Post by SamIAm on Jul 6, 2005 11:26:02 GMT -5
Article : Stars of « House of Flying Daggers » defy the reputations that preceded them
Author : Karman Tse
Date : 28 July 2004
Source : Channel News Asia
URL : www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/97958/1/.html
SINGAPORE : Andy Lau. Hong Kong's "Heavenly King" and media-savvy charmer blessed with the gift of the gab. Naturally, he's a dream-come-true for journalists.
Takeshi Kaneshiro. Temperamental Japanese heartthrob of extremely few quoteworthy quips. Quite a nightmare, really. Advertisement
Zhang Ziyi. Talented actress who rose to prominence in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and crossed into Hollywood with Rush Hour 2 across from Jackie Chan. Reputed bitch.
Meeting the superstar trio in Beijing recently on the press tour for House of Flying Daggers, I thought I was done for. The latter two are reputed to be devils, albeit in gorgeous disguise.
Kaneshiro-san would feed my recorder with his blase I-don't-knows, while bratty Zhang xiao-jie would stare daggers with her bonnie eyes.
Great ...
House of Flying Daggers, which opens in cinemas here tomorrow, is Zhang Yimou's latest film and only his second attempt at the wuxia (martial arts) genre, after Hero.
In the film, the "people's director" spins a tangled web of love, hatred and deceit.
"In this movie, you'll find truth within falsehood and plot within plot," Lau said.
No one is who he or she seems to be in this House. Cloaked in lies and multiple identities, the protagonists of Daggers - Leo (Lau), Jin (Kaneshiro) and Mei (Zhang) - are not what they seem.
And as it turned out, the same can be said of the three stars.
Engaging in theatrical discourse? Completely engaging ...
A pair of bright, animated eyes met mine when I entered the room where I was to meet Kaneshiro. The Japanese-Taiwanese idol's signature shoulder-length tresses were replaced by a spiky crop-top with cute sideburns.
He smiled. I surrendered.
Kaneshiro is drop-dead gorgeous all right. But an estranged "devil"? Nah!
"May I?" I asked as I laid my recorder on the coffee table between us.
"Sure," came Kaneshiro's first gentlemanly word to me. Many more followed.
"I say what I need to. Shouldn't I?" he asked, when told he was perceived to be tight-lipped.
And that's all he ever had to say, right?
Clearly, he had a great deal to say about Daggers, expounding generously his theories on the film and offering insights into the experience of making it, peppering the interview with charming, pensive looks and coy chuckles.
"This is my first Chinese wuxia movie and I'm happy for the opportunity to work with Zhang Yimou. I have learnt a lot from him," he said.
"I thought it was quite fun to be walking around in the period costume," he admitted, with a child-like grin.
The owner of this anime-perfect face was full of surprises up his blue sleeves.
When prompted about the chemistry between him and his co-stars, Kaneshiro volunteered this juicy bit on his love scenes with Zhang:
"We both knew very well what was going to happen. So we did what we had to and got over with it in two takes," he said with a smirk.
Swoon away, ladies.
"You just have to find out what exactly the director wants," he continued, chuckling away cheekily. "And ask him to demonstrate the scene!"
Kaneshiro, tight-lipped? Those lips were made for talking, baby.
Heavenly King who's hardly oh-so divine
Escorted by his entourage of minders, Lau appeared in the frame of the doorway as a glowing picture of elan. He ambled towards his hot seat to face the press.
But rather than settling in, Lau sat at the edge of his armchair, pointed over to the row of chairs on our side and asked his minder: "Shall I sit over there? We're too far apart, aren't we?"
He almost won me over with his gentlemanly ways. But there was the small matter of his argumentative forthrightness.
Where most movie stars in either Hong Kong or Hollywood films would gloss over and distract reporters from questions about questionable morals in their movies, Lau dealt with them straight on, for better or for worse.
While discussing the film, the conversation turned to love and fidelity, specifically whether he thought it was fine to wound a loved one if he or she decided to leave you, as one character does in the film.
"If you fully understand their relationship and where he's coming from, you wouldn't think that person is that wrong," said Lau.
"Go ask a hundred people if they would willingly let the person they love fall into the arms of another and they'll all think twice."
Lau turned serious, his smile (and halo) dimming, as he then challenged: "Let me ask you now, would you?"
Maybe not, but I'm not one to plunge a dagger into a straying ex's heart.
