During the filming of Shanghai Noon, Lucy Liu wanted to take on some of the action herself, hoping to learn stunts from her co-star, Jackie Chan. Despite Chan’s fame as an action superstar with a dedicated stunt crew, he refused to train her personally, concerned about her safety. Liu’s request to receive Jackie Chan stunt training was declined because he did not want her to get hurt.
Jackie Chan’s Cautious Approach to Stunt Training
Lucy Liu recalled Chan’s reaction:
“He’s like, ‘No, no, no, you don’t get to do anything. I don’t want you to get hurt,’”
she said in a Vogue video for Life in Looks. Rather than teaching her stunts, Chan’s team introduced Liu to juggling, a skill she struggled to master. She later reflected,
“Maybe that was their test to see if I could actually handle knives and other things,”
suggesting it was a subtle way to evaluate her readiness for more challenging stunt work.
Lucy Liu’s Growth as an Action Star
Even though she wasn’t permitted to learn Jackie Chan stunt training directly, Liu proved herself capable in subsequent roles. After Shanghai Noon, she became well-known for her action parts in popular franchises like Charlie’s Angels and Kill Bill, where she convincingly handled weapons and complex fight scenes with skill and confidence.
The Impact of Liu’s Role in Shanghai Noon on Her Career
Liu’s portrayal of Princess Pei Pei in Shanghai Noon caught the attention of director Quentin Tarantino, who later wrote the role of assassin O-Ren Ishii in the Kill Bill films specifically for her.
“He said, ‘Your role as Princess Pei Pei, like, it really moved me and it really connected me with you,’”
Liu recalled.
Bringing Style and Depth to Kill Bill’s O-Ren Ishii
In addition to acting, Liu helped shape the visual identity of her character O-Ren Ishii. Inspired by the clean, iconic look of John Travolta’s Vincent Vega and Samuel L. Jackson’s Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction, she influenced O-Ren’s costume design. Liu explained,
“For the first scene that you see O-Ren in, she’s in a black kimono with a white underneath the black kimono. And so that was representing, basically, Pulp Fiction.”
The Lasting Influence of Jackie Chan and Role Preparation
Although Jackie Chan did not personally provide stunt training, his protective stance allowed Liu to develop at her own pace, eventually becoming a formidable presence in action films. The experience with Chan’s team marked the beginning of her journey in physical roles, which expanded into critically acclaimed performances shaped by her dedication and unique style. Her evolution from a hesitant novice to an action icon highlights the significance of early mentorship and the lasting impact of roles like Princess Pei Pei on an actor’s career trajectory.
