“I am the Obelix of kung

The three Idefix… very “mutt” actors! **Photo DR.**

He fell into it when he was very young: “I am the Obelix of kung fu.” For Hoang Nghi, Kung-fu is his whole life. Trained by his father, master Hoang Nam, a pioneer of this discipline in France.

After an incredible career in competition, the Antibois entered the world of cinema in 1997. And since then, he has been touring regularly. Understudy of Jet Li, Mike Tyson’s fight choreographer in the cinema, he has forged a sacred reputation in the 7th art. Meeting with the man who charmed Guillaume Canet in Asterix and Obelix, the Middle Kingdom. As a kung-fu/tai-chi adviser, actor coach, but also in the small role of Ramoli!

Asterix, is it a long story?

Oh yes. 20 years ago, I went to see Alain Chabat in Paris for Mission Cléopâtre to perform Jamel Debbouze’s stunts. Unfortunately, I was not chosen, I was disgusted! Twenty years later, I meet Guillaume Canet, of whom I am a fan. We talked for twenty minutes, we shook hands and he said to me: “The job is for you!”.

An adventure that began at the end of 2019?

In December, then I went to Paris in January to shoot the previz to propose our stunts to the director. I was a kung fu adviser. Guillaume Canet validated quickly! The story ends on March 14 with confinement…before the film resumes at the end of 2020.

From February 1 to July 2021, I was in Paris to take care of the kung-fu and tai-chi choreography, with in particular my stunt students from my school in Antibes. I was also a coach of Asian actors with physical preparation, kung-fu technique, position work, looks, speed, etc. I even have a small role with a sentence…which was cut during editing. The shooting lasted 75 days out of the 6 months of presence!

Your film debut?

It was in 1997 for Ronin, with Robert de Niro and Jean Reno in Nice, as a stuntman. Initially, I had sent 1,000 CVs, received 20 responses, all negative! Then Canal + contacted me to participate in a parody of Karl Zéro for Le Vrai Journal, and then I chained the shootings. Today I’m over 100 shoots with movies, commercials, music videos, etc.

Your last shoot?

An advertisement in Marseille for H & M, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic!