Donnie Yen (甄子丹) is
definitely living up to his name of being “the universe’s strongest,”
showing that everything is possible through perseverance and never
giving up.
The 52-year-old actor and mixed martial
artist has been out of the country in the past few months to shoot the
new Hollywood action film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, sequel to the 2002 film xXx and 2005 film xXx: State of the Union, both starring Vin Diesel. The Return of Xander Cage is produced by Diesel and directed by D.J. Caruso.
In The Return of Xander Cage,
Donnie stars as Xiang, an alpha warrior working at odds with Xander
Cage, an athlete-turned-government agent reprised by Diesel. For the
film, Donnie underwent a hell-bent training regime to get into shape and
achieve the ideal male physique.
To compete with Diesel, who is known for
his muscles and hardcore action flicks, Donnie said he had to put in
even more effort to train his body. To gain muscle, Donnie put himself
in a strict diet and training regimen. He avoided carb intake, cutting
salt, sugar, and starch in his diet. After several months of hard work at the gym, Donnie finally decided that it was time to show off his new masterpiece.
“I haven’t had a good meal in a while,”
said Donnie in an interview with the Hong Kong media. “But my willpower
overcame my hunger. I’m almost 53 years old! I am the only Chinese actor
in this film, so I can’t lose to the others!”
Due to diet and biological differences,
it is generally more difficult for Asians to build muscle mass and
achieve the huge physique. However, Donnie believes that, through
perseverance, everything is achievable.
“I think Chinese actors can rival foreign
actors,” said Donnie. “As long as you put in the effort, there will be
good results, and sometimes these results are even stronger than
expected. Chinese actors can flourish from this, regardless of age!”
Donnie said it was perseverance and
strong will that helped him complete the training. “Many people tend to
give up after coming across an obstacle, but I managed to go past that. I
want to tell everyone here, including my children, that we must have
confidence, determination, and willpower in order to achieve success.
Being too tired or having no time are just excuses. If I can do it, so
can you.”
There is still one more week left before The Return of Xander Cage
completes filming. Donnie said he couldn’t wait to return to Hong Kong
to see his son and daughter. He plans to stop by the United States to
visit his parents, and said his biggest wish at the moment is to treat
himself to a big meal after filming ends.
