Movies - TV
Tony Jaa Was Vin Diesel's 'Lucky Charm' On The Set
Of XXX
By JEREMY SMITH
Ever since making his bone-bruising debut in the relentlessly entertaining “Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior,” Tony Jaa's presence in a movie means fans are in for full-tilt martial arts combat that's exhilarating to watch. This is why Vin Diesel insisted on casting Jaa in “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” as Diesel viewed his Thai co-star as essential to the success of the movie.
Jaa revealed to HeyUGuys, “[Diesel] said, ‘Oh Tony, you're a lucky charm. You're a lucky charm, you know? You're lucky, you make me lucky!’ Charm, yeah. I think it's like a sibling's connection. The same idea. We have the same idea. That is, how to make a movie entertaining for the audience, for the young generation. Make people excited, make people happy.”
Jaa was moved enough by Diesel's effusiveness that he signed on for a role in “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” as Donnie Yen's top lackey. It's a disappointingly limp movie given the combined martial arts talents of Yen and Jaa, but the film was a hit globally and expanded Jaa's audience. Jaa is set to bring his combat expertise to “The Expendables 4” on September 22, 2023.