"THE GREEN HORNET" SPARKS RACIAL DEBATE WITH STAR JAY CHOU

Still from The Green Hornet 3-D

With the Promotional Vehicle now in high gear for The Green Hornet 3-D, in theatres this Friday, Director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are getting an opportunity to respond to criticisms.

One name in the Cast, 31 year-old Jay Chou might be unfamiliar to many of us in North America but in Chinese-speaking Asia, the Actor who plays Kato, is a mega-star. First seen on the Big Screen here in Zhang Yimou's The Curse of the Golden Flower released in 2006,  Chou got his break in the late '90s when he was discovered by a Television Host in Taiwan named Jacky Wu, who was so touched he cried listening to Chou sing and play the Piano.

Chou shot to fame v. quickly in 2000 with his signature sound of R&B-inspired Pop, eventually selling over 28 million albums. So really, Acting is more of a side-gig for Chou.  He has even tried his hand at Directing too back in his native Taiwan.

Sitting down to chat with Ned Ehrbar from Metro World News recently, Director Gondry admits, "People criticized us that we took a real Chinese actor - actually he's from Taiwan - to have a bigger market.... David Carradine played Kung Fu, which was supposed to be played by Bruce Lee. But they didn't want him because he was too Chinese. And here we took a real Chinese actor and people still complain."

Fortunately times have changed and in this upcoming adaptation, Kato's character has been updated from his original incarnation, which saw Lee more in a Servant-type role.  Chou's Kato promises to be more that of a Sidekick.

Although Critics so far aren't loving The Green Hornet 3-D in early reviews to surface, will you be it this Friday?  Sony Pictures seems to have high hopes for it opening it in 3,500 theatres.