Dear soul sisters, lemme tell you this, we’re not necessarily fans of the Star Wars franchise, but since people are raving so much about it, we just had to see what’s up. So last weekend, we went to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and even though we didn’t really get the whole premise (yet), we can say this: Chirrut Imwe is such a badass!
Played by Hong Kong actor and martial arts alum, Donnie Yen Ji-dan, who shines as the blind Jedi master, Chirrut Imwe in the movie, he brought the character to life with his own unique style, that we simply couldn’t imagine any other actor playing this totally zen persona. He didn’t even need a lightsaber either, with just a wooden staff and slick moves, he was able to take down an entire group of stormtroopers by himself.
As a matter of fact, however, in an interview with South China Morning Post, we found out that Donnie Yen almost declined the offer for this role when it was offered to him! Why?
The 53-year-old actor disclosed that he almost rejected the role because it would mean he had to leave Hong Kong and be away from his kids for months. It took him a few months to decide before he accepted the offer, but now, he certainly does not regret the decision.
When asked for his opinions after he received the script, the Ip Man 3 actor suggested to the producers of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to make Chirrut Imwe blind. He explained that since Chirrut Imwe is a fighter who uses martial arts, the character being blind is consistent with the storyline. Martial arts, according to Donnie Yen, is about feeling with one’s heart, and if a person is blind, he has to feel things with his heart.
Wow, good call Donnie. The blind persona definitely helped elevate the whole movie experience. Can’t get enough of The Force? Enter our Star Wars giveaway before its too late! You can also check out these Yuletide gems by Royal Selangor for your Star Wars loving relatives. Remember, The Force is always with us.
