Star Wars: How A Rogue One Star Changed His Character For The Better

gamerant.com:

Donnie Yen's Chirrut Îmwe was the standout character for many viewers in 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story thanks to his often scene-stealing qualities. But it turns out he was almost a much more generic role that likely wouldn't have gotten nearly the amount of praise he ended up with. Fans who loved him can thank Yen for much of that.

While few expected Rogue One to spawn something as incredible as Andor, much of that confusion came from audiences wondering why Diego Luna's character of Cassian Andor was the one to get his own spinoff. To some, it would have made more sense to star someone like Yen in his Chirrut role, given how popular the character became. But despite the unexpectedly high quality of Andor and fans' newfound appreciation for Luna's fledgling rebel, Chirrut still holds a place in the hearts of many a Star Wars faithful. But how much of that reverence is due to Yen's influence?

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In an interview with GQ, Yen recently spoke about how he's been dealing with stereotypical typecasting throughout his career due to his ethnicity. One such instance was Chirrut Îmwe, who started as «just the same generic martial arts warrior.» But the Hong Kong actor had some suggestions for the character right from the start. «One thing I pointed out is he was a stereotype,» Yen explained. «Typical master. Doesn't smile.» GQ then clarified that «it was Yen who suggested making the character blind, and gave him a sense of humor, improvising jokes on the set—and, in turn, turning an otherwise straight cliché into the soul of the movie.»

This is a big discovery, as Chirrut added so much to Rogue One that it's difficult to imagine the film without his wit and