You do whatever you want. Yes, because its all what I love about all the universes. Whats the new approach?. Yen could regale you with stories of his scrapes for hours. Jin Yongs novels are beloved in China, sprawling multivolume epics. How Michelle Yeoh Took Jackie Chans Role, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/14/opinion/sway-kara-swisher-michelle-yeoh.html, Behind the Scenes of Sway With Kara Swisher, Venture Capitalists Are Going to Turn Into Vulture Capitalists, and Other Predictions From Andrew Ross Sorkin. A lot of people might not be happy for what Im saying, but Im speaking from my own experience., Where once, Hollywoods attitude toward Chinese filmmakers might have angered him, today Yen is more accepting. Yes, I think this is a love story, in a lot of ways, between also a mother and a daughter. She was very forceful, old school, like what you see in the movies. (I told you: ageless.). She calls herself a loser. Yeah, so its a silly premise, but the heart of it is not silly. We were all Chinese, but I was outside.. Hes totally cool, and he loves martial arts movies, Yen says. In 2019, Yen was working with the director Benny Chan on a cop movie calledRaging Fire, when Chan fell ill during production. Yes, poise. So, they said, well, OK, if you want to try action, if it doesnt succeed, thats the easiest thing. Boston itself was not always welcoming. 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. More with Michelle Yeoh after the break. The emotion, the commitment, its real. Actor, Producer, Director, Writer. TAGGED AS: Action, Film, films, Martial Arts, movie, movies. Why do you have to be so generic? Im curious for your perspective on the global industry, though, because youre such an international star and actor. Jet Li Nearly Blinded Donnie Yen While Filming On Two Different Movies. When the cameras roll, the old Donnie Yen still kicks in. His journey takes him on an adventure with many allies and enemies along the way until he finally meets the last man standing in his way, Chan's Lord of Armour. And with Chuck Norris. Shes literally busy. So, the movie borrows from, obviously, martial arts movies in a very cheeky way. If there was a stunt, you did it yourself. And all these things keep coming at you. Donnie Yen appears as the film's secondary villain, Wu Chow, sent to assassinatethe Royal Familyto getChina's Imperial Seal. At the same time, he began spending his nights in Boston's notorious Combat Zone. Most of the people outside of China dont see it until they are there, Yen says. But he always kept at it. More than 5,000 NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee attend this year's #TwoSessions. Do you ever think about that multiverse? You know What? When that camera rolls, I cango.. Right now Ive gotta take three cups of double espresso, do a couple of warm-ups. Yen laughs again. Necklace, $20,300, by Cartier. Like, running and taking off my things and going, OK, now Im going on a plane, and fly straight back to China in Shanghai to be with him. Jacket, $4,700, pants, $1,650, and belt, $830, by Gucci. I did that . 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. And youll get new ones delivered directly to you. Sliced open. Sunglasses, his own. Gloves, $140, by Ernest W. Baker. 7 Hong Kong actors who made it big in Hollywood, from Jackie Chan - of course - and Donnie Yen in Star Wars and John Wick, to Reminiscence star Daniel Wu 28/10/2021 Kim accused of damaging . Six stitches again, two times, both sides close to my eyeballs. We have to learn to listen to each other and show kindness. Youre not allowed to look at the camera. You you have to try and eat healthier. He also proposed letting his character have a sense of humor so that he could improvise jokes. Although, if theres a villain in the movie, the real evil here is nihilism. And he said to me, I want to make Sense and Sensibility with martial arts. If you look at all the visual products from big Hollywood movies to TV, Apple or Netflix or whatever, all these action movies, in one way or another, are [influenced by] Hong Kong movies, Yen says. Right, right. And thats what we all do. At the time,Yen had no plans to be an actor. So, that was what she was trying to impart to her. Certain camera tricks. Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, the hardworking owner of a failing laundromat whos too busy to tend to the little but important things in life. Right, which the daughter is doing. Yen might be approaching 60, but in person he looks a decade younger: lean and muscular, radiant skin, Wite-Out smile. And so, I thought, there was a lot of pressure to make sure they took you seriously. 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. 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. Everything is so staged its fake, he says. 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. And it could be rough and tough. Before he accepts a role, hell ask questions, like, Is the role generic? Will ringmaster Mark Ellis give the W to the Drunken Master, the true Hero,Ip Man himself, or the mother-bleeping Dragon himself? Born in China, Yen moved with his family to Boston, where his mother, a tai-chi . Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen recently recalled two different occasions when legendary martial arts actor Jet Li nearly blinded him. So, its interesting because its a posture of disappointment, in a lot of ways. So, that was that kind of physical comedy that I had not done before. One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. But thats another discussion. John Wick: Chapter 4 is set for release on March 24. (Given that series treatment of Jet Liwhose character is called, and Im not joking, Yin Yangyou can imagine why.) Joe Origins, starring. A father and daughter, husband and wife. The 2000s saw Yen transition to Hollywood with appearances in Blade II as Snowman and Shanghai Knights opposite Jackie Chan. Then the wardrobe againoh, mandarin collars. And they're quite heavy. But beneath the silliness is a universal story of love and belonging and family. Its okayIm going to shoot you from one side. Yen laughs. When I first read it, I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. . Kicked. When Yen was two years old, he and his father, a newspaper editor, moved to Hong Kong. 