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28 Oct 2002Jet Li: Interview 1 - Romeo Must Die (BBC Online - 2000)
I'm a
big fan of yours. Tell me about Han, the part you play in "Romeo Must Diei"?
He's a cop in Hong Kong, for some reason he helped his family then he made a
mistake. So later he heard about his younger brother who had died in the States
so he broke out of jail and he flew over to the States to find the truth. Who
killed my younger brother? Then by accident he met Trish, played by Aaliyah.
They both find that they love their brothers, they try to figure out who's the
real killer and they have a little bit romantic feeling, fall in love, then they
find the truth.
You were talking about the scene were Han breaks out of jail, that's an
incredible sequence. How long did that take to shoot?
Oh that's the most difficult thing to make in "Romeo Must Die" because we have
two days schedule and finally we shot five days.
So you had five days hanging upside down?
Yes, 12 hours a day. I get a headache and after 50 minutes you gotta shout stop
and the face turn red. It's quite tough, I never hang upside down for a fight
that long in 25 movies in Hong Kong.
Why are Western cinema goers getting excited about Asian movies and Hong
Kong movies in particular?
I think a few reasons. One is movies always go in circles. Maybe ten years later
one kind of movie is very popular. Recently Hong Kong action movies very popular
in the States. Also in this generation a lot of people when they was young,
played again, again "Streetfighter". I think Jackie Chan and I, because we learn
martial art first, we become actor, it's quite different from Hollywood actor.
There, actor first, then they learn Kung Fu or martial art or whatever, it's
different.
I've noticed that in the two big successes that Jackie Chan has had, they
paired him up with a comedian, an American guy. But you are kinda taking a
different route, more the action role on your own, especially in "Romeo Must
Die". Have they tried to pair you up with anyone?
I think Jackie and I have a different style. He's the comedian, he's stunts,
physical, he is a very good actor for one kind of movie, action style. My style
is a little bit different, more traditional Chinese martial arts and serious
character. Now a lot of romance. So quite different. I think the audience know
what the differences between Jackie and I are. We are close friends.