When Iron Fist first hit Netflix back in 2017, the internet basically exploded. It wasn't just about the reviews, which were, honestly, pretty brutal. It was the casting. Specifically, the fact that Lewis Tan—a guy who looks like he was born to play a martial arts superhero—was right there, and yet he wasn't the lead.
Instead, we got Finn Jones. No shade to Finn, but the fan reaction was a mix of confusion and straight-up annoyance. People saw Lewis Tan show up in Episode 8 as the villainous Zhou Cheng and thought: Wait, why isn't this guy the Iron Fist? ## The Audition That Almost Changed the MCU
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Lewis Tan didn't just stumble into a guest role. He actually went through an intense audition process for the lead role of Danny Rand. He’s been pretty open about it in interviews, mentioning how he was brought back for several readings. At one point, he was even on hold for the role. In the industry, being "on hold" is usually the last step before you start measuring for costumes.
But then, things shifted. Marvel and Netflix decided to stick to the comic book source material, where Danny Rand is a white billionaire.
Tan is half-Chinese and half-white, and he’s an actual, legitimate martial artist. His father, Philip Tan, is a legendary stunt coordinator who worked on massive films like Tim Burton’s Batman and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Lewis grew up on these sets. He spent his life training in Muay Thai, Kung Fu, and katana sword fighting. He wasn't just an actor trying to learn a few kicks for a scene; he was a "bullyproof lethal weapon" by the time he finished junior high.
That One Scene That Stole the Show
If you actually sat through the first season, you remember Episode 8. It’s the "Drunken Master" fight. Tan plays Zhou Cheng, a sworn protector of the Hand who uses a fluid, unpredictable fighting style.
The contrast was jarring.
In one corner, you had the lead character, who often looked stiff and choreographed. In the other, you had Lewis Tan, who moved with a terrifying, rhythmic ease. He even had a hand in designing that choreography. He added a British-Hong Kong accent to the character, giving him a weird, charismatic edge that the rest of the show sort of lacked. Fans immediately started posting clips on Twitter. The narrative changed from "Is Iron Fist good?" to "Marvel messed up by not casting Lewis Tan."
The "Missed Opportunity" Debate
Lewis Tan himself called the casting a "missed opportunity." He wasn't being bitter—just honest. He told Vulture that an Asian-American Danny Rand would have added a layer of depth that a white Danny Rand just couldn't provide.
Think about it.
The whole "outsider" trope is central to the character. Tan argued that there is no bigger outsider than an Asian-American. You feel like a foreigner in the West, and you feel like a foreigner in Asia. Seeing a guy struggle to reclaim his roots while discovering mystical powers in K'un-Lun? That’s a fresh story. Instead, we got the classic "white savior" narrative that we've seen a thousand times before.
Of course, not everyone on the internet was on his side. Some pockets of Reddit, particularly the Marvel Studios sub, were pretty harsh. They accused him of "co-opting" a social movement to boost his own profile. There was this whole drama where people claimed he was never really in the running for the lead. But then you look at his physical capability and his screen presence, and it's hard to argue he wouldn't have been a formidable choice.
Why It Still Matters Today
Even though Iron Fist is long over and the Netflix era of Marvel has transitioned into the broader MCU, the Lewis Tan situation remains a case study in representation.
It wasn't just about race; it was about authenticity.
When you cast a martial arts expert to play a martial arts master, you get better television. You don't have to hide the lead actor's face behind a mask or use a million jump cuts to make a fight look real. Since his stint as Zhou Cheng, Tan has gone on to lead Mortal Kombat as Cole Young and appeared in Shadow and Bone and Deadpool & Wolverine. He proved he’s a leading man.
What We Can Learn From the Iron Fist Controversy
The Lewis Tan and Iron Fist saga taught the industry a few things that still ripple through casting rooms in 2026:
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- Skill-First Casting: If the character’s primary trait is being the world’s greatest fighter, you should probably hire someone who can actually fight.
- Modernizing the Source: Sticking 100% to the "source material" can sometimes be a shield for lack of imagination. Updating a character's background to reflect modern social dynamics often leads to better storytelling.
- The Power of the Guest Spot: Sometimes, a single scene can define an actor's career. Tan's five minutes of screen time were more impactful than some actors' entire seasons.
If you’re a fan of the genre, the best way to support this kind of growth is to seek out projects that prioritize authentic stunt work and diverse perspectives. Keep an eye on Lewis Tan’s upcoming projects; he’s consistently pushing for roles that don't just pigeonhole him into the "ninja" or "gangster" tropes. Supporting actors who do their own stunts and advocate for better representation is the only way the industry actually changes.