Jay Chou is Kato!

[Catman]

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/asian-star-jay-chou-hired-as-hornets-kato/

 

[terry78]

We're starting to love the Asia pop idols over here for roles, ain't we?

 

[san15]

After an worldwide search??? I guess the execs forgot that there are millions of asian americans in the united states that would've loved to play kato. Why does hollywood feel the need to import asian actors. Is it that difficult for execs to picture an asian american in a hollywood movie. What the hell were they thinking?

 

[SuperAl]

After an worldwide search??? I guess the execs forgot that there are millions of asian americans in the united states that would've loved to play kato. Why does hollywood feel the need to import asian actors. Is it that difficult for execs to picture an asian american in a hollywood movie. What the hell were they thinking?

because if your gonna cast a unknown asian in a movie might as well cast one that has a huge fanbase in asia.

 

[Invisiboy]

After an worldwide search??? I guess the execs forgot that there are millions of asian americans in the united states that would've loved to play kato. Why does hollywood feel the need to import asian actors. Is it that difficult for execs to picture an asian american in a hollywood movie. What the hell were they thinking?

What difference does it make, as long as he can fight:
and speak English (I'm assuming he can because I doubt they would have given the part to someone they couldn't even talk to)?

 

[deathshead2]

After an worldwide search??? I guess the execs forgot that there are millions of asian americans in the united states that would've loved to play kato. Why does hollywood feel the need to import asian actors. Is it that difficult for execs to picture an asian american in a hollywood movie. What the hell were they thinking?

So they can sell it overseas.

 

[Dr. Evil]

After an worldwide search??? I guess the execs forgot that there are millions of asian americans in the united states that would've loved to play kato. Why does hollywood feel the need to import asian actors. Is it that difficult for execs to picture an asian american in a hollywood movie. What the hell were they thinking?

What's wrong with casting an Asian in an American movie? It's worked multiple times before. Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun Fat, Ken Watanabe, (If GI Joe becomes a big hit), Byung-hun Lee and now this guy. It's a formula that has worked for years, even dating back to Bruce Lee.

 

[Gold Samurai]

Not a bad choice. I have "Initial D" the movie and he's okay in it.

 

[san15]

I think most of you guys are not seeing the big picture. Execs are relying on a pop singer that is mostly unknown to American audiences to sell movie tickets. Just because he has a solid fan base in Asia that listens to his music doesn’t necessary mean they’ll love his acting and martial arts skills. He’s far more successful as a musician in Asia as opposed to an actor. So if I were an Asian pop singer from across the world, I'll have a far better chance in landing a break through role in a big budget Hollywood movie. The importing formula has worked with several other Asians, but unfortunately Asian American actors get the short end of the stick. This is absolute nonsense!!!


Let’s not forget that Bruce Lee struggled for years to break into Hollywood as an ASIAN AMERICAN ACTOR. He got his first big break in the Green Hornet show, but sadly only lasted one season. Unable to find much work in Hollywood do to racism (remember the kung fu series). He finally decided to pack up his bags and move to Hong Kong and became a huge star overseas. Then Hollywood came calling or IMPORTING Bruce Lee to make Enter the Dragon and the rest is history. Fast forward thirty six years later after his death not much has changed. It’s the 21 century and rules are meant to be broken and I would love to see a new Asian American movie star.

 

[Raiden]

Jay Chou is fine actor, and he's a pretty decent musician (yes, he sings pop songs with hip hop/rap influence, but he does write his own songs). Jay is also a huge Bruce Lee fan. About the only problem I have is that Jay's English is rather poor, and I hope they won't have to dub him. However, Jet Li's English is also imo terrible, and he's able to make it work somehow.

 

[san15]

Jay Chou is fine actor, and he's a pretty decent musician (yes, he sings pop songs with hip hop/rap influence, but he does write his own songs). Jay is also a huge Bruce Lee fan. About the only problem I have is that Jay's English is rather poor, and I hope they won't have to dub him. However, Jet Li's English is also imo terrible, and he's able to make it work somehow.

If they hired an Asian American actor his English won’t be a problem. It’s just awful decades later that they can’t give someone in the U.S. a breakout role in a big Hollywood movie.

 

[san15]

Jay Chou is fine actor, and he's a pretty decent musician (yes, he sings pop songs with hip hop/rap influence, but he does write his own songs). Jay is also a huge Bruce Lee fan. About the only problem I have is that Jay's English is rather poor, and I hope they won't have to dub him. However, Jet Li's English is also imo terrible, and he's able to make it work somehow.

Double Post

 

[Octoberist]

I think out of the BIG Chinese/Asian stars, Chow Yong Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Tony Yeong all have very good English (I think Michelle and Tony were educated in the UK.)

I tried to find a vid of Jay Chou speaking English and I failed. It might be a problem because from the looks of it, there isn't a whole lot of time left. He just got hired in and he's finishing up his directorial debut in China before Green Hornet. That gives him less than a month to prep for Hornet.

 

[Invisiboy]

I doubt they would've hired someone they couldn't even talk to. He will probably speak some sort of accented English, just like Bruce Lee did on the show.

 

[Octoberist]

Nothing against Jay or anything. I mean, he can always have a coach there to help him out.

BTW, Bruce had an accent but his grammar was outstanding. I'm Asian myself with an American accent, but usually it's not the accent that makes it hard to listen to (depending on the person) but more on the grammar and vocab.

 

[Raiden]

Nothing against Jay or anything. I mean, he can always have a coach there to help him out.

BTW, Bruce had an accent but his grammar was outstanding. I'm Asian myself with an American accent, but usually it's not the accent that makes it hard to listen to (depending on the person) but more on the grammar and vocab.

I think alot of the problems can be fixed during post-production, when the actors get to dub their own voices, and Jay will get to correct some of his English language. However, Jay does have a reputation to mumble sometimes, and he will be speaking with a language he's not proficient in, so they'll have to be extra careful with that. I do worry about Jay's busy schedule, since he's prepping for concerts and a TV show from what I've heard, and squeezing in Green Hornet along with an English tutor sound rather daunting.