March 04, 2023
Donnie Yen revealed that he objected to his name stereotypical character’s name and requested to change it in John Wick: Chapter 4.
During an interview with GQ, the actor said, “The name was Shang or Chang,” Yen said of his John Wick role. “Why does he always have to be called Shang or Chang? Why can’t he have a normal name? Why do you have to be so generic?
Then the wardrobe again — oh, mandarin collars. Why is everything so generic? This is a John Wick movie.
Everybody’s supposed to be cool and fashionable. Why can’t he look cool and fashionable?”
The filmmaker Chad Stahelski accepted the concerns of the actor.
Previously, the Ip Man star also faced Asian stereotype tropes when Disney roped in the actor to essay the Chirrut Îmwe in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The 59-year-old said the script led to the role of a stereotypical martial arts warrior.
“One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype. Typical master. Doesn’t smile.”