Hes totally cool, and he loves martial arts movies, Yen says. But he always kept at it. He started hanging out at other gyms around Boston. Although, if theres a villain in the movie, the real evil here is nihilism. Mm-hmm. Yes. Boots, $695, by Alessandro Vasini. Yes. And he heard about it, and he says, oh, get well soon. Beginning in the early 80s, Li made a name for himself as one of the top martial artist action stars in Hong Kong cinema with films including Born to Defence and Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts of Shaolin.Li solidified himself as an icon in the genre with his . He grew up absorbing every book, movie, TV show that he could get his eyes on. Today, Brad channels his thoughts on all manner of movies, from comic book films, sci-fi thrillers, comedies, and everything in between through his writings on Screen Rant. Yen had been hired by Guillermo del Toro to choreograph the movies superhuman fight sequences, as well as to act alongside Wesley Snipes in a minor role. At first, youre looking at the fingers. He also proposed letting his character have a sense of humor so that he could improvise jokes. Yen's final reel duel with Sammo Hung is now regarded as a classic of the genre. I have so many injuries, Yen says, laughing. This article was first published in Geek Culture. That would scare the hell out of me. In Everything Everywhere All at Once, Yeoh plays the superhero: a Chinese American immigrant mother who is called upon to save the world and herself by hopping across multiverses. I dont understand this. When I didBlade II I had a horrible time, man. Boots, $1,495, by Christian Louboutin. More: John Wick 4 - Why Donnie Yen Is More Important Than You Think. Its all like a bunch of jazz musicians, Yen says. Ten Questions with Flash Point Star Donnie Yen - Rotten Tomatoes She was very forceful, old school, like what you see in the movies. And in that universe, if you just have a very close-up of Jamie and myself holding each other, you see two women in love. Do I know this director, Ang Lee? Coat, $1,981, by Lanvin. Its where you want to go, right? He can stillgo. Crouching Tiger. Ive worked four or five movies with him already. Amazon.com: Blade of Kings : Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Bingbing Fan The Founding of a Republic is a Chinese historical drama produced in 2009 to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and was made to portray the final years of the Chinese Communist Revolution that followed the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). I cant believe you jump from trucks and youre scared of the stage. Thats part of life. Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen recently recalled two different occasions when legendary martial arts actor Jet Li nearly blinded him. Although Yen is widely known and respected in the West, having worked in Hollywood on and off since the late 90s, its nothing compared to how he is recognized in Asia, where his prodigious output made him a giant in the world of Chinese-language cinema. And thats, I think, the tension between the mother and the daughter. And did you approach the performance differently? The second time we spoke, Yen was energized to see Michelle Yeoh, a friend and costar of Yens for decades, win a Golden Globe forEverything Everywhere All at Once after being critically ignored for so long. Shanghai Knights (2003) I think they just announced they have a writer. And in fact, he knows all he has to do is call. Yes, poise. With Jackie Chan's penchant for comedy and Yen's combat versatility seen in his MMA movies, their first showdown has more of a light-hearted spin on it, with their second taking Chan outside of his usual comfort zone with bladed weaponry coming into play, too. And Ang is like the most quiet spoken. It was so differentthey speak different, the culture, very different food, he says. I feel that way when I think about Black Panther and everything else. In Hong Kong in those years, he explains, someone on every movie would have mafia connectionsit was a necessity, just to be able to film in certain locations. He went, "Boop!" While details about the Hong Kong actor's role were kept under wraps following the films announcement in June 2021, a trailer released in November 2022 revealed that he will face off against Keanu Reeves suave, suit-wearing titular assassin. Yen is next set to appear in the highly-anticipated John Wick: Chapter 4 with Keanu Reeves and Sleeping Dogs, an adaptation of the popular video game of the same name. Your body knows what its doing because its just extracted this key information. A huge hit for Emperor, the film earned Yen his first Best Action Director prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards. A few years ago, for example, he turned down a role in theExpendables franchise. And walk away. As you get older you feel it more and more., Another actor might have hung it up by nowor at least dialed back the physical side of things. Following a high profile Los Angeles premiere, 'Ip Man 3' enjoyed a Los Angeles premiere and a US theatrical release, earning rave reviews in the mainstream American media.Having conquered every territory beneath the Asian skies, Donnie accepted an invitation to join the cast of an entry in the world's biggest film franchise. Chasing the Dragon (Chinese: ; Sidney Lau: Jui 1 Lung 4), previously known as King of Drug Dealers, is a Hong Kong-Chinese action crime drama film directed by Wong Jing and Jason Kwan. Yen recalls getting