Whats the new approach?. Compared to Chan's usual Buster Keaton-inspired comedic fight scenes throughout Shanghai Knights, his and Yen's kung fu showdown is the movie's most straightforward martial arts fight and really showed what Yen could do better than any American film had managed to at the time. Coat, $1,981, by Lanvin. If there was a stunt, you did it yourself. It was because she suddenly realized thats when I dont have Waymond and I dont have Joy. They are not in my life. Donnie, can you come in and shoot a close-up? After a period where he was based in Los Angeles, Donnie returned East by way of the West when Jackie Chan requested that Yen play his nemesis in the hit 'Shanghai Knights', a shoot that took the star from Prague to London.Yen returned to China to co-star in director Zhang Yimou's epic wu xia master work 'Hero'. I have, yes, success and fame. Suddenly, Yen found himself apprenticed to one of the great action directors of what might be the last golden age of kung fu filmmaking. When Donnie was just two years old, the family moved to Hong Kong and then, when he was 11, to Boston, Massachusetts.There, Master Bow-sim Mark became a pioneer for Chinese martial arts in America, and it was only natural that her only son was trained from early childhood in the same skills. And its a science fiction. In a recent interview with GQ, the actor shared that he's very selective about signing on roles. Five seconds later I said, "Wait!" And I remembered when Ang came to me, at that time, I was doing the press . Theyve been part of this community forever. Ad Choices, Nearing 60, the last of a golden era of martial arts stars looks back on an unparalleled careerand forward, to his role in the new, Donnie Yen Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters, The Essential Michelle Yeoh Viewing Guide. 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. Youre not allowed to look at the camera. If there's one thing Donnie Yen is going to do, it is to call out stereotypes when he sees it. Shirt, $535, pants, $775, and tie, $220, by Dries Van Noten. Because of the years of having to carry heavy loads of things, her body is not always upright. Even with the Crazy Rich Asians one, we sort of diverted from the original book. Ich denke eine direkte Antwort kann man darauf nicht geben. But Im there, you know?, Yens Chinese patriotism can get him into troublemost notably during the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, during which Yens pro-Beijing stance prompted many cinemagoers in his home city to boycott his movies. In 1997, Yen set up his own production company, Bullet Films. The film, with Wilson Ip as director and Yuen as choreographer, pitted the title character against legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson. It doesnt look real at all.. That would scare the hell out of me. But in general, its always an older man. Theyre giving you an opportunity to do it. Im like, I worship the ground he walks on. This is aJohn Wick movie. Its wild, its wonderful, its weird, its everything. 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. And its all about rhythm, precision and timing, all that things put together. What are you willing to walk away from? And one of the great things about cinema, he says, is how unifying it can betranscending barriers of both language and culture. Special thanks to Shannon Busta, Kristin Lin and Kristina Samulewski. If you place the camera over there, I already know exactly where the frame is. Later, as Yen began to work on his own choreography, he learned to compose the film as he went, editing in his head, so that when I moveokay, I move this way towards this medium shot, then I reserve this movement, four, five, and six, to the wider shot. Look at theJohn Wick franchise itself, which would not exist without the influences of John Woo and Yuen. Jacket, $11,000, and scarf, $690, by Dior Men. And this is like five genres of film mixed into one bagel. 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. You are engaged with that emotional thread connection that keeps going through it. Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen talks about his favorite martial arts films, his extensive career, and infusing his latest film, Flash Point, with the styles of Mixed Martial Arts. Ridiculous athleticism. Shes looking for the mother that she can connect with. But do you think it was supposed to change things, I remember. One question that had always bugged him, for example: Why doesnt anybody miss? She is this very ordinary woman. Its like, even with the marriage with the husband of so many years. I mean, the universe of your life, your real life as a martial arts movie star, was very sad. And the rhythmbop-bop-bop-bopis perfectly timed. Sway is a production of New York Times Opinion. In this version, they are reimagined as powerful