect?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
You should expect a nice little surprise, you know, seeing
an old friend again. I think the way that Judo
Master is introduced this season's pretty cool, pretty fun.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
And we're playing your reel right now from a Peacemaker
where you're routinely kicking everyone's ass from peacemaker to vigilante.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
How fun is that? Let me ask you a question
a different way.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Do you get the season episode by episode so you
don't know where the season is going to go?
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Or do you get the whole season in advance? Do
you understand the character arc so.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
We do get all eight episodes out one so we
know entirely what's going on, and in the way that
it's shot, it's sort of shot like a movie and
not like a weekly episodic thing.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Got you, m.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Is there anything which surprises you after you do a
scene or an episode. Are you gonna sit there and
watch it the moment that it drops or you an
actor who doesn't like to look at yourself on screen.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
I love watching Judo Master. I do not like watching
myself on screen. But Peacemaker is so fun to watch
and I sort of black out when I'm filming. So
we're watching it.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
There's a lot that's being asked of you.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Yeah, and so you know when I'm when I'm watching it,
it's like the first time because you know, you read
the script and you have your interpretations of it and
you're on the other side of the camera, But then
what the editors choose, you know, and what takes make
it you I'm just watching it for the first time.
I'm like, and I forget that it's actually me.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
You don't see any of the dailies as you go.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Rarely, very rarely.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Is that by choice? No? Okay? In other words, James
is not going to share, right.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Okay, it's like a really cool sequence, and you know,
you might see a little here and there, but it's
not like we sit down and we go through the
whole thing.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Now. Is he one of those three takes?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
You know, one his way, one he allows the cast
to kind of improvise, and then one just to make
sure he's got it or how is it his directorial style.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Generally, in that regard.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
James is a director who knows exactly what he wants.
And so I remember in season one we did like
this quick little thing and we did one take of
it and I was like, Okay, yeah, that feels good.
Let's let's go again, and he's like, we're moving on.
We already got it, you know, like why beat a horse?
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Have you ever hit John Cena in the face unintentionally? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Yes, yes, but I mean look at my hands, like
they're so small. He's like a fly just hit me.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Has he ever hit you unintentionally?
Speaker 3 (21:18):
No, because you know that would maybe break some ribs.
But like he's been a wrestler for twenty years or something,
you know, like he's a pro.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I'm looking right now at the real and he's slipping
you or your stunt double onto these cars. How much
are you getting slipped around?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
The car? Stuff? Is all?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
This is season one, So it was Robin, that was
all him. He took the car hits.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So you get to say, okay, bringing the double, I'm
not doing this. I'm not being thrown on a car today.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Right, Not today, maybe tomorrow. But if we already got
it today, then we don't need to need.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
To do it again.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I know people are listening right now or maybe watching
on YouTube. They want to know more about you, see
more of your work. What to look forward to with
Peacemakers Season two, Episode three, which is going to be
dropping shortly.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
How can they find you on social media?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
They can find me on Instagram at it s n
h u t l E. So that again, yes, it
s nhut l E. So it's Nully just my name.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
What has been the best part of what you do?
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I think the best part of Peacemaker is the cast
and the crew, Like truly, everyone's been so nice, so friendly,
so welcoming, and there's just all such good actors and
creatives and just a pleasure to be around as people.
But then I also just love acting. I just any
(22:50):
day that I get to act is a win for me.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Let me throw you a question out of left field,
and it's something that I want to know. I have
a job to ask questions that I think the audience
wants to know, and then the questions that I just
want to know. And this goes back to your history
coming from Vietnam. You came from Vietnam obviously post war Vietnam.
How has the country developed since that time and did
(23:17):
that impact your family's decision to come to the United States.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Yeah, I think after the war. I wasn't alive during then,
so we came over maybe a few decades after. So
it was our decision to come to America was to
have better opportunities for myself and my family. The education
(23:43):
system is a lot better here, and they.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
There's that education thing again.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
They like that they do prioritize the education, and it
was it was difficult in Vietnam because I remember going
to school would call money and then everyone after school
would do after school programs or study during the summer,
so you really didn't get summerification and all of those
you had to pay for. So it was a little
(24:12):
bit more difficult. And I really appreciated growing up in
a small rural town because our schooling system was actually
really good, and I think that definitely attributes to you know,
reading scripts and learning about everything that I would need
(24:33):
to know as an actor.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You got some i'll say, playful comments in the chat.
I always talk about how when I do my job,
I usually wear a polo okay, and you come into
studio wearing a polo, I said, I like him.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I like him. I used to have a polo just
like that.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
It was from the nineteen eighties when Isaad LaCOSA was
huge and they had the small alligator.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Now they usually have the big alligator.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
When he came in with the classic iesod, I said, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
You know, I did my research.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Great answer.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
There's a pole that you're wearing that I like particularly.
It's a black one with a white stripe. Yes, yeah,
I love that one.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Judo Master is both stealthy and his research and also
in kicking somebody's.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
I'm glad, I'm glad my house was in order. This
is what happens when you go on vacation.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I know, but you house Oh sorry, oh no, no, no, no,
what else on vacation?
Speaker 3 (25:33):
You say no, no, no, you're good.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
He's just he's stalking you. It's fine, that's all the time.
Let's just literally call it what it is. It's docky.
It's okay. We've been stalking.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
You, not Lee, and we enjoy you on Peacemaker obviously
from season one. We're getting ready to see you debut
in season two. Can you give me a roundabout number
of how many asses you kick this season?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Oh so many asses?
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Small assess.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
I just like kicking ass.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
How about this? This has been a great time.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
But by time this runs short with you, possibly can
you come back maybe at the end of the season
or whenever you have a project that you're working on
in the future.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
There was a little rumor going around that this was
your first radio interview ever, and and I'm just letting
you know, whoever interviews you after this is going to
be a disappointment.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
I'm just letting you know.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I'm already tell I can already tell. Yeah, I would
love to come back. Under one condition, all right, next
time I come back will have to be wearing matching polos.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Well, that means you have to let me know in advance.
I mean unless we're gonna be able to Okay, all right, JT.
Can you make sure that happens.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
Yeah, it's stupid. It's Later with Kelly.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Be sure to watch Peacemakers Season to available right now
on HBO Max. We're live everywhere in the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com