ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke native is living a Hollywood dream. Alex Huynh plays the Monkey King in the Oscar-winning film “Sinners.”
Huynh attended Northside High School and trained in martial arts at Shaolin Dragons Martial Arts Academy in Roanoke. That training gave him the foundation to pursue performing, choreography and film work.
“When I was living in Roanoke, I had a lot of thoughts and feelings and ideas that I wanted to share with the world, but I didn’t know how to,” Huynh said. “And the arts and martial arts gave me an outlet to express it.”
He also performed with the cast at the 2026 Oscars and got to work with friends and director Ryan Coogler, whom he has long admired.
Huynh said the arts can connect people and urged anyone with a passion to take a chance and share their story.