female warriors, complete with stunning costumes and fierce attitudes. So, what is it you really, really want? The kicker? Due to restrictions imposed by the Mao government of the era, Yens motherBow-sim Mark, a nationally renowned wushu grandmasterwas not permitted to accompany them. Even then, I noticed a couple of Asian diners nearby quietly freaking out. Not only is he the director and executive producer, he also plays the lead and, in flashbacks, his characters father. V3.1. Jackie Chan was on the roster several years ago. In an interview with GQ, Yen, 59, shared that he spoke to "John Wick: Chapter 4" director Chad Stahelski about making adjustments to Caine, a blind assassin whose first iteration allegedly employed several Asian tropes. Its so liberating. By the time he arrived, Hong Kong was long-established as the epicenter of Chinese-language cinemaand also the locus of the most frenetic and daring action films on the planet. So, none of us go in saying, Im going to make you laugh purposely, you know. And in ancient China. They make these [MINION VOICES]. Jackie Chan and Jet Li are two of the greatest martial arts actors to ever grace the silver screen. As an actor I dont want to. Its produced by Nayeema Raza, Blakely Schick, Daphne Chen, Caitlin OKeefe and Wyatt Orne; with original music by Isaac Jones; mixing by Sonia Herrero and Carole Sabouraud; and fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Donnie Yen sobre los personajes asiticos: "Por qu siempre se tienen que llamar Shan or Chang?" . Youre a super heroine, and in no time you will be back on your feet again. But its not the only version of her, which is interesting. Naturally, Chan and Yen had to come face-to-face on the big screen sooner or later, with the pair ultimately fightingtwice. Half a day, a couple of hours. A couple of hours? Her face is still Evelyn Wang going, what the heck is going on? Why do you have to be so generic? Shes not trying to be funny. Nihilism is especially resonant with the pandemic and the war and everything else. Its hard to do, Yen says. You have to take care of yourself. Why would you want me to do that? Donnie also took up hip-hop and break-dancing. Certain camera tricks. It took a long time for Yen to become a leading man. But interestingly and maybe this is wrong because its been reported different places. One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. I have something to say to you. I had a very respectful experience working onJohn Wick. The Chinese, we all have our way of interpreting the story. She would drag me out of bed, whack me with a wooden stick. Today, he says, he sees a big difference in the way he and other Asian actors are treated in Hollywood. 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. Oh, I was a Chinese opera singer. Her latest role is no exception she took on a part that was originally written for the actor Jackie Chan. Because in 2020, Chinas film market became the worlds biggest box office. Beginning with the cop actioner 'SPL', Donnie teamed with helmer Wilson Yip for a series of very different films that Yen would star in and action choreograph and Yip would direct. You can be auto-tuned. But the joy and love to be found in that kind of situation gives you such a sense of self-worth. Not that its always gone smoothly. John Wick: Chapter 4 is set for release on March 24. From her high-flying kicks in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to her unconventional take on a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies, Michelle Yeoh has had a multidecade career defying stereotypes. At the same time, he began spending his nights in Boston's notorious Combat Zone. The film's two action highlights saw Donnie's character duel the legendary martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, played by his old friend Jet Li. Fortunately, every time I go to set, the whole Donnie Yen act just kicks in, he says. Every Jackie Chan Vs Donnie Yen Fight Scene, Why Jackie Chan Never Joined Stallone's Expendables Movies, Yen's combat versatility seen in his MMA movies, Police Story: The Stunt That Almost Killed Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen Should Front A xXx Spinoff Franchise. Yen calmly warned them to leave them alone, but the thugs opted to attack him, which ended up with Donnie thoroughly kicking their asses in the street. Yen certainly has a point and as seen in John Wick 4's marketing materials of the actor donning massive sunglasses and a black suit (no Mandarin collars! Its the same attitude that has guided Yen throughout his career. But so, Evelyn Wang, when shes pushing her husband out of the way, its like, I have no time for you today. You never walk away from someone in need. Well, there might be. The film's two action highlights saw Donnie's character duel the legendary martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, played by his old friend Jet Li. Beyond the limitations of his mother's school, Yen began training in various different fighting arts, including Japanese karate, Korean taekwondo and western boxing. And he was going to be the principal. And then you pull back and you go, what the heck do they have at the end of their sleeve? But the only problem is I cant sing. I would suspect she was, Im guessing. I have stage fright. These days, Yen is more selective with the Hollywood movies that he takes on. Because action movieswhich is what I do bestaction movies take a certain fire, a passion, and that is relative to physical ability, he says. He shows me a rough cut of the trailer forakra. Why cant he look cool and fashionable? With Yens influence, the director Chad Stahelski agreed to change the name and the wardrobe. I dont want to do that again. 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 . But then, what is it youre giving up? As he often does on movies that hes directing or producing, Yen fed into every element of production: costumes, sets, music, action choreography. Jaycee chan was great, he comes across very humble , Jackie chan had a small role in this film just like donnie yen which was a disappointment but none the less still enjoyable. As a result, there is certainly a sense of fulfillment here as Chan and Yen go head-to-head in Twins Effect II (released in the West ofBlade of Kings). Im doing Tigers Apprentice. Im in the next Minions.. 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. Copyright 2018 Fandango. And two, did it do that? 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. Its true. He came over and he made a few movies. I cant do stage. But that was also very much about how the cultural because if you are born and raised and only live in Asia versus if you are American-born Chinese or Asian, because here the whole mentality, the whole educational process, the whole upbringing is very different. She barely notices Waymond, her husband, who tries to make her smile by sticking googly eyes on the laundry bags, or her lesbian daughter Joy, whos struggling to come out to her grandfather with absolutely no support from her mother. Ive been through it all. Whats it like to be in such a silly film for you? The 59-year old will not be taking on Hollywood roles that are deemed "generic" and if it doesn't respect his Chinese culture. I do all of them, unless I mean, if its asking me to jump off the third floor, then I dont do that anymore. It could be a mother, an auntie, a grandmother that goes by unnoticed because shes so puts her head down, just goes about her day to do the things to ensure that shes making a better life for her family, and you know, the running the errands. Wire work. [You can listen to this episode of Sway on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.]. Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? 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. Beau Deirdre I can never say her name. You went on to star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000, which was a mega-hit globally. I dont know. People who continue to keep thinking and to go forward no matter what the negativity or setback., Yen was upbeat. Stop trying to change the other person. 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. All rights reserved. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Sword of Destiny' also played at selected Imax theatres in North America, and enjoyed a wide theatrical release in China, where it was screened in its 3D version.Yen reteamed with his former mentor Yuen Woo-ping for the hugely popular 'Ip Man 3'. The companys first two movies,Legend of the Wolf andBallistic Kisswhich Yen cowrote, produced, directed, and starred intanked at the box office. auditor, who is fantastic. Now, definitely. They thats actually very, very interesting, very clever question, because I do work on both. But shes so committed to her role. Why is everything so generic? Why cant he look cool and fashionable? he continued. You must not give up. . Its all like a bunch of jazz musicians, Yen says. Yes, but you have, OK money in the bank. I think the hot dog universe is the most beautiful love story going on in all the different universes. Its why he relishes every action sceneevery bump, every bruise. Jackie Chan and Sylvester Stallone have a long-running Hollywood friendship. Yes, because its all what I love about all the universes. Are Billionaires the Answer? Over the course of his very long career,kung fu star Jackie Chan has brought audiences equal amounts of thrills and laughter with his penchant for comedy-laced action movies packed full of martial arts and death-defying stunts. Thats not going to happen. Da aber Jackie Chan inzwischen fast 70 Jahre alt ist und Donnie Yen noch keine 60, gehe ich Mal davon aus