1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 Stunt work
2.2 Acting
2.3 Next projects
2.4 Other developments
2.5 Monasticism
3 Filmography
3.1 Early films
3.2 Non-leading films (Cameos)
4 See also
5 References
6 Interviews
6.1 Videos
Early life This biographical section needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2008)
He was raised in a rural area and as he grew up he watched films by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Vince Lam and Jet Li at temple fairs, which was his inspiration to learn martial arts. He was so inspired by them that while he was doing chores or playing with friends, he would imitate the martial arts moves that he had seen, practicing in his father's rice paddy. Also, he would give baths to the family's elephants and somersault off their backs into the river.
In Tom-Yum-Goong, Tony Jaa demonstrated a style of Muay Thai that has moves that imitate an elephant.
"What they did was so beautiful, so heroic that I wanted to do it too," Jaa told Time in a 2004 interview. "I practiced until I could do the move exactly as I had seen the masters do it."[2]
At age 15 he requested to become a protege of stuntman and action-film director Panna Rittikrai. Panna had instructed Jaa to attend Maha Sarakham College of Physical Education in Maha Sarakham Province. He has trained for an unspecified time in Taekwondo although there are no details regarding if this was in ITF or WTF style and if he has received formal Taekwondo training or as part of his stunt team member apprenticeship. Likewise, he is highly skilled in Muay Thai but there is no evidence at present to suggest a formal training history or competitive career.
Career
Stunt work
He initially worked as a stuntman on Panna's team, Muay Thai Stunt, appearing in many of Panna's films. He doubled for Sammo Hung when the martial-arts actor made a commercial for an energy drink that required him to grasp an elephant's tusks and somersault onto the elephant's back.[3] He was also a stunt double in the Thai television series Insee Daeng (Red Eagle).[4]
Acting
Together, Panna and Jaa developed an interest in Muay Boran, an ancient style of Muay Thai and worked and trained for 1 year at the art with the intention of developing a film around it. Eventually they were able to put together a short film showing what Jaa could do. One of the people they showed it to was producer-director Prachya Pinkaew, who was duly impressed.
This led to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior in 2003, Jaa's break-out role as a leading man. Jaa did all the stunts without mechanical assistance or computer-generated effects and it showcased his style of extreme acrobatics and speedy, dance-like moves. Injuries suffered in the filming included a ligament injury and a sprained ankle. One scene in the film involved fighting with another actor while his own trousers were on fire. "I actually got burned," he said in a 2005 interview. "I really had to concentrate because once my pants were on fire the flames spread upwards very fast and burnt my eyebrows, my eyelashes and my nose. Then we had to do a couple more takes to get it right."[5].
Tony Jaa and his mentor, Panna Rittikrai, check the playback on the Sydney, Australia location of Tom-Yum-Goong.
His second major movie was Tom-Yum-Goong ("The Protector" in the US), named after a type of Thai soup and including a style of Muay Thai that imitates elephants.
In August 2006, he was in New York to promote the US release of The Protector, including an appearance at the Museum of the Moving Image.[6]
Next projects
Sahamongkol Film International advertised that Tony Jaa's third film would be called Sword or Dab Atamas, about the art of Thai two-sword fighting, with a script by Prapas Chonsalanont.[7] But due to a falling out between Prachya and Jaa, which neither have publicly commented on, Sword has been cancelled.[8]
On March 2006 it was reported that there would be a sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong-Bak 2. With Jaa both directing and starring, it started pre-production in fall 2006 and was released in December of 2008.[8][9][10][11]
While Jaa was working on Ong-Bak 2, director Prachya Pinkaew and action choreographer Panna Rittikrai were working on Chocolate, starring a female martial artist, Nicharee Vismistananda, and released February 6, 2008.[8] Jaa had been cast in a small role in a third installment of the King Naresuan film series directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, although the film was ultimately cancelled.
Other developments
His films captured the attention of his hero, Jackie Chan, who asked director Brett Ratner to cast Jaa in Rush Hour 3. "I gave the director videos of Tony Jaa because I think Tony Jaa is the most well-rounded of all action stars," Chan told the Associated Press.[12] "The director liked him a lot," Chan said.[12] However, Jaa said he'd be unable to participate because of scheduling conflicts with the shooting of Ong Bak 2.[12][13]
Additionally, veteran Hong Kong martial arts coordinator Lau Kar-leung has mentioned Jaa as someone he'd like to work with. [14][relevant? – discuss]
Tony Jaa demonstrates martial arts at the American Museum of the Moving Image on August 20, 2006, during a promotional tour for The Protector.
Monasticism
On May 28, 2010, Jaa became a Buddhist monk at a Buddhist temple in Surin, Thailand. It is undisclosed how long he will remain at the temple.[1]
Filmography
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior aka Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
Tom-Yum-Goong (aka Honor of the Beast or Warrior King (UK) or The Protector (US)) (2005)
Ong Bak 2 (2008)
Ong Bak 3 (2010)
Early films
Mission Hunter 2 (aka Battle Warrior (US))
Spirited Killer
Hard Gun
Non-leading films (Cameos)
The Bodyguard (2004) (as Panom Yeerum)
The Bodyguard 2 (2007)
See also
Panna Rittikrai
Muay Thai Stunt
References
^ a b Twitch Film,ONG BAK Star Tony Jaa Joins The Monkhood. May 28, 2010.
^ Perrin, Andrew (October 18, 2004). "Hitting the big time", Time.
^ Pornpitagpan, Nilubol (February 3, 2003). "Leap into the limelight". Bangkok Post.
^ Yusof, Zack (November 21, 2003). "Selling a Thai style", The Star (Malaysia) (retrieved from Archive.org on December 15, 2006).
^ Franklin, Erika. May 2005. "Alive and Kicking: Tony Jaa interviewed", Firecracker Media (retrieved on December 15, 2006)
^ Hendrix, Grady. August 21, 2006. Tony Jaa in town, kicks people, KaijuShakedown.com (retrieved August 23, 2006).
^ Kaiju Shakedown, "Next Tony Jaa project announced", May 27, 2005.
^ a b c Payee, Parinyaporn, A hit of 'Chocolate', The Nation (Thailand); retrieved 2007-11-18
^ Payee, Parinyaporn. November 30, 2006. High-kicking khon, The Nation.
^ The Nation, "Soop Sip", May 3, 2006 .
^ Frater, Patrick (March 27, 2006). "Weinsteins are back with another 'Bak'" Variety (magazine) (subscription-only).
^ a b c Associated Press. "Jackie Chan says he plugged Thai Tony Jaa for 'Rush Hour 3,' but he didn't sign on". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^ Grady Hendrix. "Brett Ratner's Asian orgy". Kaiju Shakedown via Internet Archive. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^ Twitch Film,"Martial Arts Director Lau Kar-Leung prepares for his Kung Fu Masterpiece: Heroes of Shaolin", June 16, 2006.
Interviews
Suicide Girls Interview
retroCrush interview
Kicking Butt with Tony Jaa FilmJerk.com
Videos
Tony Jaa at Reims, France (WMV)
Categories: Thai actors | Stunt actors | Thai stunt performers | Isan | 1976 births | Living people | Thai Buddhists
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