How did you come up with the idea for this script—to combine soccer and Kung Fu?
Well to make an action Kung Fu film is always my dream and what's always in my mind is-how can you make it new and make it different from the many others. Using Kung Fu to combine with any other element is the one of the main topic we're always thinking abut. And I think soccer fit with the martial art because in a soccer game that—if you think of the soccer player—they use every part of the body. They use the head, and they use the hand, and the body, and they kick, so I think soccer is just perfect with Kung Fu.

I've read that you usually cast your friends in your movies. Did you do the same for Shaolin Soccer? Did you use any real soccer players?
The Shaolin brothers in the film are mostly untrained newcomers; actually they are people from the office! So they are NOT soccer players. The fat guy is my scriptwriter, the stockbroker guy is my production manager and the goalkeeper was the dance instructor for the “Michael Jackson” dance number before I recruited him to play a Bruce Lee look-alike goalie. (It was perfect because we had to put him in the Game of Death costume and the goalie is the one who can wear a special uniform). In terms of finding talent, I try to bring out the funniest thing I notice about them during casting, if it made us laugh at the casting, it will also do on the big screen.

Did you play soccer prior to this movie?
I don't really play but I watch the game everyday on the TV so— I myself—I'm not a soccer player but I—of course, I can kick the ball, but (laughs) I'm not qualified for that. I played a long time ago when I was student in primary school and I play soccer for like a year. That's it.

How long did you train before you started filming?
One year, but I was not really focused on the skill to play soccer—but training to shape up your body. you can have—like you fit enough to handle it and more like flexibility of your body.

I understand you do your own voiceover work—how and when did you learn to speak English?
This is first time and it's very difficult, but Miramax sent me an instructor to correct my pronunciations during the dubbing.

Photo courtesy of Miramax.