das zweiteres noch agiler und strker ist. Thanks for listening. This is a very good question because you know, at that time, especially in the 80s, it was past the Shaw Brothers era where we had a lot of swordswomen who carried themselves but doing martial arts sword fighting. Over time, he learned a few tricks to soften the blows. Waymond is played by Ke Huy Quan. Are they respectful of Chinese culture? He got one of his producers to make an introduction, borrowed the money. It could have been a girl. And suddenly, it was much more like, you see? To travel more, to spend time with his family. what it did was I think it changed for a lot of our Asian talent because there were more roles that were written. Everybody, one way or the other, knows a Triad, he says. In China, Yen can play drug lords, animated monkeys, romantic leads, soldierseven sing. Donnie Yen is making his "John Wick" debut in the upcoming fourth installment as Caine, a blind assassin caught between his ties to the villainous High Table and his friendship with Keanu. He can stillgo. Yen also revealed that his character Caine didn't initially check all of his boxes until director Chad Staheleski made some changes. I think that is the superpower thats inherent in all of us. Mein Favorit von allen Film-Kung Fu Schauspielern wre aber allerdings Bruce Lee. So, you obviously made your name in Hong Kong action movies. Oh, if I was James Bond? And her husband, and father and daughter. . ", Related: Donnie Yen's Ip Man 2 Has A Secret Jet Li Connection (& It's Genius). I received a text message from Jackie because I was not well. As appetite for Asian cinema has ebbed and flowed among non-Asian audiencesthrough the 90s Chan boom, the postCrouching Tiger wuxia craze, the more recent but short-lived breakouts helmed by the likes of Tony Jaa and Iko Uwaiseven huge stars like Yen have found their opportunities limited. I cant retire, because I still have projects Im committed to, he says. RELATED: Why Jackie Chan Never Joined Stallone's Expendables Movies. I dont want to get political. Why cant he have a normal name? Theyve been here. Enjoy some creature comforts. You can see after the huge success of Crazy Rich Asians, can you imagine the weight on our shoulders at that point? The point is: He might be sore the next day, butfor now, at leasthe can still deliver. James Bond is James Bond. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, was a kung fu master and his father, Kylster Yen, a newspaper editor and amateur musician. Because the mother-daughter relationship is central to the story. Very scary. Its true. He also proposed letting his character have a sense of humor so that he could improvise jokes. Burnt. He notably turned down a role in The Expendables franchise due to how Jet Li, who played the character Yin Yang, was portrayed in the first film. I said, "Really? 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. Everything is so staged its fake, he says. Its like, even with the hot dog fingers, when you look at them, youre going, what? I dont want to. How did they get this opportunity? They think theyre serving Chinese food. Its just like youre on LSD the whole time. Yes. And you cannot be sensible and controlled when you are approaching a character like that because Evelyn Wang, to me, is a real person. And as an audience, I think thats what he does for you, is he puts you in so many places, and then he pulls the rug from under you. Theyre not serving Chinese foodbecause they never had authentic Chinese. Ho-hum. Is there any type of roles you havent played yet that you really want to do? I think that was our attitude. Right, right. And you should see, Jamie and I, we look at each other and, wahaa! It was so differentthey speak different, the culture, very different food, he says. I dont know how long that will last, he says. And he heard about it, and he says, oh, get well soon. So, they said, well, OK, if you want to try action, if it doesnt succeed, thats the easiest thing. When that camera rolls, I cango.. She was very forceful, old school, like what you see in the movies. Guillermo was a total gentleman. The film was a huge success in Hong Kong and China, and 'Ip Man' went on to find favor with audiences worldwide. The film, which starred two of China's top pop idols, told the tale of young vampire hunters with well-honed martial arts skills. I think they just announced they have a writer. It's always fun to see Chan dip his toes into new waters and re-invent his persona, and his battle with Donne Yen in Twins Effect II is an example of exactly that in a sword-clashing duel of two martial arts legends. Everyone was just out there competing, like B-boys or skate crews, to do the coolest shit possible. We were completely, completely, as a family, committed. (I told you: ageless.). But as a martial artist? When I first read