But what would Lau do if he had his heavenly feet in the same thorny shoes?
"Me? I would have walked away long ago. I'm not that silly," he laughed.
Neither is he very tolerant of silly people or mistakes, it would appear.
When another journalist remarked on how his character, Leo, had sacrificed his country for love, the actor leaned forward.
His eyes widened.
"The country? It was never about the country!" he spat, bristling with barely concealed indignation.
Honestly, I wasn't charmed, but I could see why he's a media darling. Lau's honesty is a welcome break from an industry of facades and slick PR schmoozers.
Goodbye testy diva (mental image), hello lovesome sweetheart
Casually clad in an off-shoulder black top and sporty white pants, matched with a big, warm smile, Zhang seemed every bit the girl-next-door.
Completely antithetical to the haughty, self-aggrandising, slut-on-the-corner she's been labelled as.
Spotting a familiar face among the journalists, the actress called out: "We've met, haven't we?"
They did, actually, back in Singapore some time back.
"It's been quite a while since I last visited Singapore. I miss the laksa!" she rattled on girlishly, laughing.
The moment passed quickly when a no-nonsense reporter interrupted her fond reminiscence, firing off a business-like and standard question: "Can you tell us about your character in Daggers?"
Zhang composed herself at once and assumed an air of professionalism with a soft, obedient "Okay".
It was hard not to warm up to her right there and then.
In her melodious Chinese twang, Zhang explained that her character, Mei, was a blind dancer at a brothel.
"I spent two months with a blind girl to prepare for this role. It was my very first concern," she said.
"I took her to a field full of flowers, where she used her nose, her hands and her body to feel and experience the surroundings. I taught her simple dance and martial arts moves and I observe how she mimicked them …
"I never realised how small the world really is to the blind," she said. "When you are robbed of the privilege of sight, you'll learn to use your heart. I held on to that feeling and gave my character its soul."
Wait, is this the same Zhang Ziyi we had all read about, clamouring to hang out with socialites and treating film crew with diva-esque contempt, a la J Lo?
Speaking with this beautiful, successful and eloquent actress, it was easy to see how she could be a target for some.
A bitch? Not Zhang Ziyi, not anymore - at least in my opinion.
Unless, like her character in the film, she has been having us on. In which case, what a fine performance! - TODAY
Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd
Author : Karman Tse
Date : 28 July 2004
Source : Channel News Asia
URL : www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/97958/1/.html
SINGAPORE : Andy Lau. Hong Kong's "Heavenly King" and media-savvy charmer blessed with the gift of the gab. Naturally, he's a dream-come-true for journalists.
Takeshi Kaneshiro. Temperamental Japanese heartthrob of extremely few quoteworthy quips. Quite a nightmare, really. Advertisement
Zhang Ziyi. Talented actress who rose to prominence in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and crossed into Hollywood with Rush Hour 2 across from Jackie Chan. Reputed bitch.
Meeting the superstar trio in Beijing recently on the press tour for House of Flying Daggers, I thought I was done for. The latter two are reputed to be devils, albeit in gorgeous disguise.
Kaneshiro-san would feed my recorder with his blase I-don't-knows, while bratty Zhang xiao-jie would stare daggers with her bonnie eyes.
Great ...
House of Flying Daggers, which opens in cinemas here tomorrow, is Zhang Yimou's latest film and only his second attempt at the wuxia (martial arts) genre, after Hero.
In the film, the "people's director" spins a tangled web of love, hatred and deceit.
"In this movie, you'll find truth within falsehood and plot within plot," Lau said.
No one is who he or she seems to be in this House. Cloaked in lies and multiple identities, the protagonists of Daggers - Leo (Lau), Jin (Kaneshiro) and Mei (Zhang) - are not what they seem.
And as it turned out, the same can be said of the three stars.
Engaging in theatrical discourse? Completely engaging ...
A pair of bright, animated eyes met mine when I entered the room where I was to meet Kaneshiro. The Japanese-Taiwanese idol's signature shoulder-length tresses were replaced by a spiky crop-top with cute sideburns.
He smiled. I surrendered.
Kaneshiro is drop-dead gorgeous all right. But an estranged "devil"? Nah!
"May I?" I asked as I laid my recorder on the coffee table between us.
"Sure," came Kaneshiro's first gentlemanly word to me. Many more followed.
"I say what I need to. Shouldn't I?" he asked, when told he was perceived to be tight-lipped.
