Thursday, June 10, 2010

Gong Li - Interview with Sina Part 2

Translated via Google with a little editorial tampering by yours truly. I hope it's of some interest and makes some sense.

In the eyes of many people, Gong Li is the most representative in the international word "China" actress. Hear such praise, Gong Li, said: "This I was quite proud of."

"Curse of the Golden Flower" before and after, Gong Li starred in Hollywood's "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Miami Vice," "Young Hannibal" and other films, but her work has never appeared on the big screen in the Mainland. Gong Li appears in addition to some international director of the Hong Kong, Hong Kong films have a regional, a routine, not suitable for us. Now, since a lot of films are piled-Star, "a person the opportunity appeared to not even 10 minutes, which is sad actors."

Be shown in the June 17, Gong Li and John - Cusack, Chow Yun Fat, Ken Watanabe starred together in "Die Hai Feng Yun" [Shanghai] is also a Hollywood movie, but the first draw in the Mainland. Talk to the reason, Gong Li is not like other actors, as shirk that knowledge, but generous, said: "Hollywood is not because of the Mainland in May of this year before the review by, film does not want to give up the Asian market in North America, was only delayed to the present. "

In "Die Hai Feng Yun", Gong Li plays a New Anti-Japanese War women, "she study abroad, is the leader of an underground resistance organization, smart, intelligent, mysterious and both are free from any influence of a representative, and finally only to find that she is the core of all events, the film is somewhat like "Casablanca" can be said is that this woman ruled the whole story. "

I am such a strong and Gong Li is very similar, even she herself admitted: "I am more stubborn in personality above, others say no move me, whether right or wrong, I must insist." It is this insistence only to Gong Li received the results today. "Of course, Zhang Yimou gave me a lot, she let me take a lot less tortuous path, described in a phrase, I and Zhang Yimou's cooperation is unique." Talking about Zhang Yimou's films now, Gong Li smiled: "I hope he can adhere to the principle before. "

Rumors will once again hand Gong Li or Zhang Yimou, starred in "Chai Jinling 13" [13 Women of Jinling (Nanjing)], heard the news, Gong Li stared: "13 hairpin? [i.e., the film] That everyone's too little play it." Speaking before her want to play the Empress Wu: Gong Li said, "It's a story well written, and I played" Golden Flower ", the type of people well ... ... the rest yourself."

Our dialogue with Gong Li was scheduled to visit the plane 15 minutes after the media group, in such a short interval of years, Gong Li, or enchant a piece of clothing. After entering the room, Gong Li put away, "Queen" posture, with words and people around the Northeast, said: "then you are out of it." Believe that if the fans to see her so cute side, will be more like her.


Chow Yun-Fat makes me laugh

Sina: "Die Hai Feng Yun" [Shanghai] is the second cooperation with Chow Yun Fat, and his whirlwind drama, for you have challenges?
Gong Li: I think every actor would like cooperate with good actors, like that, no matter which game, or in the script above will have different spark. We can not say whirlwind drama, just a desire to cooperate, I like the best actors around the world, so I will progress quickly.
Sina: This has not impressed a certain period?
Gong Li: his English is good, but sometimes the nonsense that the Chinese lines, and foreigners do not understand, but anyway, can later dubbed this happens, I sometimes laugh. The two of us play a couple opponents play but not many, the most memorable scene it should be the last scene, because the two of us in the film which has some special feelings, he appeared as a state, I feel very moved.
Sina: other areas?
Gong Li: There are a number of psychological preparation. Because this role is not the same as with the past, is a love during the war with the plot of the story. There are many around the heroine events, in the figures above do a lot of preparation, I read a lot of documentaries, historical photos, some are inside out look at the database. After seeing it, you will have the survival of this country, is a deeper understanding with the understanding there is a concern, and I think Chinese people will have this feeling after reading.

Sina: I also heard that you have some dancing in this film drama ... ...
Gong Li: It is not their own dance with some other people.
Sina: What do you do to prepare before, say, dance practice?
Gong Li: both. Practice has a special dance dance teachers, learn ballroom dancing at the time, training three times per week, John - Cusack have time, we practice together, he did not have time, I told the teacher training.
Sina: It is like a dress rehearsal, he jumps like how?
Gong Li: He danced well, actually not just dancing, talking with one side, while taking place in the dance scene, but also the lines. To know that dance is the dance 30's-40's era, but also imitate the kind of dance.

I am very stubborn from the individual concerned

Sina: Cusack ago, when interviewed, have said that your very, very appreciative of his actors, he has said in the studio personally admire your feelings?
Gong Li: I think a lot of good actors, a lot of very good actors, they will see each other's work. He told me that like my work, liked a lot of Chinese director, could he see more on my film, he said, liked my performance and hope our cooperation very well.
First met, he was very humble, give you a very relaxing environment. I know he started acting from the age of 17, and later a play, did the director, and even today are acting, "2012" is the sensation that he himself is also a producer. He is a very good actor, a film producer.

Sina Entertainment: from "Memoirs of a Geisha," the beginning, you have several consecutive plays were filmed in Hollywood. Put yourself inside the system in Hollywood, you position yourself over there what?
Gong Li: an attempt, as well as cultural communication, a cultural attempt to communicate with. The director of cooperation with different countries, and their script, their understanding of people, as a Chinese, I learned a lot of different angles. Therefore, from the first film, "Memoirs of a Geisha", I have been that art is no limits, endless. And every time we choose the script, I think it suits me, so go very smoothly, and this is an attempt, is a continuous improvement process.
Sina: the script because the script for you that you selected it, you just select the script you like.
Gong Li: (laughing) Yes.
Sina: It did not feel, as you show in Hollywood, but also to China's status in Hollywood actors have improved?
Gong Li: I think there is a lead role, now turned into a small area, and we communicate with them very easily. I think it is the easiest art, we are no limits, we can have a try, will have some brave leaders to try many before might not dare to try things before may think it is cultural gap, cultural differences, understanding not the same, there may be some difficulty. In fact, this is not. After at least I tried, that did not, I hope that every actor should have to try.
I asked the cause of their not so casual, I think I value my principles. In the above I am more stubborn personality, others say no move me, whether right or wrong, I must insist.


Actors get together with the very sad

Sina: "Golden Flower", you do not take play at home, why?
Gong Li: I do not seek the number of filming, just pay attention to the number of a waste of time, there were 80 to set the series I play it. And now the Chinese film, the characters not especially, the general mass. All the people all get together, one person 10 minutes of play, so I do not have a chance to play it as an actor, I think it is sad.
Sina: What led to your collaboration with Andy Lau, "What Women Want."
Gong Li: First of all, the film is based on Mel - Gibson performed the "Men hundred percent" (What Women Want) over adaptation, the script quite well, is a light comedy, a play more relaxed, I had always The play is performed Kutaichoushen more.[Previously often play many bitter roles?] Also because the director Chen Daming, I think he is a promising director, have not previously had worked with him, but I hope to cooperate with him. There is Andy, I did not and he has worked. This combination, I feel very good.

Sina: It seems that no final contract is not it.
Gong Li: In the waiting is the figure itself, which in the Hollywood movie, actress (that is, Helen - Hunter?) Right. The role of the weak, I feel that she was a little more fullness, more interesting that in the work, a little more emotional entanglement with foreign culture, then with the Chinese culture together. If he could really have changed very good, I hope to participate in this show.
Sina: You happens to my next question answered. Then you and Mickey - A Hollywood movie you Locke cooperation, as if he were in there to play a priest? [Gong Li and Mickey Rourke were said to be attached to Walter Hill's upcoming St Vincent, and Mickey Rourke is considering John Milius' Genghis Khan film, also possibly with Gong Li?]
Gong Li: In the bar early next year, but he is play Genghis Khan, and you said not one.
Sina: that this is the costume for you?
Gong Li: are costume pieces, about Genghis Khan with his son a story.

Should adhere to the principle of Zhang Yimou

Sina: see you and the director Zhang Yimou's films, found that he especially liked making your face.
Gong Li: Close-range, right?
Sina: The feeling of each scene is very beautiful, and could see he was very like you ... ...
Gong Li: This is your understanding of (laughs).
Sina: This is my personal subjective opinion, you cooperate with him the greatest feeling that?
Gong Li: I think he will use the actor, because he used to be a photographer. I feel like an actor in the drama film stage, the distance too far, need your body language. As a film actor is very important that you look with your facial expressions, subtle expression, I think he captures actors facial expressions, the subtle facial expressions is very important, not that you finish the lines, there is no sometimes reflect the lens, or a look, or a brow action, will grasp very well, I think he will use an actor is the director.
I do not think many directors would use the characteristics of actors, so lost a lot of charm of the actors, the actors performed very well possible, but may not see the camera too far, too. In this regard, I am pleased to have been co-director with Chang, he was able to seize me some very fine things, many things are representative of using your eyes to your heart with your thoughts. He will use these things tell the story, with an actor to tell stories, not to speak his language and storytelling, I was lucky in that regard.

Sina: He is not particularly fond of the film to capture the actors in this feeling, Can you understood, he called minor changes you will be more interested?
Gong Li: Perhaps it was those people will give him a very impulsive feeling. Those people, I remember very clearly all the images, all music, I remember very clearly, I went to play, he can catch me a lot of subtle things. If the current roles, he does not need to go with something so delicate performance of this character, he would not have shot so close to the performance, style, change it a bit.
Sina: If you look back now, how would you use a word to describe two of you together?
Gong Li: We have the cooperation of the two ... ... (After thinking a moment) how do you say, unique, like so right. A director is not easy to know how an actor, an actor can understand a director to the director's thinking, with all his ideas reflected also not easy.
Sina: Zhang Yimou had the first thought that the word is Gong Li, because you work with him most of the actors, now referred to Zhang Yimou, people think of Zhang Weiping, Zhang Weiping how do you see him with the cooperation of two people?
Gong Li: This co-operation are two different things, can not compete. I hope he can stick to the previous principles, its principles, its own style, something so good before, we will forever remember the heart as if inside, his advantage is that no one else, he should control the number, stick to their principles.
Sina: Just like you did stick to principles?
Gong Li: Yes.

Photography is also good to play in Africa
Sina: Although relatively few in the country there, but Gong Li is a particularly affect people's names, fans are particularly want to know everything about you. In addition to work, how you arrange your life?
Gong Li: I am able to be against unemployment, and at home reading books, chat with friends, but do not use computers. Can not have run, have to rest. In Beijing, I had to be with my family, stay beside my mother, her good health.
Sina: read anything recently?
Gong Li: "If you let me live another day."
Sina: you most want to do that?
Gong Li: still want to make good show. Then make a movie, do not plan quantity, quality or very important.
Sina Entertainment: Movies do outside?
Gong Li: Movies aside, I would like to photograph in very good shape, went to shoot some of the things landscape. I think that many of my favorite animals, I very want to take a better camera, take lots of pictures of some animals. I would also like to do after the teacher, a teacher in China, because I'm a teacher family origin.
Sina: photography, then you can go to Africa.
Gong Li: Yes, you can go to Africa, the forest, this is my ideal.

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