Vietnamese actor stars in John Wick prequel series

A shot of Johnny Tri Nguyen in "The Continental: From the World of John Wick"

Johhny kept the role a secret before audiences saw him in the second episode of the series, which aired on September 29. His character named Khang, is the master of an assassin named Yen, played by Nhung Kate.

Khang appeared at the start of the episode, speaking Vietnamese to Yen and encouraging her to go on a mission for justice.

Nhung said she and Johnny went to Budapest, Hungary to shoot the series in late 2021. Thanks to the support of her boyfriend, Nhung wasn’t under pressure when she performed in action sequences. Johnny helped Nhung improve her English as well as martial arts skills.

"The Continental: From the World of John Wick" marks Johnny’s return to international acting, after Spike Lee’s 2020 war drama "Da 5 Bloods", in which he was featured by another Vietnamese actress, Ngo Thanh Van.

Johnny said he hasn’t starred in Vietnamese movies for years and has recently only played minor roles in a few Hollywood projects.

"I haven’t returned to the big screen because I was busy running my dojo and also needed time adjusting after two years of the pandemic," he said.

Johnny Tri Nguyen in Budapest, Hungary for the shooting of "The Continental: From the World of John Wick" in late 2021. Photo courtesy of Johnny Tri Nguyen

"The Continental: From the World of John Wick" is set 40 years before the events of John Wick – the titular character of the blockbuster action franchise starring Keanu Reeves. The series focuses on the past of Winston Scott (played by Colin Woodell), who runs The Continental, a hotel and safe haven for criminals and assassins in New York.

The cast also features other famous actors like Mel Gibson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Jessica Allain and Mishel Prada.

Johnny Tri Nguyen, 49, was born in Vietnam. He moved to the U.S. with his family when he was eight. After a period of working as a singer and stuntman, he returned to Vietnam and started an acting career. Johnny rose to stardom with films like "Dong Mau Anh Hung" (The Rebel), "Nu Hon Thanh Chet" (Kiss of the Death) and "Bay Rong" (Clash).

In 2016, he went on a hiatus and focused on martial arts training and meditation.

After "The Continental: From the World of John Wick", another John Wick spinoff called "Ballerina" and starring Ana de Armas is set to hit the theaters in June next year.