Jaa back from Hollywood bruised by a Diesel bearhug
Action-movie star Panom "Tony Jaa" Yeerum, Thailand's gift to Hollywood, says he felt like a kid attending a new school for the first time when he started filming "Fast and Furious 7" with established Western stars Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodr
Having flown out of Thailand in a huff amid a row with his (now-former) studio, Sahamongkol Film, Jaa might have felt uncomfortable about recounting his experience in the Big Leagues. They’re not the kind of memories you can suppress for long, though. “It was like I got the key to Hollywood and the door opened wide,” says the high-kicking star of “Ong-Bak”. He was as excited as a college freshman.
“When I first got to the studio, Diesel shouted out my name – ‘Tony!’ I was puzzled hearing my name called out, but then I saw him – such a big guy! He gave me a tight hug. I never dreamed a star of his calibre would be giving me a hug. I got goose bumps!”
Jaa’s reputation as a martial-arts maniac had preceded him, so maybe the rest of the cast was a little scared. Diesel and Walker in particular were keen on muay thai and wanted to see him do a double-knee kick. “I taught Diesel some techniques and he was surprised he could do them despite having such a big physique.” Diesel took Jaa to his home and they attended a Manny Paquiao fight together.
Jaa says he also got along well with Rodriguez, who shares his interest in meditation. “She said she always meditates before starting a new job because it cleanses her, so she can absorb the character she’s playing.”
Diesel explained to him that an actor has to maintain control of his own personality while at the same time embracing his role character. “It was amazing, like a school,” Jaa says, and the production crew, from stuntmen to caterers, had more to teach him. “I learned a great deal talking to different people.”
Jaa readily admits his ticket to Hollywood came thanks to his fighting skills, not his looks or acting talent. He values his gift for martial arts as a “trademark”. “Everywhere I go, people know me as ‘Tony Jaa from Thailand’ and talk about muay thai. I’m proud to represent Thailand and Thai culture like that on the world stage.”
Jaa wants to keep on learning forever while doing his best to entertain the audience. “You feel so content when the art of your mind and soul is well received,” he says. With “Fast and Furious 7” in the can, Jaa will next appear opposite Dolph Lundgren in “Skin Trade” and is then lined up for his first Hong Kong film, “SPL 2”.
It still feels like just the beginning of a long journey, he says, but he wants to take things easy. “I have to take the time to learn English,” he says. And, regardless of where and how far he travels, Jaa isn’t about to forget his roots. “I’m still Jaa Panom to the Thai fans. Tony Jaa is the part of me that got a chance to go to Hollywood.”