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. Yen and fellow martial arts legend Jet Li go at it with bamboo poles, literally bringing down the building around them. 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. Today we talk about injusticeI mean, back in the days, you cant imagine. Ho-hum. And the women became the damsel in distress. Wire work. Star and director subsequently teamed to create the comic book inspired fantasy actioner 'Dragon Tiger Gate' and the gritty police thriller 'Flashpoint', in which Donnie created what fans feel is the definitive on-screen MMA action scene. Donnie, can you come in and shoot a close-up? This is aJohn Wick movie. One question that had always bugged him, for example: Why doesnt anybody miss? When Evelyn Wang walks, she is slightly bent over and slightly humped on the side because thats the years of hard work that has created this posture. Blood sprays like a horror movie. An ambulance came; Yen received six stitches. These days, Yen is more selective with the Hollywood movies that he takes on. As one of the few Cantonese students, the mainland was a different world. All rights reserved. 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. V3.1. And suddenly, it was much more like, you see? Brandon Louis is a TV/Movie news writer. But hes never forgotten it. And in fact, he knows all he has to do is call. 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. More from NextShark: 'Chinese people are the worst': 'Genshin Impact' streamer under fire after racist tirade during stream. And Evelyn, who is I think it was the funniest when Evelyn realizes, what do you mean Im the worst failure of Evelyn Wang in all the universes? The film was shot primarily at the famed Elstree Studios in England.Donnie had a role opposite Vin Diesel and his fellow Asian action star, Tony Jaa, in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), which filmed in Toronto, Canada.Now firmly established as a leading player across the globe, Donnie Yen continues to present a unique blend of Eastern experience and Western innovation, of musical grace with martial impact, from Hong Kong to a galaxy far, far away.Donnie is one of the leading martial arts choreographers in the world of action cinema. The film was a huge success in Hong Kong and China, and 'Ip Man' went on to find favor with audiences worldwide. I cant do stage. Its hard to do, Yen says. But he feels it in his body, that he is not quite as quick as he once was. At the same time, Donnie was influenced by his parents' love of music and reached a high level of proficiency as a pianist. But not Yen. It was Yen who suggested making the character blind, and gave him a sense of humor, improvising jokes on the setand, in turn, turning an otherwise straight clich into the soul of the movie. 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. Typical master. We literally spent the entire day coming up with moves, and then Yuen Woo-ping would say, Not cool enough. The entire day, without coming up with one shot., Those early films with Yuen provided Yen with a crash course in the art of making action movies. Who is the ultimate fighter? That mahjong scene was something else. Everybodys supposed to be cool and fashionable. Meanwhile, Yen continued to produce quality martial arts films in Hong Kong, creating an international hit as the titular kung fu master in Ip Man. All these interests would have a manifest influence on Yen's later life.In his teens, Donnie defined his own persona by rebelling against his parents edicts. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. I think, for me, no. Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? 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. They are meant to be respectful. And to invest both his money and his one more valuable resource than moneytimein projects that he loves, likeakra. 'Seven Swords' premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and proved a hit with worldwide audiences. He whacked me on one side and 10 years later, he whacked me on the other side. You never walk away from someone in need. My arms and legs are going in directions that I couldnt even fathom that could happen. Its like, even with the hot dog fingers, when you look at them, youre going, what? Answer (1 of 2): Even if you equalized their ages, my vote would go to Donnie Yen because he is a competent grappler with a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a 2nd dan in judo and has trained some in MMA. I had a very respectful experience working on John Wick. Overall, I enjoyed making the film, he said. And this is like five genres of film mixed into one bagel. Sometimes a little intimidating and scary. And I think that was one of the light switches that came on. Did you have a favorite multiverse? (SINGING) When you walk in a room, do you have sway? Here in America, you are taught you have to be self-sufficient. 