approached by Disney to appear in the 2016Star Wars prequelRogue One. And one of the great things about cinema, he says, is how unifying it can betranscending barriers of both language and culture. Brandon Louis is a TV/Movie news writer. Boston itself was not always welcoming. More recently, he passed on a role in DCsAquaman in order to spend time with his family. It wasnt a protest, okay, it was a riot, Yen says. Im not going to be here talking about how to change how people feel about it. [Discussing Hero] I remember there was another choreography where he was wired up with a sword. Thanks for listening. The progressthe freeways, the architecture, the convenience of lifestyle. He is upset when the Western media focuses only on negative stories about China. I went to my friends karate school, or a boxing gym, Yen says. The film has been a daunting task. Naturally, Chan and Yen had to come face-to-face on the big screen sooner or later, with the pair ultimately fightingtwice. Some people dont know, he says. So, none of us go in saying, Im going to make you laugh purposely, you know. Yen was born in Guangzhou, on the Chinese mainland. The C.E.O. From the Triads! Yen says with a grin, relishing the story. Each studio was determined to outdo its rivals for the most elaborate action sequences and flat-out dangerous stunts. Then the wardrobe again oh, mandarin collars. Gender-Bending the Best Martial Artists: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and NEXT: Donnie Yen Should Front A xXx Spinoff Franchise. You cannot look like you know what youre doing. Her latest role is no exception she took on a part that was originally written for the actor Jackie Chan. Then the wardrobe again oh, mandarin collars. Joe Origins, starring. I have stage fright. These people belong to another dimension, right? It was crazy macho stupidity, Yen says. And Im like, are you kidding me? If Im not allowed to have my creative control, Yen says, its not worth my time., Yen is proudly Chinese (its been reported that he gave up his US citizenship in the late aughts; he has since described himself as 100 percent Chinese) and is still amazed at the progress that he has witnessed in his home country during his lifetime. One question that had always bugged him, for example: Why doesnt anybody miss? I know exactly where the camera is. Jacket, $11,000, and scarf, $690, by Dior Men. So I went in the day after, and I finished the scene., Yen is not telling this story for the sake of some misguided bravado but more to explain the heady Hong Kong film scene of the 1980s and 90s. Jet Li Nearly Blinded Donnie Yen While Filming On Two Different Movies Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. I dont know how long that will last, he says. Right, which the daughter is doing. This is my schedule, Yen says, showing me the calendar app on his phone, a grid of colored squares so stuffed that it looks like a Tetris endgame. He said, hes wondering if, you know, you have time to have a quick cup of tea with him. And thank god I heard it was because one of the writers in the room turned on and said, oh, theres this actress from Hong Kong, actually, he said, who does her own action. You said Matrix on LSD. In a recent interview with GQ, the actor shared that he's very selective about signing on roles. Talk tomorrow. This is a John Wick movie. Im doing Tigers Apprentice. Im in the next Minions.. And then, to just let loose and to be able to go, bleh, and then all of us just went we were so committed to making this because, when you read it, it is wacky. Its basically The Matrix meets LSD trip. In 'Iron Monkey', Yen played the father of Wong Fei-hung, and its success prefigured that which he would later enjoy as another pugilistic patriarch in 'Ip Man'. Stop trying to change the other person. He was eventually forced to borrow money from loan sharks. Born July 27, 1963 in Canton, China. More from NextShark: BLACKPINK announce title track Shut Down and ticket sale info. At the same time, Donnie Yen, still years away from his Western fame followingRogue One: A Star Wars Storyand the spy moviexXx: Return of Xander Cage, hadonly done two other American movies at the time in Highlander: Endgame and Blade II. Shes not trying to be funny. When it first came, I was like, no, no, no, no, no. When the Daniels first wrote it, its true. It was such a sensation. The film was shot last year, outside Shanghai, on a relatively slim budget. In this conversation, Kara Swisher and Yeoh discuss the film, which Kara describes as The Matrix meets L.S.D. And you must try and find joy and happiness. Last take, the guy overshot and cracked Yen in the face, slicing open his brow a quarter-inch from his eye, nearly blinding him. Donnie Yen really said no Mandarin Collars, but blind Martial Arts expert is okay. Lets do it. He arrives at the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill in London wearing a leather Alexander McQueen jacket and sweats, the brim of his baseball capblazoned with the motivational slogan You Can Do Itpulled low. Tune in to find out, and let us know who you think is the greatest of the great in the comments. But in general, its always an older man. The film followed Ip's life journey to Hong Kong, where he faces both rival kung fu masters, led by the film's choreographer, Sammo Hung, and a brutal foreign boxer, portrayed by the late Darren Shahlavi. But then, when it came to the late 70s and early 80s, it switched over to much more masculine dominated with you know, the