Tony Leung injured while training for ‘Grand Master’

Hong Kong media are reporting that actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai has broken his left arm during a training session for Wong Kar-wai’s upcoming kung fu movie THE GRAND MASTER.

For the past seven years Leung has been prepping for the role of Ip Man in Wong’s long in development, alternate take on the Wing Chun legend who is also portrayed by Donnie Yen in Wilson Yip’s IP MAN and its upcoming sequels. Leung has worked closely with Ip’s son Ip Chun and has been performing extensive body conditioning in the gym while practicing with various martial arts instructors.

During one of these training sessions on Monday, the 47-year-old actor reportedly surprised a Wing Chun master with a full-force attack. This apparently caused the master to react instinctively in self defense by kicking Leung’s left arm and causing the unintended break.

Leung immediately fell to the floor and was subsequently rushed to the hospital where x-rays revealed a bone break. Leung has refused to use a cast as he fears muscle atrophy. Regardless, he’ll be out of commission for some time until the arm heals sufficiently.

In response to this injury, Leung said that he has gone into the project mentally prepared to suffer injury and expects the actual production to be worse.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is dedication and the reason why I and so many others have such respect for Hong Kong’s veteran actors and stunt professionals. You won’t see any Hollywood actor training for seven years for a single action-oriented role or brushing off injury so easily. My fear though is that Leung may be pushing himself too hard to match the better-trained Donnie Yen, especially since Yen was nominated by the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor in IP MAN earlier this year. Comparisons will undoubtedly be made between the two performances. However, I’m certain that Wong Kar-wai has a different vision for his version of Ip Man, just as I am certain that Leung will deliver another excellent performance.

THE GRAND MASTER is currently scheduled for release in 2010, although depending on how long Leung’s injury takes to heal it could be pushed back. The film also stars Gong Li who reportedly will play a female martial arts master, which would be a first for the veteran mainland actress. Brigitte Lin, forever the indomitable ‘Invincible Asia” to many fans, is also making a comeback in this movie. Her last role was in Wong’s wuxia masterpiece ASHES OF TIME, originally released in 1994 and re-released in a revised director’s cut in 2008 as ASHES OF TIME REDUX.

Source: Channel News Media

Tags: Brigitte Lin, Genre: Kung Fu, Ip Man, The Grand Master (2010), Tony Leung Chiu-wai, upcoming, Wing Chun, Wong Kar-wai