Martial arts superstar Jet Li is at his best in Zhang Yimou’s historical epic, Hero. The film was shot in 2001 and has been a huge hit worldwide, even garnering an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film last year. This was highly unusual because Miramax had not released it in America. They’re finally opening it stateside on August 27th after holding on to the film for two years. The box office might seriously be affected by the immense popularity of the Asian DVD. A lot of people have already seen the film. Jet Li spoke candidly about this and hopes audiences will go for the big screen experience.

I have been a die-hard fan of Jet Li since the amazing Fist of Legend. Hero is easily his finest work and I implore everyone to see it. Jet Li surpassed my every expectation. He was very cool and amiable, talking frankly about his position in American cinema and desire to branch out into other genres. He also spoke about his next film, Unleashed (aka Danny the Dog), with Morgan Freeman. Jet seemed very excited about this film and hopes it will be a good follow-up to Hero. Unleashed hits American theaters in Spring of 2005.

You shot Hero a while ago, in 2001. Has it been hard waiting for it to come out in the US. It’s pretty much been released everywhere.

Jet Li: Yes, it was one of the biggest film in China. Asia, it was a huge success in Asia. It made a run of $100 million dollars in Asia. In Europe, also was pretty big, but here, after two years, we believe a lot of people have seen the DVD.

That’s how I first saw it.

Jet Li: There’s a lot of Asian people who know. They see the DVD already. So, the Hong Kong company calculate we maybe lose $20 million dollars in box office already.

Why did Miramax hold it?

Jet Li: I don’t know. I actually know the answer. Maybe they believe that right now is the right time. It’s their decision.

They’re not worried that lot of people might have already seen it?

Jet Li: I don’t know. I worry about it. But I still hope that people go to theater to see again. DVD is still the small screen. The sound, special effects, everything is not as powerful as in the theater.

For the Americans who haven’t seen it, do you think this is a good example of Chinese history and culture?

Jet Li: I hope they can enjoy watching this film, because this is not a typical Chinese action film. You can get many information about the whole story. Some people have well education, they know eastern philosophy, the king, warriors, what they did two thousand years ago. For the younger people, they can see the love story with the colors and beautiful picture, good fighting.

Zhang Yimou is a genius. I love all of his films. He brings poetry in motion to this film. It’s beautiful, the costumes, cinematography. When you read the script, did you have any idea it was going to look like it did?

Jet Li: Yes, I already knew it. When I got the script I cry twice. First, I love the script between the characters. People trust each other. I want to kill the king, but you need to trust me. Give your life to me. Everybody trusting, the friendship. Second, I want to make a movie special. I make thirty movies already. You always try to find unique story. Where also use action film to tell violence is not only solution. This film, when you think about it, no real bad guy. Only different point of view, you see things. End of the movie, thirty minutes, no action, only just talk, but still look good. It’s a different way to talk about revenge.

This was Yimou’s first time making an action film.

Jet Li: He never did it before.

Did he get it right away? Was it difficult for him?

Jet Li: I think he spend a lot of time. Also, he’s very open to our ideas. I did something good for the movie, but bad for the person. I fired an actor and invited Donnie Yen to play the character. I fired action choreographer and invited Tony Chen to become action director. It helped the movie a lot.

It was interesting to see the way the Chinese press reacted about the emperor. The movie depicts him as benevolent. Some people say he was more tyrannical. Did that occur to you when you were reading the criticism?

Jet Li: In China, they had some argue. Most people think the king was bad. But I believe this story is based on that period of time. It’s not a true story. The director want to use this story to talk about how people think of war and peace and fighting. It’s not true. He just use that time for the story. It’s not too serious. Always, other people thinking it’s about this and this. We just want to talk about our story.

In every interview I’ve seen with you, you’re a nice guy, you’re smiling. You generally have a very kind demeanor. But in your films you’re always hard and fierce. Would you ever do a comedy, like a Jackie Chan film, where you’re laughing and joking around?

Jet Li: I did some light comedy movies. Where the situation is comedy, but my character is not comedy, comedy. (Talks to his interpreter to figure out the name of his comedic films) His name was Fong Xi Yu, part one, part two, he grew up with his mom, becomes a man. No studio will give me a chance to do a comedy! (Laughs)

It would be so good to see the lighter side of you.

