17 years before winning the Academy Award for Best Actress forEverything Everywhere All at Once, Michelle Yeoh was meant to have a major role inFearless, a film now regarded as a true martial arts masterpiece. In recent years, Yeoh has emerged as a major star, appearing in a multitude of critically acclaimed films, fromEverything Everywhere All at OncetoCrazy Rich Asians.Long before all that,Michelle Yeoh’s movie careerwas considerably different, with the actress being originally associated with the martial arts genre.
Yeoh began her slow rise to fame by kicking off theYes, Madam!andIn the Line of Dutyfranchise, and also appeared alongside Jackie Chan inPolice Story 3: Supercop.In the years that followed, Michelle Yeoh appeared in several other martial arts movies, including some that she headlined herself. Easily her biggest contribution to the genre was the 2000 wuxia classicCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.Six years later, Yeoh was cast in another film that would develop a reputation as one of thebest martial arts movies of the 2000s, but Yeoh was removed from the final cut.
Michelle Yeoh Was Cut From Jet Li’s Fearless
Michelle Yeoh Was Supposed To Introduce The Life Story Of Jet Li’s Fearless Character
Michelle Yeoh landed the role of Miss Yang inFearless, a martial arts period piece that told the story of real-life kung fu master Huo Yuanjia. But ultimately, Yeoh had no role in the movie, outside the director’s cut. In the original cut, Fearless was meant to open the story with a present-day sequence in which Michelle Yeoh would be introduced as martial arts Miss Yang, who would appear before a committee and give a passionate defense of wushu (Huo Yuanjia’s style of martial arts) and argue that it be added to the Olympics. This is used to segue into Huo Yuanjia’s life story, which Yeoh would begin narrating before the film shifts its focus to his storyline.
Issues with the runtime kept the filmmakers from going with this plan forFearless, as 140 minutes was deemed too long for the theatrical release. The present-day portion with Michelle Yeoh, along with other sequences, were subsequently cut from the movie. However,Michelle Yeoh’s contribution toFearlesscan still be seen, via the movie’s director’s cut. Not everything that was removed was added back into the film, but it does include the original opening with Michelle Yeoh.
Why Jet Li’s Fearless Is Still A Martial Arts Movie Masterpiece
It May Very Well Be Jet Li’s Best Martial Arts Movie
In spite of her talent and clout as a martial arts star, Michelle Yeoh being cut fromFearlesswas not to the detriment of the film in the end. It would have served in a purpose, as it would have demonstrated Huo Yuanjia’s long-term impact. Butas a period piece, it may have been best forFearlessto remain stuck in the pastand not risk losing its immersive feel.
Fearlessnot being hurt by its cuts is made clear by the legacy it currently holds, even after all these years.Fearlesshas long received considerable praise, due in large part to its beautifully choreographed action sequences and utilization ofJet Li’s wushu fighting styleand athletic prowess. The movie doesn’t hold back in its approach to the action, offering several intense fight scenes as Huo Yuanjia’s story unfolds.
Similar to Jet Li’s previous martial arts epics, such as theOnce Upon a Time in Chinaseries andHero,Fearlessis more than just an action vehicle that showcases Jet Li’s skills; it crafts a fully-realized take on a bygone period in China’s history, complete with several memorable characters and an emotional, thought-provoking narrative for Huo Yuanjia. It may not be historically accurate to the martial artist’s life, but the version of him that it creates is a standout kung fu movie protagonist.
