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cradle 2 the grave - mark dacascos interview

Location: Jet, Mark D and jetli.com in the warming tent on the Set of Cradle 2 the Grave

Jetli.com: Were you aware that a lot of the fans on jetli.com originally generated a lot of the interest in you being in the film and did you have any message for the fans?

mark and mark in the warming tent

Mark D.: I had no idea. Actually, Jet and Beaver told me about it and I had no idea there was that interest, but I am very honored. I've seen Jet Li's website before and I'm a real fan.

Jet: He's the manager. He created it.

Mark D.: Oh, you did the website?

Jet: Yeah .. he created it.

Mark D.: It's amazing!

Jet: Yeah ?he created the website for me.

Mark D.: It's beautiful.

Jetli.com: Thanks.

Mark D.: Even the people who do my website said "man, Jet's is Huge!". My friends Susie and Jarrett created mine and they told me to check it out. I was blown away. It's user friendly, it's in all these different languages ?you really did a great job.

Jetli.com: Thanks.

"I've been watching Jet since Shaolin Temple ...

Mark D.: So, yeah, I had no idea about the fan interest until Beaver and Jet told me. I am so thankful. Thank you Jet Li fans! I've been watching Jet since Shaolin Temple, that was the first movie I saw him in, and I've been watching him ever since.

Jetli.com: That's sort of the second question which is What previous experience do you have with Jet Li and were you familiar with him and his work?

Mark D.: The first movie I saw him in was Shaolin Temple. I was a teenager when I saw that film. Since my teenage years there have been three people whom I think about almost every time I train. They are Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. And the thing about ?(looks over at Jet) .. is it weird that I'm talking about him while he's here?

Jet: (laughs) I'll go outside.

Mark D.: (laughs) Cause I don't want to embarrass you.

Jet walks out of the tent chuckling.

Mark D.: The thing about Jet is ?you know Bruce Lee is fantastic. Jackie Chan - fantastic. Jet Li - fantastic, but Jet is not only fantastic in movies, he was an actual athlete in competition. So when I think of great people in sports, you know you think of Michael Jordan, you think of Kelly Slater, world champion surfer. Michael Jordan, Kelly Slater, Tiger Woods ?Jet Li. Because they are athletes. He's got an athletic career that was amazing. In wushu ?untouchable.

"He's got an athletic career that was amazing."

And then he's got this movie career. As far as athletes and actors I don't know of anyone that has reached the pinnacle of success in both spectrums. Like Tiger Woods is amazing, and Bruce Lee is amazing, but Jet did the competition thing and he did the movie thing. You know what I mean? It's mind boggling. So needless to say I'm a fan of Jet's as an athlete. Just as a straight athlete-martial artist.

And then I love his movies, and I have to tell you, I'd never met him before. I was really hoping that he was a good guy -- a nice guy. And I have to say that it's been fantastic.

Well, for example, when we were doing our fight scene on the first day, we're doing our fight ... and I was nervous. There's a move where I'm supposed to evade from a punch crouching down. And Jet thought it didn't look cool enough for my character. And I'm fighting him and kicking him and he didn't think it looked cool enough. So he gave me this move -- instead of crouching down I'm now BAP! (simulates some movements) moving this way so his punch is going like this and then throwing a round kick to his head -- and it's one of my favorite moves!

Photo Courtesey of Mark Dacascos

Because, for one, he showed me himself, directly. And two, it makes the character look so cool. Jet's throwing a punch -- and we all know he's fast -- and he's throwing a punch and he taught me how to evade his own punch. Now he's coming and I go "whoosh" "bop!" and I kick and it makes my character look so cool. And you know for another actor to do that on camera, you have to be very secure with yourself and very gracious. And I just thought that was so cool. That he was so giving.

So as far as a fan? I was a fan before - I'm even a bigger fan now. As a person - as a human being I'm a fan. And I'm so happy about that. (laughs)

Read Part 2 of this interview

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