Summary

Karate Kid: Legends is now playing in theaters, uniting Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio on screen for the first time as their iconic characters train Li Fong, played by Ben Wang.

In an interview with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, Wang discuss how the Montreal weather posed tougher challenges than fighting Chan, and teases his role in the upcoming The Hunger Games prequel.

Macchio discusses valuing truth to portray genuine character growth, while Chan emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and passing on knowledge.

Karate Kid: Legends is uniting generations of martial arts mastery with its theatrical run, bringing Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio together on screen for the first time as they reprise their roles as Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. Joining the legendary actors is rising star Ben Wang, who steps into the spotlight as Li Fong to lead the film as a new student being trained by two masters to face legacy — and destiny. Also joining the cast for the film are Joshua Jackson, Ming-Na Wen, Sadie Stanley, and Wyatt Oleff. In an interview with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, Chan, Macchio, and Wang discuss the challenges of bringing a team-up that fans of the franchise have been waiting over a decade for to the silver screen. Macchio also shares what he walked away from Karate Kid: Legends with, while Chan reflects on how he never stops learning as a performer and dives into what it means to want more Jackie Chans in the industry. Before wrapping up, Wang also teases his character in the upcoming The Hunger Games prequel film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Jackie Chan Was Challenging, But Montreal’s Weather Was Tougher

“Your brain shuts off …”

PERRI NEMIROFF: Ben, you’ve got a lot of physically and emotionally demanding scenes in this movie. Going into filming, which scene did you think was going to be the toughest for you, and ultimately, was it, or did a different scene catch you by surprise? BEN WANG: I thought any scene where I had to fight Jackie Chan would be pretty hard, and they were challenging, but Jackie’s such a great person to work with, and we had such a good stunt team that I actually didn’t lose as much sleep over those scenes. The stuff that was the hardest was just because we were shooting in Montreal in February, and it was supposed to be summer in the movie. So, when it’s three degrees outside, and you’re doing dialogue, your brain shuts off, and you start forgetting your lines. Those are honestly the toughest days, because the days when we’re doing action were so much fun. It was like it gave me energy. It was invigorating.
Ralph Macchio Shares What He Took Away From ‘Karate Kid: Legends’

“I’m always, always … looking for the genuine truth in all of this stuff.”

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Ralph and Jackie, both of your characters are teachers to Li in this movie, but I love how this franchise emphasizes that the learning goes both ways. Teachers can gain a lot from their students. What’s a particular thing that you think your character gains from training Li for the Five Boroughs? RALPH MACCHIO: Good question, Perri. I always expect them from you. It’s never easy, but they’re good! They’re really good. Seeing the kung fu and the karate scene, the dragon kick, or the big payoff at the end was something that obviously I marveled at because I’m not that kid anymore, nor could I have done that back in 1983, I don’t think. Thinking about it, we had a scene together, Ben and I, and most of it’s in the movie, some of it drifted away. That’s the scene when I hand him the headband, and I talk about what this meant to me, and how he received that as an actor. We were shooting that scene at 3:00 in the morning on a very long day, and it was a big, long sequence. If I gained something from a performance element in the character, it’s him receiving that lesson and receiving what it meant to Daniel LaRusso to have this piece that would represent the traditions and the legacy that he was passing on, and handing it over to him. It was a subtle acting moment, and that was truthful to me, and genuine, and I’m always, always — you’ve heard me for years now — looking for the genuine truth in all of this stuff.

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“There’s no way Johnny could have any of this without Daniel and Sensei Miyagi.”

Jackie Chan Never Stops Learning

The martial arts and Hollywood icon discusses passing on his knowledge and what he still has to gain from his castmates.

JACKIE CHAN: I have so many teachers teaching me on the set. Even directors and stunt coordinators. I know nothing because there were so many people teaching me [while] becoming Jackie Chan. So, when I’m becoming Jackie Chan, I want more Jackie Chans. I want, someday, you, [Ben], to become a Jackie Chan. So, on the set, I teach him what I know, and also I learn from him and learn from him, [Ralph], and learn from other people. I learn from my normal life! No matter how old you are, you keep learning. That’s my philosophy. I know something, I teach people. I don’t know, you teach me. I hope the Karate Kid movie, inside the story, inside the philosophy, the good message and good, positive energy can teach some other people. So, this is why it’s a good movie, from the first one until now. I believe Legends — one, two, three, four — could continue, where one day, when we are not here, the movies are still going on.
Ben Wang Teases His Character in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’

“He’s a contradiction.”

Image via Lionsgate

This last question builds on what you just said, Jackie. Ben, I’ve got very high hopes that you are going to go on to become an acting legend. You are in this franchise, which is a personal favorite, and, of course, you are now a member of the next Hunger Games ensemble, which I’m quite excited about. I love that book. What single quality of Wyatt’s are you most looking forward to digging into? WANG: Oh, there’s so many. What really excited me about that character in the first place is that he’s not what he seems. I think that’s part of the point of his character is that he’s seen by his community as one thing, but he’s another thing underneath. He’s a contradiction. He’s a logician, but he has a really big heart. He’s supposed to be cold and calculating, but he’s actually the person who does the most illogical and selfless thing. So, that’s what was exciting about that. I’ve got full faith you’re going to crush that role just like you did this one. Huge congratulations to all three of you. All good things your way always! CHAN: He’s a future Miyagi!

Karate Kid: Legends

Release Date

May 30, 2025

Runtime

94 minutes

Director

Jonathan Entwistle

Writers

Rob Lieber

Karate Kid: Legends is in theaters now. Get Tickets