it, I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Thankfully, Lin pops up for an explosive assist at the last moment that fits right in with the silliness the Shanghai movies pride themselves on. Because her husband is the one thats always trying to find happiness and silliness and joy and all those kind of thats why he puts the googly eyes, in hopes that it will make her laugh. The Rise of Gru. Oh, my god. He was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and died while the film was still in postproduction. He will be 60 this year. Donnie also received a Best Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards. And it was like its very much like dancing, if you look at it. If Bruce Lee could do it, I could do it, you know?, Movies also opened Yens eyes to martial arts styles outside of his mothers traditional forms of tai chi. Typical master. But sometimes it is the failures that make us who we are because every decision matters, and it has an impact. More than 5,000 NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee attend this year's #TwoSessions. I had a very respectful experience working on John Wick. Overall, I enjoyed making the film, he said. So, its interesting because its a posture of disappointment, in a lot of ways. Bad Movies: The 100 Worst Movies of All Time, Netflixs 100 Best Movies Right Now (March 2023), 100 Best Netflix Series To Watch Right Now (March 2023). I have so many injuries, Yen says, laughing. She cant accept that. The Last of Us Episode 7 Introduces a Close Friend From Ellie's Past, While Joel's Life . Bruce Lee vs. Jackie Chan vs. Jet Li vs. Donnie Yen. Yen previously played a blind character in another big-budget project: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The martial artist, who portrayed Chirrut mwe in the 2016 film, told GQ that he also asked for a redesign of his character after taking issue with him in early script drafts. (A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.). Anyway, Michelle, this has been a delight. 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? Do you ever think about that multiverse? This whole shot was one take, about 50 moves or something. Suddenly, shes thrust into a multiverse where she can jump between different versions of her life. Im not going to be here talking about how to change how people feel about it. 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 . Typical master. 'Ip Man' confirmed Donnie's position as China's greatest action hero, and he was immediately signed to lead a strong ensemble cast for Teddy Chen's 'Bodyguards and Assassins', produced by Peter Chan. In the early drafts of the script, Yens character, Chirrut mwe, was just the same generic martial arts warrior. trip. They chat about how films like Crazy Rich Asians have catapulted change in Hollywood, and how Yeohs career has bridged two of the biggest movie markets in the world, from the United States to China. Yen went on to lead three successful sequels featuring the likes of Sammo Hung and Mike Tyson, making the actor a household name all over the world. Why cant he have a normal name? It was old-school military, Yen says. Do I know this director, Ang Lee? Lets do it. I was able to perform like a robot., The Hong Kong studio system was a strict no bullshit environment. I gotta say, hot dog fingers might be. Today, Yen is one of China's biggest actors, the last in a dynasty of martial arts stars that runs from Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan to Jet Li. Our latest episode of Vs. might be our most epic yet as we pit the four biggest martial artists/movie stars of all time against each other in one stats-heavy battle royale: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen. I can get up in the morning and do jump kicks. Do you think its a new phase or not? But for brevitys sake, heres just one. Follow Brad on Twitter @BradCurran. When he's not writing, Brad enjoys going on a ride with the latest action hit or Netflix original, though he's also known to just pop in "The Room" from time to time. Who is the ultimate fighter? Youll be able to catch up on Sway episodes you may have missed, like my conversation with Andrew Garfield. Then, what I was watching the fight sequences, and I thought, this looks exactly like a choreographed dance piece. . But I know that once You know what, Donnie? But the Daniels have so cleverly manipulated the situations that, you know, theres always that miscommunication, which creates misunderstandings, which become like, oh my god, oh my god, this is just the train wreck waiting to happen. And Ive been in that world forever. And I think that was the biggest leap of empowerment. an old friend of Wick's who is speculated to . The actor subsequently scored big hits including Butterfly and Sword and Wing Chun, with Everything Everywhere All at Once star Michelle Yeoh.