The transcript below is from the video “Donnie Yen: “What I Truly Think of Bruce Lee” RARE INTERVIEW Giving Respect To #BruceLee” by Rare Videos by Javier Vargas TV!.

Donnie Yen:

When I was a teenager, I remember that time at a young age… You know my mom was a martial arts teacher, right? However, I was very naughty. I went around training in other styles. Then I watched Bruce Lee’s moves and became a fan. I was so young wearing those red training suits with a stripe here you know, and wearing black sunglasses… made my own nunchaku and tucked it in the back of my socks. Back then, socks were paired up high right? So I tucked it in there snuggly. I made my own nunchaku with a broomstick. I still remember a broomstick. There were two kinds, one was 12 inches and the other 14. Then I would get some wire, drill two holes and get a rope to string the sticks together, or get a screw, a nut, and a bolt to secure it. I had two nunchakus tucked into my knee-high socks.

Reporter:

What kind of pants did you wear?

Donnie Yen:

WTF not telling… Then I was 12 or 13 years old. At 12, I was already pretending to be Bruce Lee. At school, kids were calling me Bruce Lee. I’m wearing the black sunglasses and… Yep, black sunglasses. I was pretending you see. Pretending to be Bruce Lee and give the impression that I can’t be bullied, you see? So then…

Reporter:

Would you get into fights?

Donnie Yen:

Of course. Back then it was all about intimidation. Yes. In America. So… I’d go to Chinatown and buy those Chinese outfits buttoned up to here with the matching pants and Kung Fu slippers. Bought those large black sunglasses and went to shool pretending to be Bruce Lee. Really scared people like they saw a ghost. I’m serious! Like they saw a ghost! Really, they were so scared! They’d say, “Oh, it’s Bruce Lee!” Then I’d do this… At that time, I was very scared. And every night before going to bed, I would train and train.

Reporter:

Is your Enligh name, Bruce Lee?

Donnie Yen:

Well, no it’s not WTF. I had it changed when registering my name hah.

Reporter:

Are you a collector too?

Donnie Yen:

Back then I did. Had all the books and all lost. Teenager you know. One point in my life, of course, I was a huge fan of Bruce Lee but then after my mind already absorbed in martial arts would change. Then it was back full circle. Training with family, but finally returning full circle, I still identified best with Bruce Lee’s set of philosophies. Not to mention his films…