Tony's interview by IGN

[mu99le]

tonygrrl tipped me with this. thanks!

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/641/641088p2.html

IGN » Entertainment » FilmForce » Interviews
Interview: Tony Leung
We talk to the star of 2046.
by IGN FilmForce

August 10, 2005 - In the past twenty years, Tony Leung has done more than seventy films, which makes his recently-acquired stardom that much more strange; but the actor, who starred in such films as Zhang Yimou's Hero, John Woo's Bullet in the Head and Hard-Boiled, and six of director Wong Kar-Wai's silver-screen efforts, possesses no quality so much as deference, and frequently contributes more to his movies by offering less to the audience.

In 2046, his craft reaches its peak. Reprising the same role he played to acclaim and international success in 2000's In the Mood For Love, Leung offers another iteration of his sometime philanderer Mr. Chow, who has eased into the lifestyle of a lothario in order to assuage his own loneliness. While a lesser actor might overcompensate for the film's many meticulously-designed ambiguities, Leung instead expands the film's meditative but never insistent approach to storytelling, and provides a blank slate against which director Wong paints his rapturous, tragic tales of romantic loss.

The 42 year-old Leung, who resides and works almost exclusively in his native Hong Kong, made a rare and recent journey to Los Angeles to discuss 2046. Despite claims that he is a 'passive actor', Leung remained cool and in control of this recent interview as he described his sixth reunion with director Wong, recounted his experiences working with some of China's most prominent actresses, and addressed the prospect of leaving his homeland for the allure of Hollywood.


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IGN FILMFORCE: Obviously you've worked with Wong Kar-Wai before, but what about this particular project appealed to you the most?

TONY LEUNG: For me I think it was much more difficult this time. I never tried this before, to revisit a character again and try to bring something new to the character, and this is what [Wong Kar-Wai] asked for on the first day on the set. I think it's really hard for an actor, because I'd already gotten used to the original Mr. Chow and that's why I asked for a massage at the very beginning. I think I need something to hold onto to make myself believe I'm somebody else before I try to develop the character. And of course, what we did before, we worked without a script, so I had no idea of the story. I started with Zhang Ziyi first, not with the other cast [members]; we would do it one by one so it was very difficult for me. I think if I play a new character, I think I don't have as much pressure on me, but to play the same guy but try to act differently is really difficult and I didn't do quite well in the first few months because I would jump back to that character unconsciously - sometimes the voice isn't right, sometimes the body language isn't right. Because you are not conscious when you are acting, and somehow Kar-Wai will remind me of this because he is sitting in front of the monitor.

IGN FILMFORCE: Wong is famous for his long and laborious production process. How long did shooting actually take on the film?


LEUNG: The actual shooting period was less than a year, I think, for my part. I don't know what was happening [in the other segments] because I was not in the futuristic parts.

IGN FILMFORCE: In previous interviews, you mentioned how worn out you were by the end of principal photography.


LEUNG: This happens every time (laughs). It's normal to be worn out, because you have to do so many takes that I always think, 'that's enough for the movie,' and it's not enough for one movie, but enough for three or four movies. I think Kar-Wai is a perfectionist and he always wants to do better - 'we can do better!' Of course, I know we can do better, but we still have a date to stop. Of course we can do better, we can do much better next year or three years later, but that we can't do.

IGN FILMFORCE: The script evidently went through a number of changes during development and shooting. How much did your role change throughout the creative process?


LEUNG: He asked me to play a postman at the very beginning, but not after we started doing the real shoot when he asked me to do Mr. Chow. But this time not much changed during the shooting, so for me it was not much different. It didn't change much.


IGN FILMFORCE: In 2046, the camera shares a really unique relationship with the characters, capturing only parts of their faces, or photographing the back of their heads even during heavy dialogue scenes. Was there any specific direction Wong Kar-Wai gave you, or did he give you complete freedom to move and explore the interior world of the film?


LEUNG: Acting-wise, he gave us a lot of freedom. Our relationship is very strange. We never discussed the story or characters; in fact, we never talked. We'd just do it, and he let me do it by myself, but sometimes it depends on some camera angles, and you have to be very accurate, very precise: you have to [follow] very precise direction - you would have to move your face [a certain way], so sometimes it was hard.

IGN FILMFORCE: How did you perceive or develop your character's closed-off emotional center?

