Samantha Wan

Samantha Wan (born 1990 or 1991[1]) is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer, and web series creator. She is known for co-creating, writing, and starring in the City television series Second Jen.[2][3][4] Since 2017, she has starred in the Global Television Network series Private Eyes.[5]

Samantha Wan
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Actress, director, screenwriter, producer, web series creator
Years active2010–present
Known forJen Wu on Second Jen, Zoe Chow in Private Eyes

Career

Wan began her career in the early 2010s, playing supporting roles in several low-budget productions, including a recurring role on the popular web series Out with Dad.

Second Jen
Main article: Second Jen

Wan garnered further attention in 2016, when she co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the Canadian sitcom Second Jen, alongside Amanda Joy. The series follows two young Asian Canadian women experiencing the ups and downs of being independent after moving out of their parents' homes for the first time.[6]

The series received mixed reviews from critics upon release; Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail hailed the show as "A Laverne & Shirley for the Digital Age" as it stars "two sparky second-generation Asian-Canadian millennial women coming of age in an era so economically challenging that Laverne and Shirley would be crying in their beers instead of merrily goofing off at the bottling plant."[7] In contrast, John Doyle, also of The Globe and Mail, panned the show, calling it "light, slight, silly and only occasionally outright funny." However, he also called it "mediocre," writing: "Second Jen is notable for having two female Asian lead characters but it is not notable, nor funny, as a comedy."[8]

Nevertheless, it was renewed for a second season in late 2017.[9][10] The second season premiered on August 4, 2018.[11][12]

Other work

In addition to her work on Second Jen, Wan is also the creator, writer, and star of Sudden Master, which is a female-centric web series that focuses on Chinese martial arts.[13] It was funded and produced with OMNI and has won several awards, including Best Action Series at the Vancouver Web Series Festival in 2016.[14] The series was released on YouTube via the KindaTV channel, which is run by Smokebomb Entertainment.[15]

As of 2022, she has a recurring role in the CBC Television sitcom Run the Burbs.[16]

Personal life

Wan is of Chinese descent.[17] In interviews, Wan has been outspoken about the need for more diversity and accurate Asian representation on television and in the media.[18]

References
  1. artists.asianpacificpost.com, February 2021
  2. "Shot and set in Toronto, Second Jen airs Thursdays on City". www.insidetoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  3. Roque, Marisa. "Second-gen Fil-Canadian gets ready for prime time TV". globalnation.inquirer.net. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  4. "Second Jen breaks sitcom ground with two Asian women in lead roles". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  5. "Private Eyes gets ghostly in Episode 5". TV, eh?. 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  6. "Second Jen breaks sitcom ground with two Asian women in lead roles". Toronto Star, August 9, 2016.
  7. "Second Jen: A Laverne & Shirley for the digital age". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  8. "John Doyle: Second Jen's diversity is good, but its comedy is mediocre". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  9. "Omni renews Canadian multicultural TV series Blood and Water, Second Jen, Mangoes". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  10. "Rogers sets Second Jen return". mediaincanada.com. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  11. "Second Jen returns for long-awaited second season". TV, eh?. 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  12. "Second Jen is back and taking aim at hot topics". Vancouver Sun. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  13. "Sudden Master | Shows | OMNI Ontario English". OMNI Ontario English. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  14. "Vancouver Web Fest". www.vancouverwebfest.com. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  15. "Sudden Master | Kung Fu Series". Sudden Master | Kung Fu Series. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  16. Alexandra Del Rosario, "‘Run The Burbs’: Rakhee Morzaria, Zoriah Wong, Roman Pesino & More Set As Main Cast Of CBC Family Comedy From Andrew Phung". Deadline Hollywood, September 27, 2021.
  17. "Samantha Wan | TV, eh?". www.tv-eh.com. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  18. "No, 'Second Jen' Isn't Just An 'Asian Show'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
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