Kung Fu's Olivia Liang Talks Nicky's Big Breakup And Potential New Love Interest In Season 3 - Exclusive
This article contains spoilers for Season 3 of "Kung Fu."
The Shen family is as close as ever in Season 3 of "Kung Fu." Yet as the family sits down for dinner together for the first time in the season premiere, one noteworthy individual is missing: Eddie Liu's Henry, Nicky's (Olivia Liang) longtime boyfriend and partner in ass-kicking. Henry left at the end of the second season to learn more about his deceased father, whom Henry had only tentatively reconciled with a few episodes earlier. In the premiere, Henry is off pursuing his agenda halfway around the world, leaving Nicky to wonder what his absence — and lack of communication — means for them as a couple.
When new character Bo (Ben Levin) appears while Nicky is on a mission and turns out to be a vigilante who protects the citizens of his neighborhood just like her, sparks fly — sparks that Althea (Shannon Dang), in particular, thinks her sister should pursue. But is Nicky ready for a new romance after Henry's abrupt departure? During an exclusive interview with Looper, "Kung Fu" star Olivia Liang answered that question and more about Nicky's breakup with Henry and what the introduction of Bo could mean.
An intriguing new possibility for Nicky
While Bo presents a possible new love interest for Nicky, the premiere made it clear that the prospect of moving on was confusing and emotional for her. Olivia Liang explained her character's thinking.
"The Nicky-Henry departure wasn't a clear breakup," Liang noted. "Henry was like, 'I got to go figure this out,' and Nicky, of all people, totally understands that. She did that when she went to China. In fact, she did it to [her former boyfriend] Evan [played by Gavin Stenhouse], but without any warning. She disappeared for three years. At least Henry was like, 'I got to go.' There wasn't a clear breakup; it was two people understanding each other. Nicky didn't know if she should wait for him, if she should move on, but we do find out that she hasn't spoken to him in four months and that it's been really hard on her."
Liang said that the absence of Eddie Liu on the set of "Kung Fu" was also challenging for her, mirroring Nicky's feelings about Henry's departure. "It felt like there was something missing [behind-the-scenes], because [Liu] was my work husband for two seasons," Liang observed. "We felt his absence on set. His goofiness and his energy [were] missed ... It helped me as Nicky to be like, 'Henry's gone and so is Eddie. Eddie's not here right now.'"
But while both Henry and Eddie were missed, it's hard not to be intrigued by Bo. Nicky may be a bit hesitant in the romance department, but Liang is feeling more optimistic. "As Olivia, I'm like, 'Go, Nicky. You started dating the first boy who said "hi" to you after three years with all women at a monastery. You need to see what else is out there,'" she said.
The third season of "Kung Fu" airs on The CW on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. New episodes are available on the CW website and app the following day.