Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Costa Rican actor Harry Shum, Jr..
Last updated on December 21, 2024.
Harry Shum Jr. is a
Costa Rican-born Chinese American actor, dancer, and choreographer. He is best known for his roles as Mike Chang on the Fox television series Glee (2009–15) and as Magnus Bane on the Freeform television series Shadowhunters (2016–19). He was nominated for four Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance in Glee, winning once. He won the award for The Male TV Star of 2018 in the E! People's Choice Awards for Shadowhunters.
I was always an actor, starting in middle school. I was in all the plays and all that. But dancing didn't come into my life until late into high school.
When I was younger, I was very scared to talk to people. To the point where my parents took me to a therapist because they thought something was wrong with me.
I've always been a person with patience, and I don't like to force things.
I was born in Costa Rica and we moved to America where it was a whole new world for me.
I started working when I was 9 or 10.
I'm really into football, gadgets, adventurous activities, and cooking new, creative recipes right now - but you'll never catch me being boring.
I'm heavily involved in the creative with choreographer Christopher Scott. I go to rehearsals with 'Glee' and then practice with LXD till about midnight.
I'm actually really shy.
I actually got dared to audition for the dance team. All my track-and-field buddies dared me to audition, and I was one of the few guys who did it.
I'd rather dance in a corner than dance in a circle.
I remember the first time I felt that I was sharing the stage with someone spectacular was dancing with Beyonce. It was the dancers, the band, Beyonce and me in front of thousands of people. That was sick. It was pretty amazing that I got to travel the world with someone like her.
Obviously anything that accessorizes or enhances the iPhone is always pretty cool.
My parents weren't stereotypical and pressuring me to go to college. They mentioned it a lot and constantly, but it wasn't a do or die thing, like, 'You have to do this or you're done.'
When it comes to acting, you really have to create movement which in some ways is dancing. And dancing, I feel is very important to act as well. I wouldn't put one over the other.
The tour life definitely puts strains on your body, not just because of the dancing but because of the fact that you are traveling into the wee hours of the day, getting up early, going to sound check - just the grueling process of it all.
It was a big step, to go from not talking to people to stepping on to a stage. That's when I felt the most comfortable, because I could do anything I wanted to and say anything I wanted to, even if people didn't laugh.
I have the most respect for Zach Woodlee. He is one of my favorite - and one of the most capable - choreographers out there right now.
I know what my talents are, and at the end of the day I'm an actor who can dance.
Any Michael Jackson song will make any dancer go nuts.
When I came into the industry I started with acting and I did drama during junior high and high school. I fell into dancing as a hobby, but whenever you need work, you try out different things. So I booked a lot of jobs for dancing and it kept rolling and rolling.
I was asked to do a test commercial shoot for an Apple product which didn't mean much to me at the time. Some music player that holds all your songs. Sounded cool to me and I never gave up an opportunity to work, especially with the possibility of it turning into a national commercial. Coolest job I did in that time.
When I'm off the clock, I usually play video games - or do something nature-y so I can contribute to Mother Nature.
I wasn't the guy who got straight As. I got As and Bs and a couple Cs.
I would be in a room full of people being loud and running around, and I'd be in the corner just playing with the wall. So I was very, very quiet, but when I really got into the arts, that opened me up.
Right before I jumped out of a plane, I knew what Superman felt like.
Everyone has different talents, different styles and talents.
With parents, that's the only way sometimes that they can get across to their kids is by giving them an ultimatum.
My parents weren't stereotypical and pressuring me to go to college. They mentioned it a lot and constantly, but it wasn't a do or die thing, like, 'You have to do this or you're done.
If I'm home alone, I just dance... it's my own little secret.