The Foreigners in Film series features interviews with talented members of China's film and television industry from around the world.
Zach Ireland (左右) is an American actor from "the middle of nowhere Nebraska" with over 12 years of experience performing in China – he has been in over 300 talk show episodes, 32 TV shows, two stage productions, 11 short films, and five feature films.
Best known for his roles in Candle in the Tomb: Ghost Blows Out the Light, Mad House, and Weekend in Taipei, Ireland has worked with major stars, such as Liu Shi Shi (刘诗诗) and Gao WeiGuang (高伟光), and accomplished directors – including Guan Hu (管虎), Luc Besson, Ann Hui (许鞍华), and Wen Muye (文牧野).
Still from 'Candle in the tomb: The lost Caverns' (L-R): Wei-Guang Gao (高伟光), Eddie Ko (高雄), Zach Ireland (左右). Image courtesy of Zach Ireland
Ireland attended Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he earned a B.F.A. in Acting with a minor in Mandarin.
Although he has always loved acting, Ireland says learning Mandarin started out as a bit of a joke – he thought it would be funny for a guy from a 200-person town to learn to speak Chinese.
Ireland during his first trip to Beijing in 2011. Image courtesy of Zach Ireland
In a twist of fate, that 'joke' led him to studying abroad in Beijing in 2011, and he immediately fell in love with the city; by the end of the trip, he knew he wanted to move to Beijing and pursue an acting career there.
We got a chance to talk to him about his entertaining experiences – on and off the set – as a foreign actor in China.
Was it difficult for you to break into the film industry in China?
It was not nearly as hard for me as it is for actors today. When I first started out in 2012, the demand [for foreigners] was high – but the supply was low.
Thanks to the foreign actors who came before me, such as CaoCao (曹操, Jonathan Kos-Read) and DaShan (大山, Mark Henry Rowswell), Chinese productions knew that there was foreign talent that could speak the language and deliver on performances – so, there were a lot of parts being written for Western actors.
However, the market hadn't really grown enough for actors outside of China to know about the opportunities here – I was incredibly lucky to find myself in China, with experience in both acting and speaking the language, at the right time.
Still from 'Fist of Legend II' (L-R): Wei-Ting Huang (黄薇渟) and Zach Ireland. Image courtesy of Zach Ireland
Also, it's important to note that I had a very different look from other actors at the time; most of the guys my age working in the industry had studied martial arts for years – they were all very tall and covered in muscles.
In comparison, I was whip-thin and looked like I was held together by twigs and rubber bands.
I had originally planned to move to Beijing to teach English for a few years before getting serious about acting – but within my first two months, I had to quit teaching because my schedule was too busy. I was forced into becoming a full-time actor earlier than planned.
What is one of the funniest experiences you've had being 'the foreigner' on set?
One of my very first projects in China was a television series called Rune of Blood (生死血符), which was directed by Guan Hu.
Cast of 'Rune of Blood'. Image via Baidu Video
We were filming in the countryside, and aside from me and James Alofs, everyone else was Chinese.
I saw the star of the show – Bai En (白恩) – gnawing on something that looked like beef jerky. I asked him what it was, he gave a little smirk, confirmed it was beef jerky, and then offered me some; what went into my mouth was a flavor and texture that to this day… I still I have a hard time describing.
It was so rough that it felt like chewing on a coconut husk, but it was also mentholated – so my mouth was constantly watering – but I didn't want to be rude and spit it out when everyone was watching me to see my reaction.
Ireland in a promo for 'Rune of Blood' (aka Blood Chit). Image via CCTV
As you might have guessed, what Bai En gave me was a betel nut – not beef jerky.
When I swallowed it, Bai En's eyes got as big as dinner plates, and he started shouting, "NO, NO, NO, NO!!!"
It didn't take me long to figure out why – I started vomiting uncontrollably almost immediately.
Eventually, the director came over to find out what was going on; he yelled at me for being an idiot, and at my coworkers for tricking me.
I was sent home for the day because I couldn't continue filming, but then the prank wars on set began [haha].
Have you ever experienced any cultural clashes or misunderstandings?
While filming a travel show, I had to catch a fish and prepare it for dinner.
I grew up fishing all the time and I was no stranger to this, but in the moment – I forgot that not everyone is used to this, and that different cultures have different ways of preparing fish.
I was handed a mallet to smack the fish in the head and kill it, but I didn't fully understand that's what it was for; I did what I normally do when preparing fish – I chopped its head off.
Immediately, the whole crew was shocked and stared at me with their mouths open – just like the fish I was cleaning.
In my haste, I completely forgot that fish are a symbol of prosperity in China, and that to separate any part of the fish symbolizes breaking one's own fortune – it was the equivalent of smashing a mirror while walking under a ladder with a black cat.
Luckily, in the end, everything was okay.
Ireland filming the travel show 'Waiting for you in GuiZhou'. Image courtesy of Zach Ireland
Can you tell us about some of the strangest gifts you've received from fans?
I get a surprising number of stuffed animals for a grown man – there was a week that I received literally over 100 stuffed animals!
I've also had fans put my face on everything from lollipops to playing cards and send them to me as presents.
Ireland greeting fans in China. Image courtesy of Zach Ireland
There was even a point where people were sending gifts exclusively to my cat – including her own fan art, which was a bit surreal.
Speaking of fan art… I've gotten a lot of that, and – as a person who can barely draw stick figures – I have been blown away by the talent of many of my fans.
I once received a hand-painted, incredibly detailed portrait of myself, which was really cool. But I couldn't be 'that guy' who has a hand-painted portrait of myself hanging in my house, so I gave it to a friend – who I think has it hanging above her toilet.
What are you working on now, and what's next for you?
In 2023, I shot a film called Weekend in Taipei (台北追缉令) which was executive produced by Luc Besson (Dog Man, Transporter, Taken) and Virginie Besson-Silla (Lucy, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), which is set for its North American debut on November 10.
I had a supporting character role, and I worked with Mr. Besson on set for about 10-15 days, which was a real 'champagne moment,' as he was the director of Fifth Element – one of my favorite films of all time.
Additionally, I have a cameo in an upcoming film directed by Wen Muye (director of Dying to Survive 我不是药神), which is set to premiere sometime next year.
Stayed tuned for more installments of 'Foreigners in Film' by following our official WeChat account, ThatsBeijing.
[Cover image is courtesy of Zach Ireland]
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