I think that is the superpower thats inherent in all of us. She knows these kind of women, and their jobs, and the responsibility of that job, and how it can really turn so many lives upside down. 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. I had a very respectful experience working on John Wick. Overall, I enjoyed making the film, he said. Youre not allowed to ask questions. Jin Yongs novels are beloved in China, sprawling multivolume epics. And I back up, Jet said, "Donnie, there's blood spilling out of your face." They are meant to be respectful. And blood was spilling. Her latest role is no exception she took on a part that was originally written for the actor Jackie Chan. This article was first published in Geek Culture. But you might never have. 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). It was old-school military, Yen says. I cant do stage. Is that correct? 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. More from NextShark: Curtis Waters is more than a TikTok gimmick: 'There's so much amazing sh*t that I have yet to do'. The Planet Is Burning. Why would you want me to do that? Ho-hum. The name was Shang or Chang, the Ip Man star said. So theres so much this film, and I really urge everyone to see it because its a very different film than most films that are out there, even though its an action film. You said Matrix on LSD. I mean, hes 60 years, a legacy thats been so nurtured and protected and well thought out. Shes one hell of a determined woman, even though she fails at so many things. I think, for me, no. Typical master. We have to give each other the space and be who they are, and accept them. What Id do is Id use a cotton ball and put it between my back teeth, so they [didnt] knock my teeth out., Today, Yen is one of Chinas biggest actors, the last in a dynasty of martial arts stars that runs from Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan to Jet Li. Why cant he have a normal name? At the time, Hong Kong cinemaas personified by Jackie Chanwas producing the most electrifying action movies in the world. Have you been in animation? Its more to illustrate what he has faced his whole career, and what he and other Asian actors are up against, even now. David Axelrod, Sarah Longwell and Preet Bharara on What to Look For in the Jan. 6 Hearings, The Elon That Were Seeing Today Is Not the Same One We Saw a Couple Years Ago, David Ellison on Top Gun: Maverick, Working With Tom Cruise and Hiring John Lasseter. This is the first time youre seeing an older Asian immigrant woman being the superhero, having the opportunity to demonstrate these kind of martial arts skills. Donnie Yen Vs Jackie Chan: Who Would Win? - Grunge.com 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. 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. As an outspoken person, I always questioned, Yen says. Its about are you going to be able to take in and accept and embrace all these new rules that you cannot put yourself first. And Jamie Lee Curtis plays Deirdre, the I.R.S. You almost get sort of boxed and wrapped up in this beautiful thats what Michelle Yeoh represents, elegance and beauty, and refined and dignified. Whats it like straddling two different film markets, the U.S. and China? One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. And one of the great things about cinema, he says, is how unifying it can betranscending barriers of both language and culture. 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. Yens character, an assassin called Caine, originally went by another name. 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. Much like other beloved Chinese actors before him, like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and the late Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen has found Hollywood fame after becoming a big star in Hong Kong action movies. an old friend of Wick's who is speculated to . Im very blessed that I still have a lot of speed, explosiveness, power, he says. Donnie Yen (Creator) - TV Tropes More News. Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News. When Yen was 10, the family was reunited and moved to Boston, where his father had landed a posting as an editor for a Chinese newspaper. The reception forShanghai Knightsclearly showed that it had outdone Shanghai Noon's blend of Wild West action and anachronistic comedy, but not enough credit is given to Wu Chow's defeat being of the funniest moments of either movie. Crouching Tiger. Ive worked four or five movies with him already. I've already done Jackie Chan's best fights and Jet Li's best fights, so with the domestic release of Dragon (), it's time to look at the best fights from the current king of Hong Kong action movies, Donnie Yen.. 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 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. She calls herself a loser. Nothing matters, and therefore be free, or nothing matters, and therefore give up. So, yes, we became better known in America, like Chow Yun-Fat. Guillermo was a total gentleman. You you have to try and eat healthier. My mom and I were separated for eight years, Yen says. I was wondering, when you were doing that, were you held to a different standard than the men? They never mention the true side of it. Brad also offers philosophical musings on martial arts and the filmographies of everyone from Jackie Chan to Donnie Yen on Kung Fu Kingdom, where he's also had the privilege of interviewing many of the world's great stunt professionals, and hearing plenty of gripping stories on injuries incurred in their line of work and the intricacies of designing the acts of death defiance he first thrilled to as a youngster. From the Triads! Yen says with a grin, relishing the story. 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. Donnie Yen was born in Guangzhou, China. Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? 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. Its okayIm going to shoot you from one side. Yen laughs. And in fact, he knows all he has to do is call. Yeah, its a good idea. We have to learn to listen to each other and show kindness. 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. 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. It was likeKill Bill. Anyway: [Li] hurt himself. So that was what the Daniels were trying to they came up to me and said, no, no, no, no. . That mahjong scene was something else. There was a move where he spun around 360 degrees, he swings at me and I block it. Theyve been part of this community forever. Donnie Yen. I dont want to get political. So, I remember when I first said because I dont read Chinese. Its these floppy things. Right? Even with the Crazy Rich Asians one, we sort of diverted from the original book. Actors including Jackie Chan, Rogue One's Donnie Yen and Transformers star Li . Donnie Yen, born in 1963, is one of the present masters of the martial arts action film, according to Black Belt Magazine, and Jackie Chan, born in 1954, per Biography, has been acting in several movie genres since he was eight, including musicals. 