Jackie Chan, the Jet Lee, the Donnie Yen. Yen co-starred in action films with Jet Li and Jackie Chan and continued to play the leading role in many martial arts and action films including Tsui Hark's "Seven Swords" (2005) and crime . Thats why you believe in that universe. Every day: pain. Shes looking for the mother that she can connect with. You can see after the huge success of Crazy Rich Asians, can you imagine the weight on our shoulders at that point? It will continue to grow. Chinese kung fu star, Donnie Yen, is listed as a member of National Committee of CPPCC. In this version, they are reimagined as powerful female warriors, complete with stunning costumes and fierce attitudes. I mean, hes 60 years, a legacy thats been so nurtured and protected and well thought out. He notably turned down a role in The Expendables franchise due to how. That discussion between her and the man she left behind. But theyve never been to China. I was trying to find an identity. How can I be the worst? Youre a super heroine, and in no time you will be back on your feet again. You can play, you can playjust come in and jam., But that free-flowing collaborative style meant that when Yen started getting jobs as an action choreographer in the US in the early aughts, he rubbed up against the compartmentalized way that Hollywood studios ran things. But do you think it was supposed to change things, I remember. That hasnt stopped a lot of people. The film, which starred Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert, was produced by the US studio Dimension, and enjoyed a successful worldwide theatrical release.Having relocated to Los Angeles, Yen paid his dues by directing action scenes for the Dimension action thriller 'Stormbreaker' and providing the fight sequences for the German TV series 'The Puma'.Donnie agreed to both action direct and cameo in the major New Line action franchise entry 'Blade 2', starring Wesley Snipes. Which is embodied by the everything bagel in the movie. Why cant he have a normal name? Growing up, Brad developed an innate love of movies and storytelling, and was instantly enamored with the world of adventure while following the exploits of Indiana Jones, Japanese kaiju, and superheroes. Everyone was just out there competing, like B-boys or skate crews, to do the coolest shit possible. You are getting fat. How did they get this opportunity? I witnessed gangsters fight on the set. John Wick 4's Donnie Yen Shares Experiences Dealing With Asian . Again, not giving away plot. I have, yes, success and fame. Im curious, what did that movie did that change things for you in terms of roles coming in? One of Hong Kong's top action stars, Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into the mainstream Asian cinema by choreographing MMA in many of his films since the early 2000s. 'Ip Man 2' was the biggest local hit of the year in China, and enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the US.The film's success led to Donnie being cast as a number of legendary Chinese heroes: He played General Qin-long in Daniel Lee's '14 Blades', Guan Yu in 'The Lost Bladesman' and reprised Bruce Lee's Chen Zhen role in Andrew Lau's 'Legend of the Fist'. This movie was for Jackie Chan originally and then switched very quickly to you. Donnie Yen. That was the old Hong Kong way. As Yen grew in confidence, he and Yuen would regularly fall out. The next day, the director called. When It Comes to Gun Control, Will Baby Steps Fix Anything? Its why he relishes every action sceneevery bump, every bruise. Youre not allowed to look at the camera. We release every Monday and Thursday. RELATED: Why Jackie Chan Never Joined Stallone's Expendables Movies. So what they did was, like, lets switch the roles because its not been done. Thrown from horses. If there was a stunt, you did it yourself. Yen details his famous fight scene in 1992's Once Upon a Time in China II when Li cut his left brow with a large bamboo staff, causing him to get stitches. Both Chan and Yen are still making action movies, though Chan's roles are now far less stunt-intensive due to the countless injuries he's gone through in his career. I dont want to repeat the same thing that youve seen. Youre not allowed to ask questions. Ive been through it all. Chan and Yen's second big-screen fight is the inverse in every way from theirShanghai Knightsbout,being more weapon-based and placing Chan, in particular, into some very new territory. As an outspoken person, I always questioned, Yen says. But because at that time, there were no scripts that really cast us as a important enough character, you could be like a co-star or a guest star or whatever it is. In addition to Ip Man and Rogue One, Yen rose to fame by appearing in films such as Hero," Iron Monkey," Raging Fire, Once Upon a Time in China," Blade II," Chasing the Dragon opposite Andy Lau, "Shanghai Knights opposite Jackie Chan, and Mulan opposite Liu Yifei. an old friend of Wick's who is speculated to . It could have been a girl. Necklace, $20,300, by Cartier. Its true. After premieres in New York and Los Angeles, the film enjoyed great acclaim from the American critics, and won a prize at that year's Taurus Awards, an event held to celebrate action in cinema.After working on a number of independent features, Yen went on to enjoy huge success on the small screen when he accepted a lucrative offer from Hong Kong's ATV to film a series based on the Bruce Lee classic 'Fist of Fury'. I have been in so many countries in the world, but its