LEUNG: I think that he becomes so cynical, he becomes a playboy because he got hurt, and he doesn't want to get hurt again. He never tries to commit to any relationship any more because I think he's afraid to commit. He cannot take any failure, and I think the most perfect relationship for him is the past.

IGN FILMFORCE: How did you develop individual relationships with each of the actresses?


LEUNG: We very much depended on the script, but they are so different and so special. I had different experiences, very, very different, with each one. Like Faye Wong, she is very unpredictable and she always claims that she doesn't know how to act, but she is not stereotyped and she is very unpredictable. She acts by instinct, so you will never know what will happen next; it is very challenging. Working with Gong Li or some other actress, at least you know how she responds - they respond in a special way, in a special pattern, if you study them and if you saw a lot of their movies. But Faye Wong is so different that she doesn't have a special pattern; she can be very unpredictable.

IGN FILMFORCE: Do you prefer that?


LEUNG: Yes, sometimes, yes. It's really a lot like when I was working with Hou Hsiao-hsien, with the nonprofessionals; they are very unpredictable and that's fun to work with.

IGN FILMFORCE: This film addresses the idea of revealing truths about oneself through art. Is there anything in your life, either personal or professional, that enables you to gain that kind of perspective on relationships and experiences?


LEUNG: I think I have something in common with the character. I [once] had a very hard experience, and so I try to play [things safe] because I don't want to get hurt, which is very much like the character.

IGN FILMFORCE: Many audiences in America are familiar with your work in Hero. Do you have a preference between working in action-oriented projects and dramas?


LEUNG: No, it very much depends on my mood, what I want to do. I usually have a pattern: I usually do a comedy after a very serious drama like 2046. It's kind of like balancing myself; I make myself happy at that period of time. I'm very laid back and a very passive actor, so I just let things happen; I don't plan for my career.

IGN FILMFORCE: You've accomplished so much in Hong Kong. What is the next step for you?


LEUNG: I think as an actor you still have a lot of characters you want to play. People are so different; you can find one that is similar to you, so I think there are still a lot of characters for me to play, still a lot of challenges.

IGN FILMFORCE: Are you content to stay in Hong Kong or do you want to move into the international film market?


LEUNG: I never think of it, but maybe I'll do a lot of co-productions with other countries. I think movies are borderless, and I really want to do it with some other countries. To work with different people from different countries sometimes is fun. Hero. Is a very good example: we have talents from different countries like Japan, mainland China and Hong Kong, and it's fun to do movies in that way.


IGN FILMFORCE: How do you feel about the prospect of an American remake of Infernal Affairs, a movie whose success rested in a big way on your acting work?


LEUNG: I think we are all really honored to have [Martin] Scorsese doing the remake of Infernal Affairs. I'm a big fan of Martin Scorsese and he's really good at doing a gangster movie. I can't wait to see it; I think because of different culture and different background, he might have a different perspective to that story, and the size will be much bigger, I think.

IGN FILMFORCE: Do you have any plans to work in Hollywood?


LEUNG: I did receive some offers in the past few years, but I haven't found the right script yet. What I always think is that in Hollywood they have all of the great talents from all over the world, so why do they need to write a specific script or a specific role for an Asian like me? There's no point. So I never think of developing my career in Hollywood, but I grew up wit Hollywood movies. I saw a lot of Hollywood movies, and I was influenced by Hollywood movies when I was a kid. As an actor, I would always love to do it at least once in my life; it would be a very memorable experience, but I have to make sure that one should be with the right material, the right crowd of people, and then it will be fun.
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"Soon we must all face the choice between what is right...and what is easy"

[Looney Tune]

Thanks mu99le and Tonygrrl.

Good that he is cautious with Hollywood. Won't want them to waste his talent. It'll be interesting to see what he'll pick.
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[Tony Grrl]

Thanks for posting it here Muggle...ok gotta dash now
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Sheila

TLCW Fan UK

[Looney Tune]

[Pungyo]

I agree with Looney Tune... I wouldn't want to have Hollywood waste Tony's talents... but, I have some further thoughts about putting him in a leading role that would break away from the stereotypical parts that Hollywood usually places Asian actors. Does that make sense?

I mean, take the television series from the 1970's... "Kung Fu" with David Carradine. It was Bruce Lee's idea, and Hollywood stole it away from him because they said... "American audiences aren't ready for an Asian leading man." Oh good grief... give me a damn break!! I'm such a fan of Asian cinema because some of these actors have more talent in their little fingers than some American actors! Oh, don't get me started...

-K
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Post nubila, Phoebus.