Hong Kong motion star Donnie Yen created buzz after confirming in 2021 that he can be starring within the Hollywood blockbuster, John Wick: Chapter 4.
In a current interview with GQ journal, Yen revealed that he wasn’t initially eager on accepting the position of Caine – a blind murderer and pal of the lead protagonist – after deeming that it perpetuated Asian stereotypes.
“The identify was Shang or Chang. Why does he at all times must be known as Shang or Chang? Why cannot he have a standard identify? Why do it’s important to be so generic?” the 59-year-old mentioned, including that he additionally disapproved of Caine’s original wardrobe decisions.
“Then the wardrobe once more – oh, Mandarin collars. Why is everything so generic? This is a John Wick film. Everybody’s speculated to be cool and trendy. Why cannot he (Caine) look cool and trendy?” he lamented.
Thankfully, director Chad Stahelski listened to Yen’s considerations and agreed to make modifications to his character’s identify and look. Caine’s redesigned look, in accordance with Yen, partly pays homage to his hero, martial arts icon Bruce Lee.
Despite the circumstances, the Ip Man star reiterated that he had a “respectful expertise” engaged on set and that his criticism wasn’t simply directed solely to the John Wick creator. In truth, it was extra for instance the challenges he and different Asian actors must face even until as we speak.
This is not the primary time Yen has handled stereotypical tropes.
When he was approached by Disney to play as blind warrior Chirrut Imwe within the 2016 movie, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the actor shared that the script positioned his character as a “generic martial arts warrior”.
“One factor I identified is he was a stereotype. Typical grasp … would not smile,” Yen defined, including that it was his thought to make the character blind.
John Wick: Chapter 4 – set to launch at cinemas nationwide March 23 – is stars Keanu Reeves, Skarsgard, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada and Shamier Anderson.
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