The
“Birth
of the Dragon” Interview
with
Kam Williams
Martial
Arts Master Expounds on Playing Playing the Legendary Bruce Lee
Based
in Hong Kong, Philip Ng is a martial arts master who works in film
and television as an actor, action director and fight choreographer.
Trained in Ving Tsun kung fu [Wing Chun], he is a 6th generation
disciple of Choy Li Fut kung fu. Among his previous film credits are
Wild City, Zombie Fight Club, Sifu vs. Vampire, The Man from Macau,
Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, Young and Dangerous: Reloaded and Naked
Soldier.
Philip immigrated to the United States from his
native Hong Kong at the age of 7, then beginning his martial arts
training under the supervision of his father, sifu [teacher] Sam Ng
[a 5th generation practitioner of the Choy Li Fut system]. Later, to
further his martial arts education, he traveled back to Hong Kong and
became a student of sifu Wong Shun Leung, who trained him in Ving
Tsun kung fu tirelessly until his untimely passing in
1997.
Returning to the U.S, Philip earned his Master’s
degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, during which
time his training and sparring with other martial stylists gained him
skills in the arts of jujitsu, eskrima, and Western boxing. He
continues to spread his mentor's teachings with the help of his
father through the Ng Family Chinese Martial Arts Association.
In
addition to his work in film and television, Philip has written
articles for various national and international martial arts
periodicals, and he also serves as an official for national and
international martial arts competitions. Here, he talks about making
his North American film debut as Bruce Lee in Birth of the Dragon, a
biopic about the legendary martial arts icon.
Kam
Williams: Hi
Philip, thanks for the interview.
Philip
Ng:
Thank
you, Kam.
KW:
What interested you in Birth
of the Dragon?
PN:
The
fact that it's a kick-ass kung fu movie inspired by the real life
event of Bruce Lee's challenge match against Wong Jack Man. While the
outcome is still debated, the fight definitely gave Bruce the impetus
to further evolve his fighting method and training methodologies. The
events leading up to, including, and after the said fight cumulate in
an entertainingly-romanticized kung fu fable that still manages to be
true to the spirit of who Bruce Lee is, cinematically.
KW:
Which
do you admire more about Bruce Lee, his martial arts prowess or his
movie career?
PN:
I
believe
Bruce Lee placed martial arts first in his life, and everything else
branched off from his passion for it. Being a martial artist first,
I've always found his ideas regarding the martial arts to be
revolutionary and proven correct repeatedly with the advent of MMA
and other similar combat sports that continue to illustrate the
realities of combat and the best strategies for success that he had
advocated over four decades ago. In terms of film, Bruce paved the
way for all of us martial arts actors the world over. He took a
revolutionary step in martial arts choreography by making a shift to
something more like an actual fight while keeping the movements
stylized enough to be entertaining, cinematically.
KW:
How did
you prepare to play the role? Did you watch all of his films?
PN:
I would
say I've been unwittingly preparing to play him my whole life. My
extreme interest in and curiosity about the legendary Bruce Lee and
his ideas encouraged me to read all of his available writings and to
watch all available footage of him. I have trained Wing Chun
extensively with his instructor [Wong Shun Leung] under Grandmaster
Ip Man. Plus, having worked in the action movie industry in Hong Kong
for the last 15 years as both an actor and martial arts choreographer
on over 35 film and television productions afforded me not only the
skill set to confidently film a kung fu movie, I have also worked
with many people who were close with Bruce and shared with me many of
their anecdotes. After being selected to play him, I began preparing
by specifically studying his speech patterns and how he moved while
not engaged in combat, as I was already familiar with the way he
moved when he fought.
KW:
What
was harder to get down, his personality or his fighting style.
PN:
I'm
pretty comfortable with filming onscreen combat, since I've been
doing that professionally in Hong Kong for the last decade and a
half. So, merging what was written and what I had been preparing to
do justice to his cinematic personality was the greater of the two
challenges.
KW:
You
started studying martial arts at an early age. Did you have an icon
who inspired you back then?
PN:
Outside
of people I watch on film, the ones that really inspired me were the
people who actually taught me, hands-on, and guided into the martial
arts world.
KW:
You
have done stunt work, choreographed fights and acted. Which is your
favorite?
PN:
That's
like comparing apples and oranges. But, at the same time, they're
just different cogs in the same engine. I like performing and also
like designing the performance.
KW:
What
message do you want people to take away from Birth
of the Dragon?
PN:
See
with your eyes and not with your ears
KW:
Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: With so many classic films being redone,
is there a remake you'd like to star in?
PN:
[Jackie Chan's] Drunken
Master.
KW:
Ling-Ju Yen asks: What
is your earliest childhood memory?
PN:
I
don't remember.
I
almost remember holding my baby sister on my lap in Hong Kong when I
was 3, but I'm not really sure if it's an actual memory or something
I remembered from a photo.
KW:
Was
there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?
PN:
I am
Christian, and attend church as regularly as my work schedule allows.
KW:
Who
loved you unconditionally during your formative years?
PN:
My mother
and father. They still do.
KW:
What is your favorite dish to cook?
PN:
Stuffed
eggplant with black bean gravy. My mom's recipe's the bomb.
KW:
Sherry
Gillam would like to know what is the most important life lesson
you've learned so far?
PN:
Forgiveness frees your soul.
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
PN:
Not much other than what I wear. I am a
pretty consistent version of myself, if I'm in the right mood.
KW:
When
you look in the mirror, what do you see?
PN:
A
kung fu nerd living out his kung fu movie-making dreams.
KW:
What's
the craziest thing you've ever done?
PN:
Quit
my regular job and moved to Hong Kong 15 years ago to make kung fu
movies.
KW:
If you
could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
PN:
Peace
on Earth.
KW:
What is
your guiltiest pleasure?
PN:
I don't
recall partaking in a pleasure that I felt guilty about.
KW:
Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone
would? And please answer the question.
PN:
I can't
think of one at the moment.
KW:
Larry
Greenberg asks: Do you have a favorite movie monster?
PN:
Old
school Godzilla.
KW:
Judyth
Piazza asks: What key quality do you believe all successful people
share?
PN:
Perseverance.
KW:
What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your
footsteps?
PN:
First,
know what skill sets are required to succeed, then succeed in
learning and mastering those skill sets.
KW:
The
Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
PN:
As
someone who had a hand in telling more than a few entertaining
stories and bringing awareness to the honest nature of combat
sciences.
KW:
Finally,
Samuel L. Jackson asks: What’s in your wallet?
PN:
My
Hong Kong Stuntman Association membership card and a fistful of Hong
Kong currency.
KW:
Thanks
again for the time, Philip, and best of luck with the film.
PN:
My
pleasure, Kam. Thank you for the interview.
