Latest news with #KarateKidLegends
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Karate Kid: Legends' Star On Work With Ralph Macchio And Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in "Karate Kid Legends." Before Ben Wang embarked on a competition against his nemesis in the new Karate Kid franchise movie Karate Kid: Legends, he competed in another match — for the coveted lead role of Li Fong in the film — that was much bigger than he ever could have imagined. 'They told me that there were 10,000 other people who submitted in the first week of the open call,' Wang recalled in a recent Zoom conversation. 'The open call lasted for a month. I don't know how many people in total they were looking at for the part but it was a lot.' Wang — who was born in Shanghai and grew up in the small town of Northfield, Minn., before moving on to college at New York University — is still humbled by the thought of how many people auditioned for the role. 'The journey of my career is, every single step, something that I don't think I would have actually even imagined for myself when I was on the previous step,' Wang said. 'Studying theater in New York and going to NYU to study musical theater professionally was a whole audition process where there were 10,000 other kids were auditioning with me for 20-30 slots in the whole program, so, I didn't think I could do that. 'I also didn't think I could work professionally — it's still a long shot — and then and then I started but didn't think I would get a big movie or TV show but I kept looking," added Wang, who previously starred in 2024 musical version of Mean Girls and will next be featured in the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Long Walk. "There were opportunities that were presented to me at points in my life where I just so happened to have the preparation to match them. It's all really luck to me.' Ming-Na Wen, Wyatt Oleff, Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Jackie Chan and Sadie Stanley in ... More "Karate Kid Legends." Karate Kid: Legends, which is new on digital streaming on premium video on demand, begins in Beijing, with Wang's karate prodigy Li Fong studying under the tutelage of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Li Fong's mother, Dr. Fong (Ming-Na Wen) is completely against her son's aspirations to compete in karate, however, despite being Mr. Han's niece. A year prior, Li and Dr. Fong suffered a family tragedy stemming from their family's interest in competitive karate, and in a bid for a fresh start, she and her son move to New York City for a new job at a hospital. Li, however, can't avoid karate altogether. When he befriends another teen, Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley), her former boyfriend, NYC karate champion Conor Day (Aramis Knight) begins to bully Li. Incentivized by a chance to help save Mia's father's (Joshua Jackson) restaurant from financial ruin and face his bully at the same time, Li enters NYC's famed Five Boroughs Karate Tournament. To ready Li for the tournament, Mr. Han flies in from Beijing to train his former student and thanks to his ties to the late Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita), he also enlists the help of the original Karate Kid, Daniel La Russo (Ralph Macchio). Below is an exclusive first look on Ben Wang's work on 'Karate Kid: Legends.' Ralph Macchio Encouraged Ben Wang To Make Li Fong His Own In 'Karate Kid: Legends' Given the enormous success of the Karate Kid franchise — from Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita's original movie series to Jackie Chan's 2010 film to Macchio and William Zabka's Cobra Kai series — Ben Wang, needless to say, felt quite a bit of pressure to deliver big when he was cast in Karate Kid: Legends. Luckily for Wang, Macchio helped alleviate his worries before either one of them stepped foot on set. 'Ralph gave me a call two weeks before going to set to talk me through the process,' recalled Wang. What was nice about that was he basically called to say, 'You know, you have permission to do whatever you want … This is a film about your character and his experiences, and I'm here to bring you aboard [and help you not worry about the] legacy of the franchise. Just focus on doing basically what you're good at and what you want with the character.' So, that was, that was really nice to have that permission from the man.' Of course, getting over his nerves on the set of Karate Kid: Legends wasn't instantaneous. In addition to working with such acting greats as Macchio and Ming-Na Wen, Wang needed to wrap his head around the idea of going toe-to-toe with the martial arts legend who just so happened to be his hero growing up. '[When I started work on the film], they were like, 'You have to do a kung-fu fight with Jackie Chan,' which is a ridiculous thing to ask anyone to do, really, let alone a kid from a small town in Minnesota,' Wang said with a laugh. 