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Pasadena Power Duo Pings Their Way to Hollywood Stardom, One Paddle at a Time
PASADENA, Calif. – While many might not recognize their faces on the street, Diego Schaaf and Wei Wang are Hollywood’s secret weapon for turning A-listers into ping-pong phenoms. This Pasadena-based husband-and-wife team has been serving up table tennis expertise to the stars since 1993, with their latest project putting them in the orbit of none other than Timothée Chalamet for the buzzy new film “Marty Supreme.”
When director Josh Safdie first reached out about “Marty Supreme,” Schaaf, 71, admits he drew a blank on the film’s lead. A quick text to his 20-year-old niece (“Do you know who Timothée Chalamet is? We’re going to be working on a movie with him.”) resulted in a succinct, yet telling, “O.M.G.” – confirming the star power they were about to encounter.
Running Alpha Productions, Schaaf and Wang, 64, are the go-to consultants for anything involving table tennis in film, TV, commercials, and music videos. Their impressive resume includes iconic projects like “Forrest Gump,” “Friends,” and “Balls of Fury.”
Their most recent challenge? Transforming Chalamet into Marty Mauser, a fictionalized mid-century U.S. table tennis star vying for a world title in A24’s “Marty Supreme,” which hit North American theaters on Christmas Day.
Chalamet reportedly dedicated seven years to training, even practicing on set for “Dune” and “Wonka,” and while learning guitar for a Bob Dylan biopic. However, it wasn’t until June 2024, just months before filming began in New York City, that Schaaf and Wang stepped in.
“We watched [Chalamet] play, and we wanted to see how we can make a pro player out of that,” Schaaf recounted. “I saw him hit for a couple of minutes. ‘Yeah, he can do it.'”
Schaaf, who grew up playing table tennis in Switzerland before pursuing a music career in the U.S., now focuses on choreography and ensuring the overall cinematic quality of their projects. For “Marty Supreme,” his tasks ranged from hiring top-tier players for tournament scenes to sourcing authentic 1950s equipment and crafting compelling storylines. “The development of points had to be right, and the intensity had to be right,” Schaaf explained, emphasizing the need to create a realistic, yet cinematically engaging, sports experience.
Wang, a former No. 5 ranked player in China who later became a U.S. national doubles champion and qualified for the 1996 Olympic team, is the hands-on expert for teaching actors form and technique. Her elite skills earned her a spot in the U.S. Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002, making her the perfect mentor for Chalamet.
“He got the feet right very quickly, which is critical for a top player,” Wang noted, dispelling the myth that table tennis is solely a hand sport. “It’s your whole body.
It’s like dancing – your whole body, your footwork, the timing. He got that.”
Chalamet’s training sessions, initially at public clubs, eventually moved to his home due to privacy concerns. The dedicated actor even named specific table tennis points to help him remember complex sequences for the cameras.
A particularly grueling aspect was playing without a ball for scenes utilizing CGI, requiring precise movements and timing to ensure realism. “It was grueling, because when you play without a ball you never miss, so you keep going and going and going,” Schaaf said.
“Those were super intense points.”
The coaching experience with rapper/actor Tyler, the Creator, who plays Marty’s friend Wally, was a stark contrast. Having never held a paddle before, Tyler, the Creator quickly embraced the sport, even purchasing his own table after just two sessions with Wang.
Schaaf and Wang were on set in New Jersey and Tokyo for filming, with Schaaf coordinating match designs and managing 23 background players. Wang occasionally stepped in to ensure Chalamet’s strokes remained flawless.
The duo attended the “Marty Supreme” premiere in Los Angeles, where they expressed immense pride in Chalamet’s performance. “He brought exactly what we were hoping he would bring,” Schaaf said, highlighting Chalamet’s dedication. “We were very proud of him,” Wang added.
With “Marty Supreme” now released, Schaaf and Wang have returned to their daily routine of running their local table tennis clubs. However, they remain ready for the next compelling project.
As Schaaf quipped, recalling a conversation with the film’s producer, “He says, ‘So, Diego, I hear you’re the only guy in the country who can do this.’ And I thought, ‘Well, yeah, it’s a small niche.'”
Indeed, a niche where this Pasadena power couple continues to reign supreme.