Part of the reason why my folks - why any immigrant family - wants their kids to go into law or medicine is because there's the promise of reliable work. That's a powerful idea that got hammered into my head growing up: Be this thing, or else you'll starve.

Growing up as Chinese-American, as someone who experienced racism, questions of 'otherness' are always at the forefront of my mind.

Take 'Ex Machina.' Everyone said it was one of the great feminist works of science fiction. But what I found disappointing is that everything about the main female character is defined by men.

I think that comic books have appealed to female readers for years.

I like people who are enthused about things they do, like travel, sports, work. I like being with people who have things they're excited about.

I'm interested to go other places, I've been the boy in the bubble since we've been shooting, I need to go travel a little bit, see where the action is, other than going to see family, of course.

I'm an active author: I travel to give readings and talks, although I know it's risky.

My Christmas present to myself each year is to see how much air travel can open up the world and take me to places as far from sheltered California and Japan as possible.