'He's a legend to people in general but to a young Chinese actor in Hollywood, he's the pinnacle of a genre. He's quite literally an icon. 'He represents action movies to me,' Wang added. 'Growing up in China, he represented acting. He represented the movies. By far he is one of if not the biggest star in my childhood, especially when I lived in China and wasn't that exposed to Hollywood and celebrities. Jackie Chan to me represented film.' Doing a fight scene with Chan was only one part of the equation, Wang noted. He also had to take the fight to another level with his movie hero during the sequence. 'I got to meet him and then kick him in the face,' said Wang, who is still in disbelief thinking about the idea. 'It's so ridiculous that it almost took away some of my nerves. It was so hard to wrap my head around that it was easier to not let it get to me. It's so removed from reality, like I was in a simulation or something.' Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, Karate Kid: Legends is new on digital streaming. Karate Kid: Legends will also be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on Aug. 26.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why Kajol calls her mother Tanuja a Superwoman
Kajol, ahead of her film 'Maa' release, shared insights on motherhood, drawing parallels with her mother, Tanuja. She humorously noted the independent yet demanding nature of her children, Nysa and Yug. Kajol expressed a newfound appreciation for her mother's sacrifices, recalling childhood moments and acknowledging the challenges Tanuja faced raising her and her siblings. As Kajol gears up for his big screen return with mythological-horror film Maa, in a heartfelt and candid conversation with ETimes, actress Kajol opened up about the joys and challenges of motherhood, reflecting on her own experiences and drawing parallels with her legendary mother, Tanuja . The discussion, peppered with warmth and nostalgia, revealed the deep admiration Kajol holds for the woman who raised her. Exclusive | Kajol CANDID On Horror Fears and Son Yug's Voice Debut In 'Karate Kids: Legends' When asked who keeps her on her toes more—her daughter Nysa or her son Yug—Kajol laughed and responded with honesty: 'Both my kids are very, very independent... and both of them are quite whiny also at times.' While Yug demands her time daily, Nysa, who isn't home as often, makes her presence known: 'When she's here, it's fully like, 'I demand your attention. I deserve this.'' But it was when Kajol began speaking about her own mother that the conversation turned deeply emotional. Asked if there had ever been a moment where she felt like she was becoming like her own mother, Kajol didn't hesitate. 'Oh, lots of points. Especially when my kids were younger... and I was yelling at them and making them eat their food. I was like, oh my God, this is exactly what my mother did.' Through parenting, Kajol said, she developed a renewed appreciation for the sacrifices and love that often go unnoticed in childhood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo 'I troubled my mother so much when I was a kid,' she admitted. 'When I had my daughter, I actually told her, 'Mom, I didn't realize you loved me so much.'' Kajol recalled the sheer dedication with which her mother raised her and her sister and she would single handedly took them on vacations and at times with cousins. 'She used to take all four of us—me, my sister, and two cousins—in a car, drive us to Lonavala, spend the weekend there, and drive us back… alone!' she exclaimed. 'Imagine, I can't even think of taking one child on such a trip.' As Kajol recounted these stories, one thing became crystal clear: her mother was not just a parent—she was a force of nature. 'She was really superwoman,' Kajol concluded with pride. Maa has been backed by Ajay Devgn and directed by Vishal Furia . Another member of Devgn clan, Yug Devgn recently enetered the movies as a voiceover artist with Karate Kid Legends.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Karate Kid Legends box office collection day 5: Jackie Chan sinks further, earns Rs 51 lakh
Karate Kid Legends box office collection day 5: Karate Kid Legends, which hit the screens on May 30, isn't doing too well at the Indian box office. The martial arts drama opened to a decent response and raked in Rs 1.6 crore (nett) on the first day. It then witnessed some growth over the weekend but crashed on Monday, June 2. Karate Kid Legends continued its run on Tuesday, June 3. Karate Kid Legends earns just Rs 51 lakh on June 3 Jackie Chan is in the limelight because of his latest film Karate Kid Legends, which opened in theatres last week. According to Sacnilk, a trade website, the film earned Rs 51 lakh on its fifth day. This is lower than the Rs 89 lakh it collected on June 2. Here is the day-wise box office report: Day 1: Rs 1.6 crore Day 2: Rs 2.39 crore Day 3: Rs 2.35 crore Day 4: Rs 89 lakh Day 5: Rs 51 lakh The movie's total collection stands at Rs 7.74 crore. Karate Kid Legends received mixed reviews, with critics lauding the performances but panning the 'outdated' execution. The lacklustre word-of-mouth affected the film's performance once the initial buzz faded. About Karate Kid Legends Karate Kid Legends is a martial arts drama written by Rob Lieber. The film centres on a Kung Fu prodigy who tries to enhance his skills to succeed in an illustrious competition. The latest instalment of the Karate Kid saga features Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, and Ben Wang. Dominic Lewis serves as the music director.