Cosmo (HK Edition) December 2002

[Sandy]

Cosmo (HK Edition) December 2002 issue

http://www.andylausounds.com/specials/index.html

Today, there's many people in the studio. One Andy Lau is already enough to lose control, what if adding Tony Leung into the picture?

It's not known if the word crossover is used to describe "out of the boundaries", if it is to be, with Andy Lau and Tony Leung on the cover will be the breakthrough move of Hong Kong's edition of Cosmopolitan.

However, the breakthrough is not only as simple as just on the cover. Talking to two popular movie stars is also a breakthrough crossover - from the movie Infernal Affairs to going to heaven and hell, also the 2 stars' comments on male and female, and their ideal relationship.....

Today at the photo studio, only can see an active Andy dance to the music, joke and interrupt Tony's interviews. With regards to Tony, he shows a look of laziness and quiet behind the scene, the reason is that he's still rushing his works, but of course it's related to his character. But the writer never had notice that he has a good imagination, especially in describing heaven and hell which is quite a comical experience.

Tony once said: "I of course knew how to cook, example prawn noodle....." When the writer was about to make an exclaimation, Andy interrupt: "What?! It's difficult to cook prawn noodle! It also cannot pour cold water onto it, also need to maintain the prawn's fragrance......" It's not known why the topic is shifted to prawn noodle, just like why we talked about heaven and hell from the movie. The writer do know that this is one of the strangest interview as the 2 special guests will give you two different answers to the same question.

Say it nicely is "north and south is different", rather than "nine doesn't match with eight". Anyway, this crossover interview will give one headache ...... but the writer enjoy the chat with 2 Best Actors as during the comedy conversation, it allows us to see clearly their true feelings.

Infernal Affairs

"Collaborating again after so many years, so how do you look at this movie?"

Andy Lau (A): I'm an undercover from the traid in the police force and was consecutive promoted in the police, with regards to Tony Leung, he's a police undercover in the traid. What's so called Infernal Affairs is the worst part of hell, survival of the fittest, no right or wrong, those who did great wrongs will be sent to the Infernal part of hell to have continuous sufferings and no returns, I feel that Infernal is very terrifying as in the eyes of a commoner, it's normal for a good person to turn bad but for a bad person to turn good, it would be difficult for people to accept.

Tony Leung(T): You asked me what I think for playing an undercover again? Actually this portal is different. The past undercover characters are unhappy one, either they shut themselve to themselves or their fists covered with blood, this time I'm playing one undercover that look at the bright side when in Infernal, although had to be dead in the end.

"What do you think is teh selling point of this new movie?"

A: Of course is the cast (other than the 2 male lead, there's policeman Anthony Wong and traid boss Eric Tseng). In the movie, I think my responsibility is commercial element; while Tony's responsibility is artistic element. Tony's character is very boring, but he has a charismatic way of acting, it become my learning materials.

T: The selling point is me and Andy, as we had not collaborate for 10 years, last collaborate with Eric and Anthony is 8 and 9 years ago.

"Both of you (hate) awards? If 4 of you were nominated for Best Actors in next year's Hong Kong Films Awards, had you thought of that feeling?"

T: Of course being nominated means hope of wining! Don't tell me that after winning it once, you don't want to win again? However, I won't film movie beacuse of awards, awards is just a bonus.

Devil and Angel

"Just now you talk about hell, how you understand in heaven and hell?"

T: I was in a Catholic school when young, always think there will be a whip in heaven and angels dress in white gown and it's a happy place. There's devils in hell, 2 horns on the head and holding onto a huge fork, you ask me if I believe? I don't know as I never seen it before.

A: I'm a Buddhist, believe in retribution in what you do, I feel that difference in heaven and hell differ from person.

"If you can chose, you would like to be an angel or devil?"

T: Angel and devil is just an image, I believe devil also has a good side, so does angel has dark sides. If I were to chose, I would prefer heaven more, although it would be more boring but at least there won;t be killing, no bad people, I like peace.

A: If there's a choice, I don't want to be unique, there's only one god, I'll be devil as they're everywhere in the world, more human.

"From your personal experience, under what situation will (happliy go to heaven) and (disappointed to be sent to hell)?"

T: I never been to heaven, I don't know how it's like and don't believe there heaven, when one dead id dead, according to Buddhist, man will be reborn or go to a happy place. I only have (experience of flying) that's when I win award in Cannes. The most disppointing is also related to Cannes, losing in the last minute to Sean Penn, teh feeling is like falling from the higest spot, I indeed have a period unhappy, it would be betetr if I thought I'll lose in the first place.

A: I think living in the most happy environment, not affecting anyone, without pressure, a place to rest is heaven; while hell is being mistaken, there's high an dlow in life, there'll be stone, but I feel I more happy.

"Believe there's reborn in life? If can explain, will you be Andy Lau and Tony Leung in your next life? And wanted to change which part of your life?"

T: I heard of reborn and believe in ghost but didn't study it. To be Tony Leung in my next life? It won't be bad. Which part of life need to be changed? Take example of losing to Sean Penn, but without that disappointment, I won't have the happy feeling fo flying 3 years later, there's up and down in life, without down how you would treasure the excitement of at the top? It's normal to have disappointment in life. I feel that I'm very lucky not to find a bad place. I think if I to live again, starting from baby, I would still fall down many times before getting success, therefore nothing need to be changed.

