- Title: CHINA: Kung fu stars Jet Li and Jackie Chan promote their new film in Beijing
- Date: 17th April 2008
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (APRIL 15, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ACTORS JET LI AND JACKIE CHAN ON PODIUM, POSING FOR PHOTOS CAMERAMEN LI AND CHAN SEATED ON PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ACTOR JACKIE CHAN SAYING: "This is to show our Chinese culture, introduce it to the United States and Europe. But on the whole, the world, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, should share film-making. Making movies would allow us to better understand each other and promote peace, not war." CHAN AND LI ON PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ACTOR JACKIE CHAN SAYING: "The best way to promote peace, is the Olympics. In sports there are no cultural boundaries, it's just sport. Running is just running. The only means for peace is the Olympics. CAST MEMBERS (FROM LEFT) ACTRESS LIU YIFEI, JET LI, DIRECTOR ROB MINKOFF AND CHOREOGRAPHER YUEN WOO-PING ON PODIUM / SITTING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR ROB MINKOFF SAYING: "It's a big honour for me but it shows how much things have changed in the world and how, in a way, things are pointing towards a future of collaboration and co-operation, which I think hopefully this movie represents to people, that it's possible for an American director to work with great, great Chinese talent." VARIOUS OF 'FORBIDDEN KINGDOM' MOVIE POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ACTOR JET LI SAYING: "A kung fu movie is a bit like playing ping pong. If you have been making movies for a long time, the game is fast-paced, if you're not professional, you play simple and slow. Fighting with brother Chan was fast, we hit the ball like "pa pa pa pa". He played so fast and close to the table so I, too, had to raise my game. He'd tell me to slow down but I said 'you're too fast, I can't slow down. If you slow down, then I slow down.' So we tried to slow down a bit, both of us." (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ACTOR JACKIE CHAN SAYING: "Yes, everytime choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping would tell us both to slow down." REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 2nd May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA6TOHPC9AAJSIWP33ES7O3QKG7
- Story Text: Chinese kung fu stars Jet Li and Jackie Chan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday (April 15) ahead of the world premiere of their new film 'The Forbidden Kingdom'.
The martial arts actors spoke to the press at the city's landmark Beijing Hotel ahead of what has been described "the most spectacular red carpet event in Beijing" on Wednesday (April 16) evening.
'The Forbidden Kingdom' marks the first collaboration between Li and Chan. But while the duo was eager to share stories from the film set and sing each other's praises, they could not ignore the recent events in China and disruptions to the international leg of the Olympic torch relay.
As a goodwill envoy for the Beijing Olympics, Chan has devoted himself this year to promoting the Games, and has taken part in activities including the recording of an Olympics countdown song.
He has also appeared in prominent Olympics-themed commercials for credit card giant Visa, alongside Chinese basketball star Yao Ming.
Chan told reporters movies like 'The Forbidden Kingdom', a U.S.- China collaboration, would help in creating more understanding between different cultures.
"This is to show our Chinese culture, introduce it to the United States and Europe. But on the whole, the world, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, should share film-making. Making movies would allow us to better understand each other and promote peace, not war," he said.
A dedicated Olympics promoter, he said the August Games would be the best way to a peaceful international society.
"The best way to promote peace, is the Olympics. In sports there are no cultural boundaries, it's just sport. Running is just running. The only means for peace is the Olympics," Chan said.
'The Forbidden Kingdom' is based on the Chinese legend of The Monkey King, a character from the ancient novel "Journey to the West".
It tells a story of a kung fu-obsessed young American, Jason (Michael Angarano), who travels through time and space to ancient China after getting a magic stick in a pawn shop in Chinatown.
Jason is destined to return the magic stick and salvage the Monkey King, who is imprisoned in Wuxing Mountain. On the road to the mountain, he is escorted by the Silent Monk (acted by Jet Li) and Lu Yan (acted by Jackie Chan) and experiences harsh attacks from an evil force.
The film is directed by Rob Minkoff, known for animation films such as 'The Lion King' and 'Stuart Little'.
The director, a long-time Sinophile, said making the movie in China had been an honour and said it proved the world had changed.
"It's a big honour for me but it shows how much things have changed in the world and how, in a way, things are pointing towards a future of collaboration and co-operation, which I think hopefully this movie represents to people, that it's possible for an American director to work with great, great Chinese talent," said Minkoff.
Li and Chan first met in Hong Kong in mid 1980s and planned to act together in a film ever since, Li said.
The actor, likening martial arts movie-making to table tennis, said that despite this being their first feature film together, he and Chan had been almost too fast when it came to filming the action scenes.
"A kung fu movie is a bit like playing ping pong. If you have been making movies for a long time, the game is fast-paced, if you're not professional, you play simple and slow. Fighting with brother Chan was fast, we hit the ball like "pa pa pa pa". He played so fast and close to the table so I, too, had to raise my game. He'd tell me to slow down but I said 'you're too fast, I can't slow down. If you slow down, then I slow down.' So we tried to slow down a bit, both of us," he said.
Jet Li, born Li Lianjie in Beijing, started practising martial arts at the age of eight.
Li won several national championships as a teenager before gaining instant fame for his role in the 1982 China-made movie Shaolin Temple. His career in Hollywood kicked off in 1998 when he played a villain in the film Lethal Weapon 4.
He is now the highest paid Chinese actor in Hollywood.
Jackie Chan is arguably the most famous Chinese kung fu movie actor, famous for his comedy-style kung fu fighting. Starting his career in the early 1970s, he has acted in over 100 films.
'The Forbidden Kingdom' receives its world premiere in Beijing's Chaoyang Park on Wednesday evening. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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