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sabrina Ionescu, Jackie Chan go viral before Liberty-Valkyries clash
The post Sabrina Ionescu, Jackie Chan go viral before Liberty-Valkyries clash appeared first on ClutchPoints. The New York Liberty were set to square off against the visiting Golden State Valkyries on Thursday for the second consecutive game. The Liberty recently defeated the Valkyries on Tuesday, 95-67, and braced for the rematch. But before the game began, two of the biggest stars in their respective industries, shared a moment on the court. Sabrina Ionescu and movie star Jackie Chan greeted each other before the Liberty took on the Valkyries. During the Liberty's game against the Valkyries, the Jumbotron at Barclays Center showed a preview of Jackie Chan's new movie, 'Karate Kid Legends,' as per Myles Ehrlich of Winsidr. Movie co-star Ben Wang was in attendance with Chan, and both were shown on the Jumbotron after the movie trailer, holding up custom Liberty jerseys. Advertisement As for the game at hand, the Valkyries held a slim lead over the Liberty in the second quarter. The team was short-handed as well with All-Star center Jonquel Jones sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Ionescu was off to a hot start, however, with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 shooting from the three-point line. The Liberty are one of two teams currently undefeated in the WNBA with the other team being last season's runner-up, the Minnesota Lynx. During the earlier matchup between these two teams this week, it was the Liberty's bench depth that helped power the win. Now in her sixth season in the WNBA, Ionescu has developed into one of the game's best point guards. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, she is coming off her third consecutive All-Star appearance. Through the Liberty's first four games of the season, Ionescu is averaging 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists with splits of 38.8 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent shooting from the three-point line and 84.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Karate Kid Legends box office collection day 4: Jackie Chan's film earns only 65% of what Thunderbolts made on its first Monday
Karate Kid Legends box office collection day 4: Karate Kid Legends, which hit the screens on May 30, opened to a decent response at the Indian box office and earned Rs 1.6 crore (nett) on the first day. It then witnessed some growth over the weekend but crashed on its first Monday, June 2. Karate Kid Legends is a martial arts drama directed by Jonathan Entwistle. Karate Kid Legends sinks on first Monday Jackie Chan is in the limelight because of his latest release Karate Kid Legends, which hit the screens in India amid fanfare on May 30. It took a decent start but then tanked on its first Monday. According to Sacnilk, a trade website, it earned Rs 77 lakh in India on June 2. The figure is nearly 69% lower than the Rs 2.35 crore it earned on Sunday (June 1). Here is the day-wise breakdown: Day 1: Rs 1.6 crore Day 2: Rs 2.39 crore Day 3: Rs 2.35 crore Day 4: Rs 77 lakh. The total collection stands at Rs 7.11 crore. Karate Kid Legends received mixed reviews with critics lauding the performances but panning the 'outdated' storyline. This is one of the main reasons, it wasn't able to sustain on Monday. Interestingly, Karate Kid Legends has failed to match the performance of Thunderbolts. The Marvel Movie, which was released on a Thursday, earned Rs 1.18 crore on its first Monday. It went on to collect Rs 22 crore (approx) in its full run. The film had an edge over the new Karate Kid movie because of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's popularity in India. Moreover, its star Florence Pugh also enjoys a following among fans because of her work in Oppenheimer. About Thunderbolt Legends Karate Kid Legends is a martial arts drama written by Rob Lieber. The movie revolves around a Kung Fu prodigy who tries to upgrade his skills for an illustrious competition. Karate Kid Legends stars Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, and Ben Wang. Dominic Lewis serves as the music director.
