For Ben Wang,the significance of becoming the first Asian American “Kid” in “Karate Kid: Legends” wasn’t instantly apparent,but he now views it with optimism. “At first I didn’t even think about that,” Wang told The Associated Press. “That feels like a very cool and actually privileged position that I get to be in.”

Wang noted that his casting reflects “a world where that’s normal enough.”

“Karate Kid: Legends,” set to premiere Friday, brings together Ralph Macchio’s Daniel and Jackie Chan‘s Mr. Han to mentor Wang’s li Fong as he competes in a New York City karate tournament.

In the original “Karate Kid,” released over 40 years ago, pat Morita stood out as the sole primary Asian American cast member, despite the film’s setting in California’s San Fernando Valley. His character, Mr. Miyagi, famously guided Daniel through karate training, helping him overcome his bullies.This narrative has been revisited in subsequent sequels and spin-offs.However, the limited representation of Asian and Asian Americans has been a recurring concern for some viewers.

Jeff Yang, the author of “The Golden Screen: the Movies that Made Asian America,” acknowledges that manny Asian Americans enjoy the Miyagi-verse. Though,he points out that even the recent Netflix series “Cobra Kai” lacked significant young Asian American characters,which he felt was a missed prospect. “It’s always been a situation where the ancient or legendary martial arts master is transferring his skills not just to another generation, but into another community,” Jeff Yang said. “In a way, that feels like for me as an Asian American, it turns it into a guilty pleasure.”

He added that Asians in these stories were often relegated to “either sidekicks or villains.”

The Impact of the Original ‘Karate Kid’

While Asia boasts a rich history of martial arts stars like Bruce Lee, Chan, and Jet Li, hollywood’s portrayal of Asian characters skilled in karate or kung-fu often lacked depth. The actors who could deliver both compelling performances and on-screen fighting prowess were frequently not Asian.

“In a way that’s understandable,” Yang said. “Martial arts is one of the things that was brought to the United States by soldiers who had been stationed in Asia, learned the practice, embraced the lifestyle and the discipline.”

The popularity of karate dojos surged across the U.S. in the 1970s and ’80s, making “The Karate Kid” a timely release.

Ken Nagayama, a martial arts grand master who operates a school in the Valley, was an instructor at a North Hollywood dojo used in the original film. He remembers meeting Pat Morita and being impressed by the surge in karate interest following the movie’s release. “When that came out, so many people were interested in taking class, especially younger kids,” said nagayama, who intends to watch “Legends” with his students. He noted that his classes attracted “a whole mix” of students from diverse backgrounds.

“At first I didn’t even think about that,” Wang told The Associated Press. “That feels like a very cool and actually privileged position that I get to be in.”

Steven Ho, a stunt coordinator and martial artist from Los Angeles who has appeared on Conan O’Brien’s talk shows, recalls Morita, Macchio, and William Zabka attending his tournaments to prepare for the first movie. As a devoted fan of Morita,he didn’t focus on the absence of other Asian actors. “Pat Morita, to me, he was the lead,” Ho said. “Also, if that were the only martial arts film out there, then yeah, it would be odd and I would be disappointed. But you gotta remember the ’80s and ’90s we were living in the golden age of Jet Li, Jackie Chan, films that featured … more authentic martial artists.”

Chan’s role as one of the mentors in the new film marks a significant moment. Wang remains amazed by the opportunity to choreograph fight scenes with the superstar. “He’s the guy you think he is,” Wang said with a grin. “He doesn’t turn it off when he’s not on set.”

New Martial Arts Movies for a New Generation

Ho is pleased that “Karate Kid: Legends” is helping his 12-year-old twin sons grow up without the negative asian stereotypes he experienced. He prefers stories to exclude Asians entirely if the characters are going to be the subject of ridicule. This history of stereotyping Asian men led him to initially decline appearances on O’brien’s show. “I thought “Oh, he’s a tall guy. I’m a short, asian guy.They’re just going to goof on me. They’re going to go off on me,’ so I said, ‘You know, I’m gonna be out of town,'” Ho said.

Fortunately, the segments, which have garnered millions of views on YouTube, were structured to feature Ho as the straight man to O’Brien’s comedic antics.

His twins, Jonny and Ollie, are accomplished martial artists known as the “Twinjas.” They are skilled in karate, mixed martial arts, and other disciplines. They are friends with Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon, and have appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and taught moves to Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg. They enjoy “Cobra Kai” for its drama and are eager to see “Legends” as of Chan. They have also been introduced to the original “Karate Kid” movie.

Ollie’s favorite character is Miyagi. “I think that in the first Karate Kids, how the teacher was Asian, I think being a teacher is better than being a student,” he said.

Jonny acknowledges that not every show or movie in the genre needs an Asian lead,but he takes notice when there is one. “I think that there’s definitely a lot of other movies and shows that have Asian leads, like Simu Liu, the first Asian superhero,” Jonny said, referring to Marvel’s ” Shang-Chi.” “It’s very significant.”

The Twinjas, who are writing a children’s fiction book that combines mystery and action, are eager for “any opportunities that come our way, we’d love to take, especially for acting and using our martial arts skills,” Ollie said.

They may find inspiration in Wang’s role in “Legends.” Wang hopes that young Asian American children will see him as a role model and envision themselves as heroes. “The word I keep going back to is it’s a privilege,” Wang said. “What I love about this series is … there’s this idea anyone can be the ‘Karate Kid.'”

—— Associated Press videojournalist John Carucci in New York contributed to this report.