[2010.05.16] DONNIE YEN PLANS TO MEET WITH MASTER IP CHUN

Donnie Yen Chi Tan

Master Ip Chun

courtesy of on.cc

The film IP MAN 2 has become a big hit, but its lead actor Donnie Yen Chi Tan has attracted a lot of gossip as he has been accused to be at odds with Sammo Hung Kam Bo and Ip Man's son Ip Chun. Luckily Chi Tan has been generous and has not been angered, instead he was concerned that Master Ip would be disturbed and thus immediately called him to apologize. He promised to visit Master Ip after returning to Hong Kong.

With his salary reaching 20 million RMB, Yen Chi Tan's IP MAN 2 continued the momentum of the first installment and became a box office hit. Yet he attracted a big pile of negative news. First Hung Kam Bo was rumored to accuse him of being "incoherent", then Master Ip accused him of being disrespectful. He was also accused of changing his co-star's role.

As he taught Huang Xiaoming in the film the martial art learning spirit to be "value in neutrality, the fight of not fighting". The various rumors have not angered Chi Tan but has affected the mood of those around him. "My wife is the one who is unhappy!" Chi Tan pointed out that he made martial art films in order to promote martial art. Now contrary to his expectation, he naturally sighed. "The martial art world has a lot of troubles, I never expected the film industry to be worse! Now a movie has the rare uniformly good review, everyone should unite and not cause trouble."

As for the rumored dispute with Hung Kam Bo, Chi Tan honestly had no idea. "Earlier when Hung Kam Bo and I met we were shoulder to shoulder and thought that it was funny. Others have twisted both of our words." Speaking of rumors that he removed a co-star's role, Chi Tan said that was absurd. "Can I change it? I am not the boss or the screenwriter. Maybe my punches and kicks have a lot of power, but I have no power over that! Saying I cut someone's role, that's impossible!" Among the numerous rumors, Chi Tan made special mention of his relationship with Ip Chun. "I have always respected him. I not only learned martial arts from him but also tagged along with him to experience the Wing Chun school in Foshan!" After the rumors deteriorated, Chi Tan immediately called Ip Man to clarify. "Several days ago I felt bad and called long distance to talk with the Master directly. I said that after the shoot I will deliberately come back and dine with him. I have always respected elders. I believe the audience's eyes are crystal clear. I will use action to shatter all rumors."

Master Ip Chun earlier in an interview pointed out that Chi Tan should not add his own personality into the film character. Chi Tan did not mind. "Actually every actor has to be one with the character, only then would the character be good. (Do you mind what Master Ip Chun said?" I don't mind, he himself isn't an actor."

Actually Chi Tan has truly given a lot to the IP MAN film series. In order to thoroughly grasp and interpret this Grand Master's spirit, Chi Tan not only took time to study Wing Chun with Master Ip Chun, bought a lot of books about Ip Man and Wing Chun to study, but also never let go of any tidbit about Master Ip Man. "Earlier Master Ip Chun told me about his father's past. I used a tape recorder and recorded three full hours. I even put it by the bed and listened to it every night, over and over again......I wanted to play the spirit well in recognition of Ip Man."

As for being physically and mentally exhausted, Chi Tan also revealed that he suffered during the shoot as well. "For this movie I had to lose over ten pounds. My body was very frail. I went to the hospital twice for saline solution, even the corner of my eye was injured. I didn't even have time to return to Hong Kong and visit my children." However IP MAN 2 was able to exceed 30 million in Hong Kong and 200 million RMB in the Mainland in 15 days, which proved that the price that Chi Tan paid absolutely was not wasted.

Supposedly upset at Chi Tan, Ip Chun expressed that he never accepted any magazine interview. "The strangest were certain reports. From the beginning to the end I never did an interview with them, out of the blue they published some old photos. I don't know when they were taken. The headline said I am yelling at someone, but the content said that I am a honest and sincere elder. I almost have a personality split over this! I regret that entire article, in the end the headline and the content are two different matter! The incident made Chi Tan several days ago call me from Beijing to apologize." Ip Chun also expressed that he believed in Chi Tan 100%. "It said that I don't want Chi Tan to make a third movie? I never said that! I don't understand where all the troubles come from. In the end I won't believe rumors, I trust Chi Tan!"

Ip Chun even praised Chi Tan as a hard working and serious actor. "He has always respected me. Earlier when he wasn't so busy he would occasionally come to have tea with me and chat. We both cherish this relationship very much! No matter what people say, we have our own bond. Chi Tan cannot possibly disrespect Wing Chun!"

Not only Master Ip Chun supported Chi Tan as someone who respected masters and valued ethics, IP MAN and IP MAN 2 directed Wilson Yip Wai Shun also defended Chi Tan and clarified that Chi Tan absolutely was not an arrogant person. "He's getting all the attacks because he is a star. (Did he say he can fight in any style?) He only said that he would look good in any style, he was joking but people took him seriously. His biggest problem is he is too direct. (Chi Tan was rumored to reduce a co-star's role?) The entire film is about Ip Man, he of course has more scenes!"

Yip Wai Shun also proved that Master Ip Chun was not upset at Chi Tan at all. "He called me and said that he didn't accept any interview. He even said the film made more people understand that Wing Chun had a Grand Master, which was good. Why would he criticize Chi Tan?" Yip Wai Shun even praised Chi Tan as a good actor without rival and hinted that Chi Tan absolutely deserves credit for IP MAN's success. Filmko boss Alex Wong Hoi Fung also supported Chi Tan, "Isn't his kung fu real? Isn't he the box office guarantee? Anyone with eyes can see that!"

Playing Mrs. Ip Man in IP MAN and IP MAN 2, Lynn Xiong (Hung Doi Lam) was very attentive on screen to Yen Chi Tan and always supported her husband. Off screen she is the same way! Lynn felt that Chi Tan did not deserve all the troubles and even praised Chi Tan for taking great care of her and being a great person. She said, "Chi Tan is very nice. On and off camera he took great care of me. I don't know why the rumors are the way they are. I can't control what people say, and I believe other people don't think that way. Don't misunderstand him. He was very focused on making this movie, he should be in so much trouble." As for IP MAN 3, Lynn said that she would be able to work with Yen Chi Tan for a third time if someone asked her. She will take the role even if she will have a schedule conflict. She joked, "If I will die as soon as I will appear then I won't take it."