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. A huge hit for Emperor, the film earned Yen his first Best Action Director prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Yuen Woo-ping, Yen says, was trying to make another Jackie Chan. Yen was heading back from Beijing to Boston to see his family but arranged to stop off in Hong Kong to audition. One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. I Thought Mentalphysics Was New-Age Nonsense. Not to give away, but theyre very tender in your hot dog universe. After 20 or 50 moves, he keeps missing, Yen says. So, I wanted to talk to Yeoh about how she tapped into the emotional core of the story, and how this film might signal a shift in the Hollywood zeitgeist. His characters deploy mixed martial arts. I dont want to. Donnie Yen really said no Mandarin Collars, but blind Martial Arts expert is okay. The next day, the director called. I think what the strong core of the message, apart from the very familial connections, is that no matter how tragic or how despair or frustrated you are, its you cannot give up. In 2016, he starred in Netflix's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny opposite Harry Shum Jr. and Michelle Yeoh. 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. The film won Donnie his third Best Action Choreography prize at the Hong Kong Film Awards, as well as a prize for Best Action in a Foreign Language Film at the Taurus Awards.Yen explored different styles of screen combat when he choreographed the stunning kung fu fights for the period actioners 'Legend of the Fist' and 'The Lost Bladesman', the fantasy combat for 'The Monkey King' and the time travel adventure 'Iceman Cometh 3D'.Many fans feel that Yen delivered his best choreographic work to date in Peter Chan's masterful 'Wu Xia', released in the US as 'Dragon'. 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. I never say no to him. And with Chuck Norris. One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. Are they respectful of Chinese culture? I dont want to get political. Today, he says, he sees a big difference in the way he and other Asian actors are treated in Hollywood. Li solidified himself as an icon in the genre with his historical fiction epic Once Upon a Time in China as folk hero Wong Fei-hung. Right, because she finds that ridiculous. 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. Beau Deirdre I can never say her name. Right? Donnie Yen confirms Ip Man 4 will be his final kung fu film As a former student of the wing chun grandmaster, Lee also features in Ip Man 4, this time played by Hong Kong actor Danny Chan -. I dont want to do that again. If there's one thing Donnie Yen is going to do, it is to call out stereotypes when he sees it. We will see. Besides his on-screen performance, Donnie was also called on to choreograph the dynamic duel between himself and MMA champion Cung Le. 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. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, was a kung fu master and his father, Kylster Yen, a newspaper editor and amateur musician. It's all here Why cant he have a normal name? Anyone can read what you share. And Jamie Lee Curtis plays Deirdre, the I.R.S. And you cannot be sensible and controlled when you are approaching a character like that because Evelyn Wang, to me, is a real person. "The name was Shang or Chang. I was doing the press for Tomorrow Never Dies. They said, oh, you know this director, Ang Lee? Its just like youre on LSD the whole time. Guillermo was a total gentleman. Youre a super heroine, and in no time you will be back on your feet again. You can be auto-tuned. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Rise of Gru. Oh, my god. Donnie Yen. So, I said, I would love to be able to try I think at that point in that period, the glory years of Hong Kong cinema, it was comedies and action movies that were the best sellers. No, no, no, no. More recently, he passed on a role in DCsAquaman in order to spend time with his family. Often, the typecasting isnt even conscious. Are Billionaires the Answer? 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. So, what is it you really, really want? Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, China. . Heaven or hell, or whatever. Its not just the age thing. Even with the Crazy Rich Asians one, we sort of diverted from the original book. Well, there might be. So, yes, we became better known in America, like Chow Yun-Fat. Donnie Yen is a martial-arts master and one of the top leading men in the new style of Hong Kong action cinema. Picking up in 1887, Shanghai Knights sees Chan's Chon Wang, now Sheriff of Carson City, Nevada, on a mission in London to avenge his father's murder and stop a Royal assassination plot. But the only problem is I cant sing. Come on. I kid you not, it was spilling like shower spray. The movie, which premiered at the London Film Festival, paid tribute to the great history of Hong Kong martial arts cinema.During the shooting of his ambitious, time travel themed action fantasy 'Iceman 3D', Yen was approached to revitalize the greatest brand in the history of Chinese martial arts cinema. 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'. Lets have a woman whos comparable to James Bond. And the mother is trying to convince her otherwise. He was eventually forced to borrow money from loan sharks. Then It Changed My Life. And one of the things that was interesting to me is Ive never seen you in something so silly, which is, I think fantastic. Because Master Yuen Woo-Ping is like my mentor, my guru. 