Michelle Yeoh has been omitted from the movie completely Jet Li's latest martial arts epic Fearless, due to the film's being shortened by 40 minutes. 

 

Fearless was originally about two and a half hours in length, but after small test screenings, several professionals in the field suggested shortening it. They felt the movie was a little wordy and advised deletion of an Olympic, seen as not so central to the movie's theme.

 

Michelle Yeoh played an Olympic Committee official in the movie. Jet Li especially incorporated the role into the story because he wishes Chinese Kung Fu to be added as a formal sport in the Olympic Games. He intended to show the extensive and profound art of Chinese Kong Fu in the movie originally, which started early and ran a long course in the film's original length.

 

With the much more lean Fearless now less than two hours, Michelle Yeoh doesn't hold a single screen frame in the movie. Some martial arts scenes involving Jet Li were omitted as well. Because of the deletion, Jet Li went to Hong Kong especially to say sorry to Michelle Yeoh, and the actress expressed her understanding regarding the omission and says that she is still willing to co-star with Jet Li next time.

 

 

(CRI January 13, 2006)