Why Donnie Yen hasn't been given a better break in Hollywood is still a mystery to me.. I think he would be great in a Kiss Of The Dragon kind of film.. He definitely deserves more recognition!!
shareI'm happy Donnie is sticking to Hong Kong instead of being stuck with so many mediocre projects like Hollywood tends to attach Asian actors who have more talent than they give them credit for, like Jet Li and Chow Yun-Fat.
2014: The Year of Godzilla
Donnie wrote a memoir for the Chinese market where he observed: "In the early days of my career in Hollywood, I felt pretty good. Foreigners actually knew me and could even call me by my name. I often heard the phrase "I saw all of your films!" which showed a certain degree of appreciation and respect for me. During the few years of development in Hollywood, I realized that it was not easy for the Chinese to make the movies and roles they wanted to play in the United States. The economic lifeline of Hollywood is overwhelmingly controlled by the Jews. The Chinese are as small as chess pieces, so it is difficult for them to play their part."
An example given in his 2010 book: "I remember that I was originally approached to play the villain in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, but I rejected it after reading the script. The reason is that as a Chinese, I have an inexplicable sense of self-esteem and mission. I dare to say: "I can't take the role because it affects the image of Chinese people." Even in recent years, Hollywood managers have continued to lobby me to take the role. I wanted to make a Western film, but after reading the script, I refused. The reason was that I didn’t want to take a role that I couldn’t control."