Interview Tony Leung Chiu Wai (French) - by Didier Verdurand

[Info]

A French article on Tony by Didier Verdurand.

(Source: ecranlarge.com)

http://www.ecranlarge.com/interview-41.php







Thanks a lot to Didier Verdurand. Just got an English translation of the article from Didier. See below.

I interviewed several movie stars but I was really impressed by the cool
attitude of Tony Leung. His kindness and modesty are really touching and I would have loved to spend more time to talk to him but he was very busy of course, he's really liked in France where In the mood for love was a hit. Here is the translation of our interview:

I've heard you haven't read the 2046 script before agreeing.

Indeed but there wasn't any script! Wong Kar-Wai told us vaguely what he wanted to do before the project went further but nothing more, just the minimum. At the begining I should have been a postman in the futuristic part of the movie, part I've played a few scenes in. A couple of years after the shooting started, Wong changed his mind and decided I would be someone else. The first day of the second part of the shooting, Wong came to me and said he wanted me to play again the character I was in In the mood for love, but differently !

What did he mean ?

He was thinking of a kind of Bukowski character, quite dark and trustful
because he's an experimented guy. Not really the Mr. Chow I was in In the mood for love !

Do you get the idea of where you're going through to work with Wong
Kar-Wai ?!

I don't even know why he wanted this change and how it went to his
mind but anyway, it's a great challenge for an actor. You know the character but you can't show it. The hardest is : you don't even know what the movie is about ! You've given the scene of the day to read just when you arrive on the set...

Is Wong Kar-Wai very directive ?

I'm still very free and I can experiment different ways. Then Wong keeps what he wants in the editing room. That's how he works. There are many shoots because he loves shooting from different angles. For instance, in the kissing scene with Gong Li, we had to repeat it thirty times ! So she had to cry thirty times !! It's exhausting for actors because Wong wants more than what you're supposed to give.

How do you approach the erotic scenes ?

I really trust Wong and I know he has good reasons to do them so it's very professional and it doesn't bother me at all. The most important thing is to communicate with your partner and I think the director has to be a mediator because there are limits not to cross, especially if he asks you to do it again and again : you feel more and more comfortable ! (laughs)

Long time you haven't been in a comedy !

I'd like to play in one very quickly to balance. When you're doing a comedy you can easily be happy every day on the set. That was not so easy on 2046 because I think the story is very sad. Mr. Chow is not a happy man, he's very lonely and you become a bit like that esspecially if you're with the character for five years ! I'll make a comedy very soon in Korea. Jingle Ma will be the director.

Are you still in touch with John Woo ?

When he goes back to Hong Kong, we sometimes have diner together but not that often because most of the time he's in America. John is successful over there and that's what he wanted. When we've done movies together, he often complained he didn't have enough money to realise such or such idea. Today he's not really in that situation anymore. I'm really happy for him because he's a very sweet guy.

Could you make another movie together ?

It depends on the script. I'm not attracted by Hollywood and the choice of
characters for Asian comedians is very limited. My choice is much bigger in Asia.

So you're not jealous of Jet Li or Chow Yun fat ?

The place where you're working is not the most important thing indeed. I choose to make a movie because of the script or because I know I'll be surrounded by talented and nice people. Asia is not too small for me, I've got enough space to make a good few movies ! The only reasons to go to Hollywood would be money or fame and I'm not interested in it.

[Looney Tune]

What a shame, je ne parle pas francais, je ne comprend pas. Would be super if we have some linguist who "comprend francais" in our midst to tell us what's it is all about.

Nice T-shirt that Tony is wearing. Some designer must have put it on for him. He seldom wears something that is so "loud".

[mu99le]

ah super pics!! thanks Info!! yeah shame none of us are from france

[news]

Don't know how accurate the translation from Alta Vista is; take it for what it is.

The jury of the festival of Cannes of l'année 2000 was very inspired while offering to Tony Leung the priced Interpretation Masculine for In the mood for [love], of Wong Kar-wai, with whom it have just finished 2046, their sixth collaboration. That qu'on calls Asian Clark Gable passed by l'hôtel Costes to speak about 2046.

