Hello, friends!
The Karate Kid, known as The Kung Fu Dream in China, is a 2010 martial arts drama film.
It stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan in lead roles. The film earned $359 million on a $40
million budget. Today you`ll see how actors of the movie The
Karate Kid have changed. You`ll know their original names and age. I will show you how
they looked then and what`s with them now, in 2021. Don`t forget to like and subscribe
to the channel. Let`s go!
Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) is an average 12-year-old boy, who was enjoying life in Detroit, Michigan.
He was about to start middle school. His mom's car factory gave her a job transfer, so she
and Dre had to move to China in 2010. Dre spent the time sleeping, talking, learning
to speak Mandarin Chinese and reading books in Chinese.
Cheng (Zhenwei Wang) was born in China and resides in Beijing. He started practicing
martial arts at the Fighting Dragons dojo at a young age and rose up the ranks to a
high-ranking member of the dojo with a black belt, becoming an extremely skilled fighter.
Throughout the film, Cheng continually harasses Dre and bullies him at school.
Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) is a Chinese maintenance man who becomes Dre's sifu. His son and wife
died in a car crash, he was distracted by an argument with his wife while they were
driving in his car, and they crashed, killing them, relentlessly driven by guilt for it.
Dre helped him with training for the Kung Fu tournament.
Sherry Parker (Taraji P. Henson) is Dre's caring mother. She may be strict at most times,
but she just wants what's best. Dre's father has passed away, so he moves with his mother
to China. Sherry is determined to help Dre and convince him that what she's doing is
for his own good. She encourages Dre when she sees him training with Mr. Han.
Master Li is the main antagonist of The Karate Kid. He is the owner and teacher of the Fighting
Dragons Kung Fu studio, which similar to the Cobra Kai dojo in the original trilogy, teaches
their students to break their opponent's bones and be absolutely merciless towards them at
all costs. Master Li was portrayed by actor Rongguang Yu.
Actor Luke Carberry played Harry. After completing Grade 9, Luke was 14 years old when Norwegian
director Harald Zwart approached him and offered him a small role in the movie The Karate Kid.
He applied for it and was looking forward to meeting and starring with actors Jaden
Smith and Jackie Chan. He had never acted in a movie before.
Zhuang (Yi Zhao) is one of Cheng's friends and also studies with him in martial arts
school. Zhuang and his friends are not purely malicious, unpleasant, cunning, evil and pitiless
at heart. As Mr. Han tells Dre, there are no bad students – only bad teachers. Instead,
they are taught to be spiteful, unkind, loathsome by Master Li.
Liang is seen with Cheng throughout the film. He also attended martial arts school. In the
beginning of the film, when Liang first appears, he is seen to be quite rude, obnoxious, disrespectful,
uncomplimentary and vituperative. At that time in the film he was 11, now he is 22.
Liang was portrayed by actor Shijia Lü.
Meiying's Mom is a minor character in the film. She appears only a few times and for
a short time, when she brings Meiying to school for a music audition. Her age in the film
is 45 years old, now she is 56. Meiying's Mom was portrayed by chinese actress Zhiheng
Wang.
History Teacher is a minor character. She only appears in the film once when she brings
Dre Parker, Meiying, Cheng and other students on an excursion. At that period of time she
was 30, now – 41. History Teacher was portrayed by chinese film producer Tess Du Cray.
Meiying's Dad appears in the film only a few times. He picks up Meiying when she walks
with Dre Parker. Dad takes her to the music section for audition. Despite the fact that
Dre is of different nationality, Meiying's Dad treated Dre Parker well when he came to
Meiying's house and read poetry. Meiying's Dad was portrayed by actor Zhensu Wu.
Dre, dismayed, observed his friends and relatives in Detroit waving goodbye (while taking a
taxi to the airport). Among them was the best high school Dre's Detroit Friend, this was
his only appearance in the film. At that time he was 11, now he is 22. Dre's Detroit Friend
was portrayed by actor Jared Minns.
Music Instructor, is a school teacher who teaches Meiying music. In The Karate Kid he
appears only a few times when Meiying plays the violin and at the time of audition by
the commission. He was portrayed by Harry Van Gorkum – a British actor living in the
United States, where he has appeared in more than eighty films since 1989.
Ping Pong Man minor character in the film, appears at the beginning of the movie. His
role is short, but instructive. He taught Dre Parker a lesson not only by beating him
at table tennis, but also showed that you don't have to be a cocky braggart. Ping Pong
Man was portrayed by Geliang Liang. By the way, in real life Geliang Liang is a master
of sports in table tennis.
Meiying is a talented and cute Chinese girl who plays the violin well. Dre Parker liked
her, so they had a mutual sympathy from the first day of Dre at the new school. But Meiying
also liked Cheng, that’s why Cheng and his friends mocked Dre Parker trying to show that
he was a weak. Meiying was portrayed by Wenwen Han.
Mrs. Po is the director of the Chinese school Dre Parker began to attend. Strict and fair
Mrs. Po saved Dre from being bullied and beaten by Cheng several times with her friends. At
that time in the film she was 47 years old, and now 58. Mrs. Po was portrayed by chinese
actress Ji Wang.
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