2 screen icons Andrew Koji emulated for ‘Warrior’ role

While it was Bruce Lee’s teachings that helped “Warrior” star Andrew Koji get a solid grasp of protagonist Ah Sahm’s soul and sensibility in the acclaimed action series, the 32-year-old actor looked elsewhere to convey the confidence and cocky swagger required for the role.

It didn’t take long before the British-Japanese actor found his character pegs for the acclaimed action series, aired on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Cinemax, in two Hollywood icons: Robert Downey Jr. and Harrison Ford.

“[Showrunner] Jonathan Tropper kept telling me to watch Robert Downey Jr. in his films and Harrison Ford playing Han Solo in the ‘Star Wars’ films,” Andrew recalled. “He wanted Ah Sahm to look like a cool guy who goes around looking like he doesn’t care about anything or anyone around him. And he looked cooler with his dry wit. So, I watched Robert Downey Jr. obsessively … to emulate him and try to incorporate that swagger in my characterization.”