A: If to believe there's next life, so will believe there's 'mo po tang' (a soup drink to forget the past), this life will never remember this of previous life! Be Andy Lau in next life? No need, actually I've never thought of next life. What's wrong this life will be wromg again for enxt life, allow you to chose again, it'll be the same.

'Da Nu Ren' and 'Da Nan Ren'

"Do you think you're a 'da nan ren' (man who boss around woman)? Can you tolerate 'da nu ren' (woman who boss around man)?

A: I can consider a mischievous 'da nan ren'. However I'm not sure why am I a 'da nan ren', it's only my on view, I don't understand what's 'da nu ren', but I allow woman by my sie to have her own opinion, it's okay when no dispute between us, when you love a person, you'll automatically give way.

T: I don't understand why 'da nan ren', I can't stand woman manage money, I'm not used to it and the feeling is not good. I'll tell woman, when we go for a coffee or meal, going dutch or take turns to pay is wrong, some things had to be done by man, like moving things, I'm very traditional in this, man should do what they need to do, so does woman.

"Some says, woman of the 21 century is getting stronger and more agressive, how you look at it? Can you accept that your woman is stronger than yourself?"

A: Since young, actually the woman I see hasn't change. Nowadays woman taking up management jobs had increase, it's not a problem. In real life, I don't find woman getting more agressive, take for an example, food is too salty, woman will says: "Why? Not nice!" But my mother also scold my father this way, maybe the current wedding control is weaker or woman found out that being able to cook is not really for long, self defence increase thus had to gear up themselves.

T: The generation now is different, the education that male and female recieve is the same, woman stronger than man, not strange, you said more man like to cook, but cooking may not make man more female, I also like cooking, like prawn noodles and BBQ! With regards to withstand woman agressive than me? This I cannot control, she get agressive as she likes, if she could control now, but 3 years later will return to the same, then is there a difference.

"What you cannot stand woman?"

A: Those woman who don't talk and those that hang up on you suddenly is totally unacceptable. It's not courteous to hang up on someone in the midst of a phone conversation, doesn't respect yourself and other, must not befriend them! With regards to woman that ask a lot is hard to handle, this is from my own experience.

T: If only I love that person, I'll accept whatever disadvantages she has, no matter its lover or friend, I don't have any disadvantages that I cannot accept.

"Then what disadvantages of man that you can accept?"

A: Same as woman, those who ask alot, hang up on you in the midst of a phone conversation, also those talkative! Think of it, it's hard to handle a talkative woman, it'll be terrible for a talkative man!

T: The disadvantage of a man that cannot have is like me - drag things and cannot be decisive. I'm not a man with lots of guts, hwoever that's my character, I can only minimise or at the situation that won't hurt people to become myself. When one ages, naturally will not be to active, I know my own disadvantage, but won't change as it'll change me into another person, just like coffee is always different to oolong tea, as that's me.

"You think what's the ideal male-female relationship?"

A: Don't know, hope the relationship will be similar to fairy tale, no worries, 'ping jian fu qi bai shi ai' is correct!

T: Hope it'll be the same as my relationship with my mother, the other party will forgive whatever wrong I do, big understanding, that will be ideal, of course, what ideal wil not be reality.

Dialogue - Andy Lau

I don't know how to look at Hong Kong movies, but I like them as long they're entertaining will do. You want me to select my 5 favorite movies? Actually I don't know how to chose. Actually I don't have a high level of likeness for my own movies, say it seriously, I seldom analyze how many marks my movies get, or which position its in, I won't think of such things. Eevn though I acted well in this movie, I also cannot confirm if I can do it again, I also use my mentality (now) to create a new product. When you decide to act this movie, you must have confidence to keep within yourself, not because of 4 playback you will need to change your way of acting. When director tell you that your acting is incorrect in your first camera shot, you must study with him and not after acting halfway then watch playback to suggest changes. I won't specially to look through my productions, if someone watch video discs or tv, I'll just take a look, that's about it.

Dialogue - Tony Leung

You want me to select 5 of my favorite movies? Of course can, it's TV drama Duke of the Mount Deer, Police Cadet '84, Days of Being Wild, Happy Together and In the Mood for Love. I'll look back in my productions to notice which area that I need to improve so that I won't make the same mistake again. If I can chose, I'll eb an actor again, I like acting, if not I won't act for 20 years! I love acting, this is for sure.

Aftermath

Very obvious, Andy Lau and Tony Leung is 2 different person, the former being active and realistic, the latter being quiet and romantic. Just like acting, both attitude is different --
"Movie is not one plus one! I need feel when doing things, never thought to express anything through my character, what I want is play out the feel required by the charatcer." Tony Leung

"Hard to seek breakthrough after acting for so many years? Of course not. I can play the same character everyday, to me, you want me, today, tomorrow, the next day to move you would be more difficult that changing character......I'm not one calculative person, although stress on time, but it'll be "eat what is cooked when comes to encounter things, I won't ask reasons, encounter any sudden incident in life, I won't ahve too much changes or effect." Andy Lau

[eliza bennet]

Great article! Thank you so much for posting it.

Tony comes across just the sort of man I can hook up with.

[Guest]