Jet Li: Next year in the theater maybe, I’ll try to make different kinds of films, like Hero. It’s not an action, action film. It’s a different kind of film that uses martial arts to talk about the story. It talks about violence is not the only solution. That’s the movie I like to make. Also, last year in Europe I made another film called Danny the Dog. In the states, maybe they’ll call it Unleashed. It’s with Morgan Freeman…

That’s the Luc Besson production right?

Jet Li: Luc Besson, yes, it’s also a totally different kind of martial arts film. My character, mentally is only ten years old. He’s physically very strong, tough. He beat up ten people in a few seconds, but mentally he’s like a dog. Morgan Freeman plays this character, piano tuner. He bring me back, become normal human, to understand what is love, what is friendship. At the end of the movie I become normal guy. He’s not a people that became a master, or save the city, or became a tough man, hero. It’s a different kind of genre.

Is it the same team as Kiss of the Dragon, Luc Besson’s production team?

Jet Li: We change action director. Action director is Wo Ping [Yuen Wo Ping]. I still make action film, but a different kind of story. Not just silly action, action, you know what I mean? If you see the beginning, you know the end. I turn down a lot of these kinds of films.

Do you know when it will be released in the US?

Jet Li: Next spring 2005, Focus Features, Unleashed.

How involved are you with the action chorography?

Jet Li: I think Hong Kong have three very good choreographer. I always use these three. One is Wo Ping, everybody know him. He help me make Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend. The other is Corey Yen. He make Fong Xi Yo, Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon. The other one is Tony Chen. He make a lot of American films. He specialize in cables, fly around. That’s his specialty. Depends what kind of movie I want to make.

So you just go between those three?

Jet Li: You need them. Like Dannie the Dog, Unleashed, I choose Wo Ping. More real fighting on screen, that kind of stuff.

Do you ever get hurt? How injured do you get filming these movies?

Jet Li: Of course I get hurt! (laughs) I also hurt somebody else on set. We hurt each other all the time. Some stuntmen have a lot of experience, some action men, first time and second time making movies. You never know who is who. Sometimes you get hurt by accident. Usually they’re more afraid to hurt me. They’re fired if they do. I always try to hide it. Because if I make a mistake and say, you hurt me, then the guy is fired. It’s not very good. Everybody is the new guy in the beginning. One day they get experience. I remember when I work with Mel Gibson. I remember the director warning me, you can’t hurt Mel Gibson!

Lethal Weapon 4?

Jet Li: (Laughs) I stop right away! (Swings a punch that stops an inch away from his assistant’s face) Usually I stop here!

We all know Mel was afraid of you.

Jet Li: He’s a nice guy.

You don’t have romantic leads in a lot of your films. All the other characters get romantic leads. When are we going to see you get the girl?

Jet Li: (Laughs) I don’t know…maybe I’m not good at it. When the director think, he doesn’t know how to make love in front of the camera.

But you would do it? There’s a great romance in Hero and I’m thinking, why can’t Jet Li get the girl? Do you find that interesting?

Jet Li: If the story, good enough, if I like the story then I can play everything. I believe, as an actor, you want to do everything. I never get the chance. I made thirty-five movies and I never get the chance! (laughs)

Just curious, in Romeo Must Die, was there every a chance of you and Aaliyah hooking up?

Jet Li: I don’t think they discussed that, but we shot two different versions, ending. One where we kiss each other. They cut it, not hot enough.

You’ve done only Hong Kong and European productions since The One. Are you going to do any more US films? Are you looking for one?

Jet Li: I try to make things balance. I made another one called Cradle 2 the Grave, but it’s not very good. (laughs) In Asia, I have more creative control, even in Europe. Here, Hero, if I got the script and hand it to the studios, nobody want to make it. I need to go back to China to make film. Like Danny the Dog, even we finished the film and show to the studio, the studio loves the film, don’t know how to show to the audience. They show it as action film, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins, great actors. If we shoot drama film, what about the audience, they want to see action films. It’s quite challenging for the marketing people. I hope Focus Features can do good job. Make audience understand this film is drama with great martial arts in it. If I can break that border, maybe I have a chance to make good quality American films.