Tony Jaa, the thrice star of Ong Bak has announced that he is going to quit movies and join a monestary to become a monk. I believe the Thai equivilent of “take this job and shove it was used” but that is just hearsay.
At one point Tony Jaa was the most exciting martial arts star on the planet. Then he became a big weird joke. And now he’s done. Twitchfilm is reporting that Tony Jaa has quit filmmaking and become a monk in Thailand.
This doesn’t necessarily mean his career is at an end, though. Twitch points out that it’s not uncommon in Thai culture to take some time to join a monastery, and Jaa could eventually leave the religious life and return to kicking ass in movies, but it’s unlikely that this will happen any time soon.
I enjoyed seeing this exciting athlete do his thing on screen, but he has had a bit of a downward spiral. Maybe joining a monestary will help him find some sort of focus and stability. It was rumoured that during the filming of Ong Bak 2, Jaa lost his shit Bale style and spent two months studying black magic… honest – that’s the rumour.
And Ong Bak 3 is already a reported failure in Thailand, so it might have been the straw that broke his nerve sending him off to gather his thoughts and center himself.
I think Tony Jaa is a great martial artist whose potential to become a recognized and reputable action star needs a sense of direction and change.
As those before me have pointed out, he needs to collaborate with people that can depend to elevate his status as well as develop his acting abilities, presence and persona.
I thnk Tony Jaa is a Great Actor but the Ong Bak series is confusing even conflicting sort of.
I love the Asian Martial art’s ep
ic style film’s and I like his Epic ong bak 2 if that was part one, and part 3 is part 2
The story is truly an epic tale of the undying hero. Thailand’s Ancient culture is full of mystery’s I respect his spiritual quest and I think all the hater’s need to shut up or go to thailand and dis a thai but you better have some great insurance.
I really think Jaa Needs to set His sites to the west. not necessarily The US. but somewhere aside from thailand.
He needs to deal with real deal directors and not direct it himself. and needs an acting coach. he needs to do
something outside of his comfort zone. outside of thailand!
I didn’t know there was an Ong Bak 3. Friend of mine picked up Ong Bak 2 on DVD and it was so hard to watch. we literally just fast forward the film to watch the fight scenes, which were fantastic. But considering how the first Ong Bak isn’t a great movie, though watchable…2 (and I’m sure 3 will be) was a major let down. The Protector was the same. Amazing fight sequences but the film was really weak. He should just go to another country and he should stop being the creative force behind his films. His stunt team make great fight scenes, but he’s definitely a weak director.
There goes my #1 top choice for Lui Kang in a Mortal Kombat movie series reboot.
I always thought he would have made a nice import- be it HK cinema or even a crossover into the states (I’ll accept him as Shang Chi, for example where he could mix Kung Fu with Muay Thai or hold out and see if Stallone’s upcoming film hits, then show up in Expendables 2…or be in the next Jet Li action film.)
But if this what Jaa wants, to regroup and get balanced, more power to him.
yea he really should’ve done some movies elsewhere. Ong Bak 3 looked like complete shit.
i loved his movie The Protector.
It really didnt have a good plot but the ass kickin throught the movie was BAD ASS!
hopefully he finds himself…
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Being a huge fan of Asian Cinema myself, I can say I love everything that Tony Jaa brings to a film, but I thought it was a huge mistake to keep filming in Thailand. Other than his fantastic prowess for stunts, his movies have been horrid. I was really hoping he would move to Hong Kong and start filming there.
I havent heard anything of this yet regarding his monkhood, I’ll have to start doing some searches.