not even close. Jet Li Nearly Blinded Donnie Yen While Filming On Two Different Movies. ), Nevertheless, some hurts still linger. Donnie Yen Called Out 'John Wick 4' Asian Stereotypes, Got Script Changes After starring in blockbusters like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Disney's live-action Mulan, Yen will soon appear in John Wick 4 as Caine, an old friend of Wick's who is speculated to be an important aspect to the main character's story. There were more stories. The film, directed by Guillermo del Toro, was a huge hit, earning almost twice the box office of the original 'Blade'.Returning to Hong Kong, Yen found he now had a major contribution to make behind the camera, co-directing the SFX action adventure 'The Twins Effect'. The film received a wide US theatrical release from Miramax, and remains one of the most successful foreign language titles ever distributed in the America market.Donnie returned to Hong Kong to choreograph the smash hit fantasy-horror-comedy 'The Twins Effect', and went on to enjoy his most productive partnership with a director. Everybodys supposed to be cool and fashionable. It became the first foreign language movie to break the $100 million mark in a U.S. box office, and had the most Oscar nods ever for a foreign language film until Roma few years ago from Netflix. At the time, the demand for martial arts movies was waning, and Yen was determined to innovate within a genre starting to grow stale. (SINGING) When you walk in a room, do you have sway? I mean, the universe of your life, your real life as a martial arts movie star, was very sad. More than 5,000 NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee attend this year's #TwoSessions. 'Iron Monkey' was all the more remarkable in that, years after its Asian release, it was acquired by the American studio Miramax, re-cut, re-scored and given a wide release in US theatres. Kicked. Yes, because its all what I love about all the universes. But not Yen. I gotta say, hot dog fingers might be. 10 February 2023; . When Yuen Woo-ping is talking, everybody would just listen. I guess my destiny is to be making movies., For a decade now, hes been talking about retiring. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And Jamie Lee Curtis plays Deirdre, the I.R.S. While it is great that Staheleski is open to making changes and removing stereotypes as per Yen's request, we still see one big issue though: How is having a Hong Kong action star appearing as a blind martial arts expert in Hollywood movies isn't in itself a stereotype? And then you pull back and you go, what the heck do they have at the end of their sleeve? Theyve been here. Who knows: In my 70s I might be lucky, and be one of those very few that are still able tobut why push that?, Thats why he still wakes up in the morning and does jump kicks. Chan isn't exactly known for wuxia-style action and wire fu, but the formerEnter the Dragonstuntman handles the somewhat foreign territory well alongside Twins Effect's downplayed emphasis on comedy and pratfalls. I think, for me, no. So it was very different because, at the end of the day, when she comes back into her own universe, she is still Evelyn Wang but with extra skills. As a kid from Hong Kong, let alone one whod spent the previous six years in America, he barely fit in. After 20 or 50 moves, he keeps missing, Yen says. I had a very respectful experience working onJohn Wick. The film, about an amnesiac warrior returning to his home village, has become a bona fide cult classic.As director, Donnie followed 'Legend of the Wolf' with a very different venture, 'Ballistic Kiss', an urban thriller about a conflicted assassin. Enjoy some creature comforts. Sway is produced by Nayeema Raza, Blakeney Schick, Daphne Chen, Caitlin OKeefe and Wyatt Orme, and edited by Nayeema Raza; fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker; music and sound design by Isaac Jones; mixing by Carole Sabouraud and Sonia Herrero; audience strategy by Shannon Busta. The film brought Yen his first real attention as a thespian and he was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category at that year's Hong Kong Film Awards. Exclusive: Donnie Yen on 'Raging Fire,' 'John Wick 4,' How Yuen Woo-ping Discovered Him, and More By Steve Weintraub Published Aug 29, 2021 Plus, Yen shares what it was like making director. Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? Pokmon Detective Pikachu Sequel Finds Its Writer and Director, and More Movie News, Womens History Month TV and Streaming Guide 2023, All Rocky and Creed Movies Ranked by Tomatometer, RT Fans Crown Jurassic Park the Ultimate Steven Spielberg Movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once Wins the A24 Showdown, RT Users Crown Toy Story the Best Pixar Film Ever, The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023, Daisy Jones & The Six Stars Riley Keough and Sam Claflin on Making the Band, Copyright Fandango. Are they respectful of Chinese culture? The Last of Us Episode 7 Introduces a Close Friend From Ellie's Past, While Joel's Life . Which I cant even explain. Or you have a family. Who would win in a fight between Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen? The 59-year old will not be taking on Hollywood roles that are deemed "generic" and if it doesn't respect his Chinese culture. The Planet Is Burning. Whats the cost? Why cant he look cool and fashionable? he continued. Why cant he have a normal name?
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