Lucasfilm Hosts “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” Red Carpet Hollywood Premiere
December 2016 – Hollywood, CA From Bader Studio Hollywood:
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.
Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen stars in the movie and says he hesitated when offered a role in Star Wars, why he suggested his character be blind, and how working in Hollywood has given him a greater appreciation for the LA film industry.
Donnie Yen Ji-dan was once sarcastically called “the strongest in the universe” by Hong Kong’s entertainment press for his presumed overconfidence in himself. But that has all changed.
In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first standalone film from the sci-fi adventure series, the Hong Kong action star more than lives up to his moniker with the crowd-pleasing role of Chirrut Imwe, purportedly the best warrior in the galaxy far, far away. Still, it might be hard for fans to understand that Yen nearly turned down Star Wars – because he didn’t want to be kept away from home.
“It was several months after I was approached for the part that I decided to take it up,” says the 53-year-old actor. “Because it would mean that I had to leave Hong Kong – and my children – for months. I couldn’t make up my mind at the beginning. But, of course, I feel lucky that I didn’t turn it down.”