Michael Jai White has done some fighting in movies like Spawn, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and Exit Wounds, but he really shows what he can do in Blood and Bone, premiering on DVD. Later this year, he stars as Black Dynamite in the retro ‘70s spoof. We talked to Michael Jai White about both films and his regular martial arts practices. 

Crave Online: Was there a point where you thought it’s time to do your own vehicles? 

Michael Jai White: Oh yeah. It’s been something that I’ve been engineering for quite a while. For that purpose, one of the reasons why I’ve chosen to do films overseas like in China and Japan, the master plan was to be able to be global. I think there’s an overseas market that really respects the old way of moviemaking, the martial arts and what have you, the straight up action films. Somewhat of the Hollywood way has been a lot of formula, so the way I wanted to look at it is try to create movies that are universal. 

Crave Online: Do you choreograph your own fights? 

Michael Jai White: Pretty much, yes. Pretty much because it’s very difficult for a choreographer who doesn’t know your movements. If they don’t know your style, the things that kind of fit you, it’s difficult. Sometimes I’ve done things in China where everybody’s half my size and they’ll choreograph things that were meant for a little guy that doesn’t look right for a bigger guy. It would look right if I got four guys who are much bigger than me, which is always a difficult situation. 

Crave Online: How do you choreograph with the other fighters and their different styles? 

Michael Jai White: Well, if you notice, I’m pretty much the smallest guy I fight in Blood and Bone. I try to balance it out. It’s pretty simple, I guess. It’s no different than any other fight scenes. It’s probably a lot easier because I speak a language that other fighters speak. There’s a lot of things that stunt guys don’t necessary comprehend as well so there are times where I can go and do a fight scene with a fighter and I can tell them to throw anything out me. If I know his timing, I know basically where I say, “Well, okay, one of your left hooks, I’m going to duck under and I’m just going to counter it. Just expect a counter to the ribcage.” Basically, that’s all I have to tell him. But now if it were just an actor or a stuntman, they may not be able to do that. It’s kind of, there are strengths and weaknesses either way you go. There’s like two different languages that are going on but it’s pretty easy. It’s almost like what we do in our spare time. It’s like playing. 

Crave Online: Is it important to take a few punches and not be the invincible guy? 

Michael Jai White: Sure, but I think the most important thing is being realistic. Now, say somebody’s a well trained martial artist. I don't know if you’re a fan of MMA but some of the more well trained martial artists don’t really get hit. If you’ve got somebody who’s studied martial arts for years and he’s fighting a bunch of thugs, well, it probably is a little difficult for those thugs to really land on a seasoned fighter. But if he’s fighting another seasoned fighter, that’s probably where he’d receive the most damage.