And that's all he ever had to say, right?
Clearly, he had a great deal to say about Daggers, expounding generously his theories on the film and offering insights into the experience of making it, peppering the interview with charming, pensive looks and coy chuckles.
"This is my first Chinese wuxia movie and I'm happy for the opportunity to work with Zhang Yimou. I have learnt a lot from him," he said.
"I thought it was quite fun to be walking around in the period costume," he admitted, with a child-like grin.
The owner of this anime-perfect face was full of surprises up his blue sleeves.
When prompted about the chemistry between him and his co-stars, Kaneshiro volunteered this juicy bit on his love scenes with Zhang:
"We both knew very well what was going to happen. So we did what we had to and got over with it in two takes," he said with a smirk.
Swoon away, ladies.
"You just have to find out what exactly the director wants," he continued, chuckling away cheekily. "And ask him to demonstrate the scene!"
Kaneshiro, tight-lipped? Those lips were made for talking, baby.
Heavenly King who's hardly oh-so divine
Escorted by his entourage of minders, Lau appeared in the frame of the doorway as a glowing picture of elan. He ambled towards his hot seat to face the press.
But rather than settling in, Lau sat at the edge of his armchair, pointed over to the row of chairs on our side and asked his minder: "Shall I sit over there? We're too far apart, aren't we?"
He almost won me over with his gentlemanly ways. But there was the small matter of his argumentative forthrightness.
Where most movie stars in either Hong Kong or Hollywood films would gloss over and distract reporters from questions about questionable morals in their movies, Lau dealt with them straight on, for better or for worse.
While discussing the film, the conversation turned to love and fidelity, specifically whether he thought it was fine to wound a loved one if he or she decided to leave you, as one character does in the film.
"If you fully understand their relationship and where he's coming from, you wouldn't think that person is that wrong," said Lau.
"Go ask a hundred people if they would willingly let the person they love fall into the arms of another and they'll all think twice."
Lau turned serious, his smile (and halo) dimming, as he then challenged: "Let me ask you now, would you?"
Maybe not, but I'm not one to plunge a dagger into a straying ex's heart.
But what would Lau do if he had his heavenly feet in the same thorny shoes?
"Me? I would have walked away long ago. I'm not that silly," he laughed.
Neither is he very tolerant of silly people or mistakes, it would appear.
When another journalist remarked on how his character, Leo, had sacrificed his country for love, the actor leaned forward.
His eyes widened.
"The country? It was never about the country!" he spat, bristling with barely concealed indignation.
Honestly, I wasn't charmed, but I could see why he's a media darling. Lau's honesty is a welcome break from an industry of facades and slick PR schmoozers.
Goodbye testy diva (mental image), hello lovesome sweetheart
Casually clad in an off-shoulder black top and sporty white pants, matched with a big, warm smile, Zhang seemed every bit the girl-next-door.
Completely antithetical to the haughty, self-aggrandising, slut-on-the-corner she's been labelled as.
Spotting a familiar face among the journalists, the actress called out: "We've met, haven't we?"
They did, actually, back in Singapore some time back.
"It's been quite a while since I last visited Singapore. I miss the laksa!" she rattled on girlishly, laughing.
The moment passed quickly when a no-nonsense reporter interrupted her fond reminiscence, firing off a business-like and standard question: "Can you tell us about your character in Daggers?"
Zhang composed herself at once and assumed an air of professionalism with a soft, obedient "Okay".
It was hard not to warm up to her right there and then.
In her melodious Chinese twang, Zhang explained that her character, Mei, was a blind dancer at a brothel.
"I spent two months with a blind girl to prepare for this role. It was my very first concern," she said.
"I took her to a field full of flowers, where she used her nose, her hands and her body to feel and experience the surroundings. I taught her simple dance and martial arts moves and I observe how she mimicked them …
"I never realised how small the world really is to the blind," she said. "When you are robbed of the privilege of sight, you'll learn to use your heart. I held on to that feeling and gave my character its soul."
Wait, is this the same Zhang Ziyi we had all read about, clamouring to hang out with socialites and treating film crew with diva-esque contempt, a la J Lo?
Speaking with this beautiful, successful and eloquent actress, it was easy to see how she could be a target for some.
A bitch? Not Zhang Ziyi, not anymore - at least in my opinion.
Unless, like her character in the film, she has been having us on. In which case, what a fine performance! - TODAY
Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd