The Harry Shum Jr. Renaissance Is Nigh

Harry Shum Jr. has the best of both worlds — well, kind of. The actor is spending countless hours rehearsing for Dancing With the Stars, with his pro partner, Jenna Johnson, choreographing routines that get more intricate every week. But right now, just hours after landing a perfect score on Disney Night, he’s on the set of Grey’s Anatomy in full scrubs doing a whole lot of nothing in the ABC medical drama’s operating room. It’s safe to say he’s exhausted.

“We just shot a scene for three hours straight standing,” the 44-year-old actor tells Bustle from his car, taking a quick lunch break still in costume. “It’s crazy how we think dancing is tiring, which it is, but you’re moving a lot. I give it up to doctors and surgeons that stand for eight hours. I would rather be moving right now. And then when I’m dancing, I’d rather be standing.”

Shum Jr.’s hip-hop skills are well-documented on Glee, with his character Mike Chang carrying the New Directions on his back when it came to choreography. But on DWTS, he’s also proven himself a ballroom master, with him and Johnson becoming the first duo this season to earn two perfect scores in a row, positioning them as undeniable frontrunners. “I’m just flabbergasted,” he says.

Shum Jr. says the scores are even more “meaningful” because he and Johnson have focused more on creating dances they’re passionate about rather than strategizing how to win. “There was a switching point halfway through where I was trying to figure out what Dancing with the Stars is in terms of being on the back side, figuring dances out, whether it's creative,” he recalls. “Jen and I looked at each other like, ‘Let's just dance for ourselves and do what we want to do.’”

Whether or not he wins the Mirrorball, DWTS is just the beginning of the Shum Jr. renaissance. While he’s been in the ballroom, the return of Glee became official, and the long-awaited Crazy Rich Asians TV series was finally announced, giving him two easy ways to keep dominating our screens. Luckily, he’d jump at the chance to return to his roots in both franchises, especially Glee.

“That show did a lot,” he says. “It tapped into the zeitgeist, but also had this crazy anticipation before the pilot ever came out, then went on tour, had this cultural effect, and charted on Billboard, and also spotlighted things we never really address in terms of bullying and gay rights. I enjoyed being able to show the dynamics of an Asian family in a different way and having it still be entertaining.”

But for now, Shum Jr. is simply focused on spreading his love of dancing for as long as he lasts in the ballroom. “It's cool hearing how families are rooting for me and finding their entry point to dance,” he says. “Even guys who only watch sports are actually invested in this competition. That's awesome. I embrace the people trying to figure out what this all is, maybe being their own judge and holding their own paddle. That makes it fun.”

Below, Shum Jr. opens up about his most meaningful dance, his relationships with the Glee cast, where he sees Mike Chang on the revival, and his future on the Crazy Rich Asians series.

Which DWTS dance are you most proud of so far?

It always feels like I’m most proud of the last dance because it's the closest, but I have to say Dedication Night. I'm going to hold that forever as the most memorable thing, having three generations on that stage. I don't think my parents ever thought in their lifetime they would be on stage, especially on national television. And to dance with my wife [actor and dancer Shelby Rabara]... 20 years ago, we tried to audition for this dance commercial, and I didn't know how to partner and I messed it up for her.

Tell me more about that.

During those times, anytime you try to get a job, it’s like paying rent. You need that job. And I lost it for her because I was stepping on her toes. I wasn’t doing the lifts right, and I froze. So for 20 years we didn't partner, and this was the first time we did on this show. Our relationship is great, but repairing that part of it was very meaningful.

You're currently filming Grey's Anatomy. How’s it been balancing the show and rehearsals? Are you dancing on the set when you're not filming?

A lot of that is happening. Jenna comes and tries to teach me some of the dance, but honestly, it's so hard to focus because I still have to perform well on the show and make sure I'm giving my all to the scenes. Today we have a long [operating room] scene, so there's absolutely no time for that. It’s a lot of work, I’m not going to lie, but I feel so privileged to be able to do both and to have the support of both productions and my team. It’s not just a one-man show.

Chris Colfer was telling me how amazing it was to be with your daughter watching you dance. How does it feel to have your Glee cast’s support all these years later?

It means the world. Especially in Hollywood, where you do a job and move on to something else and everyone lives different lives, to still be in contact and come out and support each other says a lot about the bond that we have. Honestly, no one knows what we experience fully other than us. It’s beautiful because everyone’s been so successful in doing the thing they've been wanting to do.

Has your daughter seen Glee?

She did watch the pilot and was blown away, so I don’t know when we're going to start that train.

Amber Riley and Heather Morris have been on the DWTS journey before. Did they tell you anything before you joined the season?

Amber said it’s a lot, and to remember who you are, and Heather said the same thing. I’ve never done anything like this before in my life, but a lot of people have opinions about what they want you to be for them. I love to take constructive criticism, and sometimes I look at things like, “Oh yeah, I need to do that a little more.” But in other ways, I took that advice.

How do you feel about Glee returning? Has Ryan Murphy given you any details about it?

I don’t know too many details about what he’s trying to do other than him writing the pilot. He’s really excited about it. When that show came out, the arts were being defunded, and the world was trying to figure out how to transition into a different era. We never really saw that type of humor in a musical. Everyone’s a lot more mature now. I’m still trying to figure out what it is, but I’m glad they’re getting everyone talking about it, and we’ll see if I’m involved.

In your head, where do you see Mike Chang today?

I feel like all of my characters play into the multiverse of what am I living. It’d be kind of funny if he just stopped dancing. I’m already playing a surgeon and dancing right now on another multiverse, I don't want to bleed too much into that. But there’d be something interesting if Mike stopped dancing and became a plumber or something, just to go against everything that his dad wanted him to do, and then seeing how he can find his rhythm back.

The Crazy Rich Asians TV show being announced the same week is also divine timing. Have you been in touch with the cast or showrunner Adele Lim since that was announced?

Adele’s my friend. We talk about wanting to work together on different projects. The character that I play is tied to another character [Gemma Chan’s Astrid], so we’ll see if they write that in, because there are so many storylines in the books. [Adele] wrote the first episode, so I don't know what it’s all looking like, but I still talk to her a lot, and I would love to reprise Charlie Wu. In the books, it’s such a fun storyline that I think a lot of fans want to see come to life.

Next week is Grammy Night. Can you give us a peek at what you have planned?

I can say that finally we get to dance to something where the style really fits into the song.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.