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" When audiences look at an action actor like myself, sometimes we are very easily stereotyped or characterized as one type. They forget that we are actors, too. "
Donnie Yen
Action
Sometimes
Myself
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" A period film, where you, for example, where you have a traditional wardrobes, you are bound to act a certain way. But in a modern film, a lot of body gesture. "
Donnie Yen
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Modern
" Still, as much as I wish Ballistic Kiss could be a better film, the recognition it gained from critics and at festivals speaks for itself. "
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" My action follows my characters. If a character is a cop, you cannot be posing all the time, you cannot fly off the roof because it doesn't make any sense - it's not practical. "
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Fly
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" It's a blessing to be given a variety of roles to what I call an iconic action actor like myself. "
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Like
Myself
Blessing
" I just like to choose projects that will allow me as an artist to make my art. "
Donnie Yen
Like
Art
Artist
" I spent a couple of years doing American films. I did a few. "
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Years
Doing
" I gained a lot of confidence after 'IP Man' as being a true actor. I went on to tackle what it is an actor is supposed to do before a film. Do a lot of research, get into the character. That's what I did with 'Dragon.' "
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Man
Research
Confidence
" Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong. There's a lot of restriction for contemporary films simply because of subject matter. "
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Matter
More
Up
" I've always been in a rebel. "
Donnie Yen
Rebel
Been
Always
" I think action movies bring more excitement than tears, but I always want to take it to another level. I mean, I think if one appreciates anything in life to a certain degree, it could possibly bring tears to your eyes. "
Donnie Yen
Tears
Think
Movies
" Better to be called something positive and inspirational than something negative. "
Donnie Yen
Negative
Positive
Than
" I love working with older actors because number one, I can learn so much from them because they have so much experience. And it's fun to hear their stories from their era, some of the jokes. "
Donnie Yen
Fun
Love
Learn
" I certainly hope 'Dragon' can leave some legacy behind. "
Donnie Yen
Dragon
Hope
Leave
" From my experience as an actor, choreographer, action director, and producer, I understand the elements and the dynamics of being a film maker. "
Donnie Yen
Director
Experience
Action
" I did a couple comedies to balance myself as an actor and balance how audiences see Donnie Yen as an actor, and I would even say as a celebrity or icon, to some fans. I want to show that I'm not Terminator. "
Donnie Yen
Balance
See
Want
" There is also a strong following among the urbanites on the East Coast when it comes to martial arts films. "
Donnie Yen
Strong
Arts
East Coast
" I like to stay within the context of the character's background. If he's a cop, I have to make sure the audience is convinced that this person, a cop, can do only so much without a gun. "
Donnie Yen
Audience
Character
Like
" My mum lives in Boston; she's famous for teaching wushu and t'ai chi. So from when I was young, my mum and aunt were like: 'You're training; you're not playing baseball or football.' Training every day was normal. Later, when I was almost a teenager, Bruce Lee became my idol. "
Donnie Yen
Day
Baseball
Football
" I always tell younger filmmakers, it's not just about the acting or the art itself. It's about how big of an audience watches your film. "
Donnie Yen
Acting
Audience
Watches
" When you direct a movie, you're basically looking at a story, the way you want to look at it. You bring that director's vision, and I'm totally open for that. "
Donnie Yen
Want
Vision
Story
" There's a lot of thinking when you choreograph something. You're not just choreographing some bodies, arms, legs flying around to look cool. It's a lot more complicated and sophisticated. You also have to deal with the connection of the whole film, so when I choreograph, I think of the movement itself, the camera angles, the characters. "
Donnie Yen
Camera
Thinking
Cool
" In Hollywood, I'm lucky, I only do big movies like 'Blade.' It's much more comfortable: you have a trailer. "
Donnie Yen
Hollywood
Big
Lucky
" Like any other actor, I draw on life experience. "
Donnie Yen
Actor
Other
Like
" An action choreographer is kind of like a dance choreographer. You choreograph the moves and you let the director, cinematographer take into positioning their cameras. "
Donnie Yen
You
Like
Kind
" For years, I looked to Bruce Lee as a mentor as being a Chinese and Asian man living in this country. "
Donnie Yen
Country
Living
Man
" I got nominated for my second film as best young director in the Aikido Film Festival in Japan. "
Donnie Yen
Best
Film
Got
" There are two types of Chinese growing up in America. One is the kind that does really well in school, with thick, thick glasses. And the other is involved with the gangs. "
Donnie Yen
Growing Up
Up
School
" I'm a very emotional guy. "
Donnie Yen
Guy
Very
Emotional
" I try to update my arsenal constantly. Learning different martial arts since childhood. To understand what's out there. To really be in tune. "
Donnie Yen
Learning
Understand
Try
" Doing a movie is a stressful thing. You spend months of you life focusing into that one project, and I want to make sure I do something I really like or I'm really passionate about. "
Donnie Yen
Like
Passionate
Want