I believe it that you had not read the scenario of 2046 before giving your agreement?
T: Because there was not! Wong Kar-wai vaguely told us what he wanted to do before the project is concretized, but nothing moreover, the bare minimum. At the beginning, I was to be a factor in the futuristic part of film, and I have d'ailleurs turned some scenes. Two years after the beginning of turning, Wong wanted that I start again all and that I incarne another character. Arrive the first day of the second turning, Wong approaches me and that [he] wishes which I take again the role that I already had in In the mood for [love] says to me while interpreting it differently!

More exactly?
T: [He] thought of a character in the style of Bukowski, rather dark and sure of him strong bus of its experiment. Not great a deal to be seen indeed with Mr. Chow that I was in In the mood for [love]. You see a little for what it is necessary to yield to work with Wong Kar-wai! I do not even know why he wanted this change and how that came to him to the idea, but in any case, that represents one crowned challenge for an actor.

T: You know the role, but you should not give this impression because the same facets should not be shown. It is all the more difficult, as you do not know what speaks film. One gives you the scenes of the day when you arrive on the plate. Is Wong Kar-wai very directing?
T: I remain very free and I can test much by engaging me in various directions. After, Kar-Wai keeps and cuts what he wants in the room of assembly, thus he works. There are in general many catches, because [he] likes to film the scenes under several angles. For example, we had to remake about thirty times the scene of the kiss with Gong Li.
It was necessary that [she] cries thirty times!

It is exhausting for the actors, especially because he wants more still than you can a priori give him. How do you approach the erotic scenes?
T: I rely great on Kar-Wai and I know that there are good reasons so that it turns them, therefore all occurs in a very professional way and that does not disturb me at all. Most important is well to communicate with your partner, but I think that the director holds an essential role of mediator, because there are limits not always not to cross. Especially if it asks you to remake it several times and that you smell yourselves more and more at ease. (Laughter.)

Does that make one moment that one did not see you in a pure comedy?
T: I want to do one of them very quickly to restore balance. When you make a comedy, you are easily of good mood tous.les.jours on the plate. It was less obvious on that of 2046, whose history is in my eyes very sad.

Mr. Chow is not a merry type, it suffers from loneliness, and that fades naturally on you, especially if it accompanies to you during five years! I will connect very quickly with a comedy of action, which I will turn to Korea. Jingle M[a] will be the director. L'équipe waits until I finish the promotion of 2046 and at the end of October is begun.

You are always in liaison with John Woo?
T: When it returns in Hong Kong, we dine sometimes together, but rather seldom because it passes the majority of its time to the United States. John has success over there and it is what he wanted. When we turn together in Hong Kong, [he] often complained not to have a larger budget to realize such or such idea. It does not have really any more these constraints today. I am happy for him bus John is an adorable being.

You could remake a film together, this time in America? That depends especially on the scenario.
T: I am not attracted by Hollywood, and the roles offered to the Asian actors there are very limited. The pallet of roles which is offered to me in Asia is largely wider.

Then you are not envieux American career of Jet Li or Chow Yun Fat?
T: In fact, it does not matter the place where you turn. I choose to make a film for his scenario or because I know that I will be surrounded talented people. Asia is not yet too small for me, I find enough space there to still make good films there! I do not have good reasons to go to Hollywood, but to go there for l'argent or to be more popular does not interest me at all.

You are a collector of rewards? (Laughter.)
T: Yes, I must be with eleven trophies. They are arranged at home, in a window.

Source: http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr

[Tony Grrl]

Woooooo kerplop! What magnifique pics!! Oh la la!
_________________
Sheila

TLCW Fan UK

[Looney Tune]

Merci beaucoup mademoissele news. I get the gist of the interview, although I am wondering what is "the place where you turn" and why WKW wants him to smell himself after remaking it several times.

[eliza bennet]

Thank you very much news

[jenlim]

[Looney Tune]