Jay Chou Makes Hollywood Debut in 'The Green Hornet'
Great news for fans of Jay Chou—the Chinese pop superstar has gone Hollywood! He will star alongside funny man Seth Rogen in the upcoming January 2011 action movie The Green Hornet. While Chou isn't a first-time actor (he was nominated Best Supporting Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Curse of the Golden Flower in 2006) The Green Hornet will be his first international film.
Chou will play the Green Hornet's martial arts expert and gadget-wielding sidekick, Kato. The role of Kato once belonged to Chinese-American martial arts star Bruce Lee in the 1960s television series, making the role an enviable one for any Chinese actor.
"It's an overwhelming experience to take on a role made famous by Bruce Lee. I won't try to be Bruce Lee's Kato—I will try to bring my own interpretation to the part. Of course, it's a dream role, and I'm looking forward to the challenge," said Chou in a statement.
As many know, the pop sensation from Taiwan didn't get his start as an actor, but as a musician. He is famous for combining Western and Chinese music influences to create popular songs such as "Ni Ting de Dao," "Wai po," and "Jiang Jun." His unique melding together of traditional Chinese instruments, formal musical training, and rock/blues/rap influences has come to be known as "Chou style" in China.
However, the question remains whether or not his Chou-style acting will be a hit or a miss in this Hollywood debut.
We think the trailer looks pretty promising... What do you think? Are you excited to see Jay Chou play Kato in The Green Hornet?