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. More than 5,000 NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee attend this year's #TwoSessions. Brandon Louis is a TV/Movie news writer. But I think its Barbara Broccoli, Michael Wilson, the producers who realize, its like, yes, lets do something different. Its a stylish affair, beautifully shot. And he was going to be the principal. Stephanie Hsu plays this role. And theres more. Donnie Yen: Movies, TV, and Bio - amazon.com So, they said, well, OK, if you want to try action, if it doesnt succeed, thats the easiest thing. The Rise of Gru. Oh, my god. And thats what we all do. And I said, aw, poor you. You always put the family first. He went, "Boop!" But shes so committed to her role. Right now hes editing the final cut of his new film akra, a lush adaptation of the novelDemi-Gods and Semi-Devils,by the bestselling wuxia author Jin Yong. Why do you have to be so generic? 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). 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.Tsui Hark went on to produce a remake of King Hu's classic 'New Dragon Inn', which provided another showcase role for Donnie as the film's apparently invincible villain.Donnie was reunited with director Yuen Woo-ping for 'Iron Monkey', a film which brought Yen's acting and action skills both into focus. 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. 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. When Yen was 16, his parents arranged to send him to train with the famed Beijing Wushu Team, in China. Im like, I worship the ground he walks on. Hong Kong martial arts cinema, starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny' was shot primarily on location in New Zealand, with Yen in the lead role. Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen recently recalled two different occasions when legendary martial arts actor Jet Li nearly blinded him. They thats actually very, very interesting, very clever question, because I do work on both. Which your character was against that, was against Constances character. Its like, even with the marriage with the husband of so many years. That was the old Hong Kong way. As Yen grew in confidence, he and Yuen would regularly fall out. Its very, very limited. I think if you dont have a big beating heart, its so easy to just say, well, youre already a grown-up. And Im like, I would bend backwards to talk to him. More: John Wick 4 - Why Donnie Yen Is More Important Than You Think. Now, although these are prop swords, they are still quite pointy. They are not in my life. Boston itself was not always welcoming. 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 . John Wick 4's Donnie Yen Shares Experiences Dealing With Asian 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. Think about it. I was doing the press for Tomorrow Never Dies. They said, oh, you know this director, Ang Lee? 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. Theres a lot of failure along the line. [You can listen to this episode of Sway on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.]. Donnie Yen - Wikipedia He grew up absorbing every book, movie, TV show that he could get his eyes on. Oh, I was a Chinese opera singer. Every Jackie Chan Vs Donnie Yen Fight Scene - screenrant.com According to Today, the two are actually very good friends, and even fought each other in 2008's Forbidden Kingdom, where Li's stock "serene monk" character faced off against a version of Chan's famous drunken master archetype in a battle of moves so intense that the director actually asked them . Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? We will see. Donnie Yen: The Biggest Action Star Mainstream American - HuffPost You can see after the huge success of Crazy Rich Asians, can you imagine the weight on our shoulders at that point? The emotion, the commitment, its real. The women became the character that needs to be provided for and protected and all those kind of things. But beneath the silliness is a universal story of love and belonging and family. Hong Kong action superstar Donnie Yen Ji-dan is revered globally for his martial arts prowess in films such as the Ip Man series and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . (A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.). 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'. When I didBlade II I had a horrible time, man. Right? 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. At the time,Yen had no plans to be an actor. Donnie Yen has also been in the business since the mid-'80s, but didn't truly break until the mid-2000s when he infusedMMA into Hong Kong action movies through Sha Po Lang and Flash Point. And the women became the damsel in distress. This whole shot was one take, about 50 moves or something. When they came to me, they said, they want you to be a Minion. Its about whats happening in our society. You can be auto-tuned. Yen was eventually able to pay off the debt. We came into this life naked. 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. And so, I thought, there was a lot of pressure to make sure they took you seriously. People who continue to keep thinking and to go forward no matter what the negativity or setback., Yen was upbeat. Typical master. Maybe now it can happen. Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, the hardworking owner of a failing laundromat whos too busy to tend to the little but important things in life. Youre right. In t. You went on to star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000, which was a mega-hit globally. 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. The film was a huge success in Hong Kong and China, and 'Ip Man' went on to find favor with audiences worldwide. A dildo? How much do you know about Donnie Yen, star of the Ip Man series? Its a major project for Yen. On an Apple device? I cannot do stage. You cant do that anymoreIll hang it up., Oliver Franklin-Wallis is the features editor atBritish GQ, A version of this story originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of GQ with the title Hong Kongs Ageless Action Hero, PRODUCTION CREDITS:Photographs by Puzzleman LeungStyled by Jacky TamHair by Little WhiteSkin by Kenji NgTailoring by Mrs. LamProduced by Jolene Lin, Apply Bed Bath and Beyond Coupon and save 25% Off your entire purchase, Target Circle: up to 50% Off with Target promo code, Save 25% on your purchase of Spring Styles with Asos Coupon, Michael Kors Promo Code: sign up for KORSVIP + Get 10% Off on First Order, 2023 Cond Nast. But my own experience, like, I was there, I have many friends who were there. Jackie Chan And Donnie Yen With Jet Li | Facebook So but although she is the loser, right? But the stunt double couldnt hit the mark. Yen also used the lighter side of his screen persona to good effect in two installments of the hit Hong Kong comedy movie series 'Alls Well Ends Well'.Yen was cast opposite Tang Wei and Takeshi Kaneshiro in director Peter Chan's 'Wu Xia' (aka 'Dragon'), a dark, elegant period martial arts murder mystery.