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Iko Uwais: Star Wars Galactic Gangster
Martial arts star Iko Uwais is relieved and excited
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Martial arts star Iko Uwais is relieved and excited. He no longer has to keep his role in the much-anticipated film Star Wars: The Force Awakens a secret.
In the seventh Star Wars sequel, which hits theaters on Friday, the characters Iko and fellow silat stars Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman play members of the notorious intergalactic criminal Kanjiklub Gang.
'It has been incredibly hard to keep this project a secret,' Iko told the The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, a day after a limited screening was held in Jakarta. 'But they [the producers] trusted me to take part in this and I had to keep their trust.'
He only shared the secret with his wife, singer Audy Item, moments before he flew to the UK for filming.
Iko said he felt deeply honored that director JJ Abrams asked him to take part in the movie. He saw previous Star Wars movies as a child.
'Star Wars is more than just a film. It is a cinema tradition in the US and the world. And now, Indonesian actors have been trusted to be involved in it.'
During the week-long filming, Abrams also entrusted Iko and Yayan to choreograph some movements.
'He [Abrams] is so kind. After every take, he approached us to talk and make sure no one had been hurt,' said the 34-year-old star, adding that he also had a great time chatting with Han Solo actor Harrison Ford on set.
The filming also provided Iko a valuable chance to exchange knowledge with international martial artists and to do all the action scenes using state-of-the-art slings and other stunt gear.
Star Wars producers strictly applied confidentiality measures, leaving Iko and other cast members with limited knowledge of the storyline. Even in his copy of the script, the characters were identified only as Rocker 1 and Rocker 2.
'To be honest, I did not know the whole plot. They gave me a few pages of the script, which I had to return every day. Those entering the set had to seal the camera lenses on their smartphones.'
At first, Iko had difficulties with his black Kanjiklub costume. The wardrobe team had to tailor smaller costumes to fit Iko and his fellow actors.
'The suit is iconic but it was difficult to do complex, aggressive movements while wearing it. As a result, I made some adjustments to the movements.'
After months of waiting, Iko finally got to watch The Force Awakens in Jakarta. 'My scene looked incredible but was briefer than I thought it would be,' he said.
Will the Kanjiklub Gang appear in the next edition of the story?
'I don't know. I hope the producers and director will trust me again to play the role. I hope they give the character a bigger part,' he smiled.
But the time of being secretive is not over with Star Wars in theaters.
Iko, who rose to stardom after his role in the critically acclaimed The Raid, is rumored to be involved in other major projects.
To the Post, Iko mentioned Mile 22, in which he will star alongside Mark Wahlberg and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Ronda Rousey. Filming, which has not been scheduled yet, will take place in Jakarta and surrounding areas.
Mile 22, directed by Peter Berg, promises thrilling action in which Iko's silat and Rousey's judo-influenced fighting style meet.
Iko said he cannot wait to start his collaboration with the UFC champion. 'When I met her in Los Angeles, I saw how focused she was in preparing herself for the championship. She is a real fighter.'
Iko will also share the screen with American actor Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Purge: Anarchy) in Beyond Skyline, the sequel to the 2010 alien invasion thriller Skyline.
His collaboration with The Raid director Gareth Evans will continue in gangster film Blister. He will also play the role of a man haunted by his past in the Mo Brothers' action flick Headshot.
Between his packed filming schedule, for the moment Iko plans to immerse himself in the Star Wars merchandising craze. He has a good reason for that.
'We didn't expect our characters, the Kanjiklub Gang, to be made into Lego figures. I will definitely buy them!'
