[Whereas Jing is girlish devotion personified, Ziyi Zhang is the epitome of forced flirtation as the prostitute Bai. When she falls in love with her drinking pal Chow, they both pretend it's a simple transaction, even as their passion rocks the hotel and lights up the screen. Zhang, who has Westernized the word order of her name since] Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, ... Hero. |
[Wong suggested Charles Bukowski as a role model.] I didn’t ask him why, ... But I knew it would not be easy, because the original Mr. Chow was still inside me. I got used to his body language, his tempo, his gestures, his voice. Now, with the same costume, the same sets, even the same hair cream, I would have to play the part differently. |
And I said, 'I need something to get hold of to make myself believe that I am a new person. Can I have a moustache?' And he said 'No!' |
From day one, I was never trying to achieve anything, |
He is cynical because he doesn’t want to get hurt. You can find the original Chow when he’s alone. You feel his sadness and his loneliness. When he’s with other people, he seems to be happy. But deep down, he’s still living with his past. |
I Feel Like the President. |
If that takes five years I will die before the shooting is finished, |
Initially, I thought it would be quite relaxing because I play Jackie's friend. But I soon found out that it was tiring and dangerous even when I was just running beside him, |
It's very sad. It's very sad, ... At the very beginning I think this is a story about a man (trying to) carry on his life after he broke up with the woman he loves. And he tries to change. He tries to forget the past. He tries to live like a new man. He thinks he's changed entirely, he sees things, he acts differently, but deep down inside him I think he still lingers with the past and that's sad. |
There were lots of one-night stands, but nothing lasts forever, anyway. |
You have no specific direction at the very beginning, you don't have a script, ... You don't know the story. There are little hints, so there's no right or wrong in creating your character. You can do whatever you want. And it's like an adventurous journey. |