Transporting Jason Statham

By: Chris Wyatt
Date: Thursday, October 17, 2002

Actor Jason Statham was interested in playing the lead role in Fox's THE TRANSPORTER even before reading the script.

"Luc Besson... That's all I needed to know," says Statham. "I was sold before they told me anything about the film. I found out I was going to have the chance to work with Besson, who I consider a master, and I was in all the way."

Statham remembers watching and loving Besson films since he was young while living in his native England.

"I think Besson is an inspiration to everyone in the European film community," remarks Statham. "He's one of the reasons we keep working."

This time around Besson, helmer of cult favorites like LA FEMME NIKITA, LEON (a.ka. THE PROFESSIONAL), and THE FIFTH ELEMENT, wasn't taking the director's chair. Instead Besson co-wrote and co-produced THE TRANSPORTER, much like he did for last year's Jet Li piece, KISS OF THE DRAGON.



"Luc has big dreams and big visions," comments Statham. "He has a style that you want to absorb and you want to emulate. Even when he isn't directing, he makes his influence felt. He was on set all the time and he would meet with me. He takes a personal interest."

Of course, like Besson, Statham has had his own chance to make a mark on the European film community. His performance in British auteur Guy Ritchie's breakout success LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS took the EC, and the U.S. for that matter, by storm.

Since then Statham has teamed with Ritchie on two other films, 2000's SNATCH and 2001's MEAN MACHINE. But aside from being a collaborator, Statham is also Ritchie's hometown friend.

"Oh yeah, me and him... we're still mates," assures Statham. "I see him whenever I can. If we're in the same town we go to the gym together. We're definitely planning on working together again some time in the future. He's a great director."

On THE TRANSPORTER Statham's director is Hong Kong martial arts master Corey Yuen. By an odd stroke of fate, THE TRANSPORTER wasn't the first time that Statham and Yuen had worked together. Yuen, who frequently works with Jet Li, was the fight coordinator on Li's film THE ONE... which co-starred none other that Jason Statham.



"No, Corey didn't bring me in because we'd worked together on THE ONE. Luc brought me in. But it helped that Corey and I had worked together before. We already had a working relationship."

So with a French producer, a British actor, and a Chinese director, were there ever any communication problems on set? Statham says no.

"Of course Luc's English is perfect... but Corey's isn't. As strange as it sounds, it didn't matter though. We never had any trouble communicating. I recall a couple of times where we had to call in a translator, but that was it. The rest of the time we just got along fine with a word here or there, and gestures. This may be Corey Yuen's first Hollywood studio film, but you've got to remember that he's directed for many, many years in Hong Kong... so he has the experience."

Yuen's vision for the film included long takes and lots of medium and wide shots during the frequent fight scenes. Such an approach provides a realistic look to the action, but it also requires much more work from Statham. Long takes meant that the actor would have to perform his routines flawlessly for minutes at a time, while the wider shots meant that stunt doubling was rarely feasible.



"It was definitely the most intense action and the most intense training that I've ever experienced for a film," smiles Statham. "But I like challenges."

Statham wasn't entirely unprepared for the physical rigors of the film. After all, he used to be an Olympic diver.

"Yeah, I was a professional athlete, which helps," Statham explains. "It helps during the training, because it provides a background of discipline."

Heavy training aside, the actor had such a good time working with Besson and Yuen that he would absolutely do another project with either or both of them.

"The number one aspect of working on THE TRANSPORTER was the people. They're just great people."

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