Tony Jaa
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Panom Yeerum (read: Pa-nom Yee-rum, Thai: พนม ยีรัมย์) (born on February 5, 1976), better known in the West as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial arts actor and choreographer. His films include and Tom-Yum-Goong.
Biography
Early life
Born in Surin Province of northeastern Thailand, Jaa grew up in a rural area and watched films by Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li at temple fairs. While doing chores or playing with friends, he would imitate the martial arts moves he had seen in the films. He would practice in his father's rice paddy or, when bathing the family's elephants, he would somersault off their backs into the river."What they did was so beautiful, so heroic. 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."
At age 15, he looked up Panna Rittikrai, begging the veteran Thai stuntman and action-film director to take him on as a protege. Panna instructed Jaa to attend Maha Sarakham College of Physical Education in Maha Sarakham Province. He did so and became a multiple-sport athlete, winning national gold medals for Krabi Krabong (swordfighting), gymnastics and track and field.
First films
He initially worked as a stuntman, 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 pachyderm's back. He also was in , as a stunt double for Robin Shou.Together, Panna and Jaa developed an interest in muay Boran, an ancient style of muay Thai and worked and trained for six years 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 (องค์บาก) 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. With the film, he was hailed as Asia's next martial-arts film superstar.
As Jaa has gained popularity, older films he made with Panna began to be released on DVD and VCD and become available internationally. These include Spirited Killer and Mission Hunter 2.
Rise to fame
His second major movie was Tom-Yum-Goong (ต้มยำกุ้ง; also the name of a spicy sweet-and-sour soup, Tom yum kung (ต้มยำกุ้ง)). This movie enjoyed even greater success in Thailand and Hong Kong than Ong-Bak when released.
Since the release of Ong-Bak, Jaa has been busy touring the world to promote his films.
Nationality
Some fans on forums and blogs are currently debating about Tony Jaa's real nationality. Some claim that he hails from Cambodia but was then raised in Thailand as some people even say that he is from Laos but this has never been confirmed.Next projects
Tony's name is often included on the "wish lists" of various directors. An early rumor was that he was to be the villain in Die Hard 4.0 – gossip that he was quick to deny. Brett Ratner had Tony on his wish list of actors he'd like to use in Rush Hour 3.Kaiju Shakedown, [Brett Ratner's Asian orgy], May 16, 2006. Veteran Hong Kong martial arts coordinator Lau Kar-leung has mentioned Tony as someone he'd like to work with as well. Twitch Film,["Martial Arts Director Lau Kar-Leung prepares for his Kung Fu Masterpiece: Heroes of Shaolin"], June 16, 2006.Variety reported Jaa would make something called The Man of Thousand Poisons. Sahamongkol Film International advertised at film markets that his third film would be called Sword or Dab Atamas,Kaiju Shakedown, ["Next Tony Jaa project announced"], May 27, 2005. but then in March 2006 it was reported that there would be a sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong-Bak 2, due to start production in fall 2006 for release sometime in 2007, with Tony Jaa as director, Panna as martial arts choreaographer and Prachya Pinkaew as producer. The Nation, "Soop Sip", May 3, 2006 (print only).Frater, Patrick (March 27, 2006). ["Weinsteins are back with another 'Bak'"] Variety (magazine) (subscription-only).
Skills
Martial arts
Panom Yeerum is skilled in Muay Thai, Muay Boran, Aikido, Pencak Silat, Capoeira, Wushu, Stick, Krabi Krabong and Taekwondo.Languages
He speaks Thai, Khmer (Language from Cambodia) and is learning English.Selected filmography
- aka Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
- The Bodyguard (2004) (as Panom Yeerum)
- Tom-Yum-Goong aka Warrior King or The Protector (2005) To be released on August 25, 2006 in U.S.
- Ong-Bak 2 (2007) (in development)
- Sword (2007) (in development)
- Hanuman (in development)
References
- Pornpitagpan, Nilubol (February 3, 2003). ["Leap into the limelight"]. Bangkok Post.
- Yusof, Zack (November 21, 2003). [a Thai style"], The Star (Malaysia). (Retrieved from Google cache on March 28, 2006)
- Perrin, Andrew (October 18, 2004). ["Hitting the big time"]. Time magazine.
- Franklin, Erika (May 2005). ["Alive and Kicking: Tony Jaa interviewed"], Firecracker Media.
Notes
External links
Websites
- [Tony Jaa] Unofficial fan site
- [Tony Jaa at Asian Hunk] - Gallery of photos
- [Suicide Girls Interview]
Videos
- [Promotional video] for Thai longan growers.
- [Tony Jaa at Reims, France.] (WMV)
- [CTN interview in Khmer]
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