‘Mortal Kombat II’ Star Ludi Lin Joins ‘Comedy InvAsian III’ Cast
“Mortal Kombat II” actor Ludi Lin joins the cast of “Comedy InvAsian III,” alongside comedians Juno Men, Erik Escobar, Trevor Jang, Michelle MaliZaki, Shivaan Nadan, Kitty Pine and Vanja Renee.
The third season of the AAPI stand-up comedy showcase comes from creator-showrunner Koji Steven Sakai of Little Nalu Pictures, executive producer Victor Elizalde of Viva Pictures and creator-showrunner Quentin Lee of Margin Films. In each episode a different comedian performs a 30-minute set.
Produced by Little Nalu Pictures and distributed by Viva Pictures Distribution LLC, “Comedy InvAsian” premiered in 2018 as a Hulu exclusive. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Peacock, Tubi and Amazon Prime.
The series has launched the television careers of several AAPI comics, including Atsuko Okatsuka, Joey Guila, Robin Tran and Jiaoying Summers.
Season 3 will be recorded over four live performances over Valentine’s Day weekend, February 14-15, at the Japanese American National Museum’s Tateuchi Democracy Forum in Los Angeles.
“Comedy InvAsian has proven itself as both a cultural platform and a discovery engine,” said Elizalde, president of Viva Pictures. “From the Hulu-exclusive Season 1 starring Atsuko Okatsuka to Jiaoying Summers’ breakout performances in Season 2, the series has helped introduce audiences to the next generation of Asian comedy talent. Season 3 continues that mission with an extraordinary new lineup.”
Elizalde also produces “Entre Nos,” the LatinX stand-up comedy series currently in its fifth season as an HBO exclusive.
“We are thrilled to have assembled such a powerhouse of diverse talent for Season 3 of Comedy InvAsian,” said Sakai. “For alumni like Atsuko Okatsuka and Robin Tran to reach such heights is a testament to how important this platform is. This new group is incredibly sharp and ready to follow in those footsteps and bring fresh, hilarious perspectives to the stage.”
“As a proud member of the Television Academy, we plan to premiere the series in May in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, strategically timed for the Emmy 2026 FYC consideration for outstanding variety series,” said Lee, whose spinoff “Comedy Invasion” won the 2024 Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Special.
The season 3 cast includes Erik Escobar, who appeared in Prime Video’s “Beast Games” and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”; Vancouver’s Trevor Jang, making his television debut; Lin, who returns in May as Liu Kang in “Mortal Kombat II”; Michelle MaliZaki, based in Los Angeles; Seattle comedian Juno Men, who debuted in Lee’s 2024 special “Laugh Proud”; Bay Area comic Shivaan Nadan; Filipino-American comedian Kitty Pine; and Vanja Renee, of Korean and black descent.
Viva Pictures will distribute the series on AAM.tv, Tubi and Prime Video. The company’s current comedy specials include Nick Swardson, Gary Owen and Craig Ferguson, while the original series “Entre Nos” airs on HBO. Viva also featured early specials from Ralph Barbosa, Jiaoying Summers, Atsuko Okatsuka and Joey Guila.
Based in South Pasadena, California, Little Nalu Pictures specializes in diverse and inclusive storytelling. The company’s projects appear on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Peacock.
Margin Films was founded in 1996 by Lee and is based in British Columbia, Canada and California.