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. His skills behind the camera began developing from his early days in the industry, and he was very much involved with the action choreography of his films for D&B Films. Then cameIp Man, the semifictionalized 2008 film about the eponymous wing chun master (who was Bruce Lees mentor), which launched a four-film franchise and, in China at least, an entire genre ofIp Man derivatives. And the rhythmbop-bop-bop-bopis perfectly timed. So what happened was there was a shot where Jet Li was wired up and we both have these poles, these bamboo poles about this thick. The world class creative team gathered by producer Harvey Weinstein included legendary kung fu film director Yuen Woo-ping, acclaimed directors Peter Berg and Morten Tyldum (as producers), 'X-Men' series DP Tom Sigel as well as the Oscar-winning production, costume and FX designers from the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' film series.The film debuted in most international territories as a Netflix Original movie, making it the most widely seen wu xia of all time. But she never gives up trying, even though her business is failing. Previous adaptations have had mixed receptions. 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. Her face is still Evelyn Wang going, what the heck is going on? [You can listen to this episode of Sway on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.]. Chinese movies, Hollywood movies, his other business pursuits, including a line of sunglassesthe phone rarely stops ringing. 04 Mar 2023 03:42:41 They thats actually very, very interesting, very clever question, because I do work on both. They grapple and fight dirty. The schoolwhich, as well as producing national champions, holds Harlem Globetrottersstyle tours across the countryhas cranked out a number of elite martial artists and movie stars; among Yens contemporaries was Jet Li. Or you have a family. I have so many injuries, Yen says, laughing. Ich denke eine direkte Antwort kann man darauf nicht geben. This whole shot was one take, about 50 moves or something. Yen was born in Guangzhou, on the Chinese mainland. At that point, it was like, nothing will faze you. Why cant he look cool and fashionable? With Yens influence, the director Chad Stahelski agreed to change the name and the wardrobe. Im hanging out with Benny, next thing you know hes gone. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Because I was running from Singapore, and then take the flight literally ran out of the set. Because when I was making Crazy Rich Asians, I was doing a Chinese movie at the same time for Master Yuen Woo-Ping. 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. I think if you dont have a big beating heart, its so easy to just say, well, youre already a grown-up. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. While the more familiar faces of Jackie Chan and Jet Li are household names in America, the 48-year-old Yen still needs one real chance to show his stuff with a significant part in a Hollywood-produced blockbuster to add his name to the list. Who is the ultimate fighter? Suddenly, shes thrust into a multiverse where she can jump between different versions of her life. I would suspect she was, Im guessing. Oh, I was a Chinese opera singer. But your face has to register, its like, why, do what, how, you know. He started hanging out at other gyms around Boston. Ive been through it all. Donnie starred opposite screen legend Chow Yun-fat in the film, which smashed box office records in Mainland China.Showing his versatility, Yen went on to play a kung fu master facing challenges in the modern era in director Teddy Chen's 'Kung Fu Jungle'. But that was also very, very important that we focus very much on the love between the mother and the son. In Hong Kong I spent two weeks shooting this stuff!I think its a lack of respect, and a level of not understanding, not appreciating what we do.. All rights reserved. Fortunately, every time I go to set, the whole Donnie Yen act just kicks in, he says. In this movie, you were a singer. We release every Monday and Thursday. These kinds of opportunities occasionally come up: You want to be in this? It doesnt mean anything, he says. 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. 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. He said, hes wondering if, you know, you have time to have a quick cup of tea with him. Jackie Chan's 20-Year Quest to Share the Screen With Lifelong Friend Jet Li Finally Came to Fruition After Legal Barriers . With Chon being the kind of underdog that Chan usually embodiesin stunt-heavy action comedies such asPolice Story, Wu Chow proves to be a much stronger opponent than he's ever previously faced (despite his proclivity for jump-spinning kicks and tiger claw strikes). He whacked me right on my eyebrow, right? I gotta say, hot dog fingers might be. Its not like a Marvel universe where you can understand and you find it relatable. 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. I could have been blind. Ive got to perform. The film premiered to great acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received a North American theatrical release from The Weinstein Company.Donnie Yen played 'The Monkey King' in a hit reimagining of the Chinese classic. Though Chan isn't performing stunts by diving headfirst off of buildings as much these days, and Yen's Ip Manmovie days have concluded, the pair have left a legacy as action stars and martial artists worldwide, meaningfans of both Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen would be remiss to miss out on both times they've faced off. Its these floppy things. Yuenknown in Hollywood for his choreography on films such asCrouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon;The Matrix; andKill Billhad helped to revive Jackie Chans career, directing the cult classicsDrunken Master andSnake in the Eagles Shadow. She is the way she is. 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. Whereas a younger Yen was once hungry to prove himself, he is no longer excited by offers from Hollywood. They make these [MINION VOICES]. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. We were completely, completely, as a family, committed.

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